|
Kids In Sports currently operates 15 clubs that deliver sports
activities in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, swimming
and volleyball, and serves more than 8,000 youth annually.
Boys and girls ages 5 to 17, participate in year-round sports
programs at parks, and schools. Regularly scheduled practices
and competitions are conducted after school and on weekends
during the consecutive sports seasons.
Each Sports Club is a partnership with the members of the community,
parks, schools and Kids In Sports. Parents and other interested
adults are recruited to volunteer their time as coaches and
Sports Club community board members. Organizations such as
the city and county departments of recreation and parks, and
area schools provide meeting rooms and sports facilities.
KIS provides the overall technical assistance and resources
to develop the individual Sports Clubs boards, organizes and
purchases equipment and uniforms, and pays for officials and
referees.
In 1996, KIS initiated the Girls In Recreation, Leadership and
Sports (GIRLS) Program to recruit and attract young girls
to the sports clubs. Unique features of this program include
low cost registration, all-girl teams, women coaches, and
all-girl practices and competitions. GIRLS programming began
at one site in the sport of basketball with 90 girls participating
in the first season. Since that time, the GIRLS Program has
increased to involve more than 3,000 girls participating in
basketball, soccer, softball, swimming and volleyball at
all sites.
|