SpringfieldNewsSun.com

Your Turn: Youth sports should be a positive experience for all

At the International Youth Sports Congress in September, the National Alliance for Youth Sports will celebrate 25 years of making sports positive and safe for children. The staff of National Trail Parks and Recreation District has been involved for 24 of those years and works very closely with N.A.Y.S. and Ohio Parks and Recreation Association to promote a safe, fun, positive sports experience for kids in Springfield and Clark County, which is a principle goal of NTPRD.

We want every child to have a great memory of his or her childhood sporting experience. If we don't at least provide the opportunity for kids to have a safe place to play, then we have failed not only as a recreation district but also as a community.

The park district requires all head coaches to complete a training program through the National Youth Sports Coaches Association, and we conduct a background check on each coach as well. This training puts the focus where it should be – on the kids. We often forget that every participant is someone's child. We also need to remember that it is just a game.

This philosophy has made NTPRD a leader in youth sports not only in Clark County but also in the state, as well as the nation and the world. In 2000, NTPRD was awarded the first annual Excellence in Youth Sports Award. This award, accompanied by a check for $5,000, was given to the top five agencies in the country and military bases throughout the world for accomplishing those things that promote healthy sports for kids.

The award was presented at the Athletic Business magazine conference in Orlando, Fla. Winning this award allowed NTPRD to use this money to begin a parents education program, something it had long desired to do, in order to educate parents on good sportsmanship.

In 2002 a statewide youth sports summit was held in Springfield. Many things developed from this, one being the Ohio Youth Sports Committee through the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association. The committee was established three years ago and is definitely beginning to see positive things happen.

Legislation is being formed at the Statehouse, more and more recreation professionals are getting on board to sign the Our Promise to Kids that was developed by the Ohio Youth Sports Committee, and Ohio is starting to see better sports for kids – and that is what really matters.

The park district not only provides educational opportunities for its own teams but for many of the local community teams. NTPRD requires any organization using an NTPRD facility as home field to have head coaches certified through NYSCA. This promotes positive behavior at all our locations and holds coaches accountable for their behavior. Other organizations have also approached NTPRD desiring to have their parents and coaches complete the training, which ultimately helps to improve their programs.

Working with youth sports has given me the opportunity to work with agencies from around the world to promote positive youth sports. I have met with sports legends such as Don Shula and Cal Ripken Jr.; have been part of international summits; and have spoken at state conventions.

It is great to bring all the information and experience back to the kids of Springfield and Clark County and to provide them with the best youth sports opportunity possible.