Archive: Sports

It seems as if summer has only just begun.  But the Lansing Recreation Department wants parents to start thinking ahead to the fall.  Late summer and fall programs include Small Fry Football, Small Fry Cheerleading, Flag Football, Soccer, Pee Wee Cheer Camp, and Summer Sparten Gym Camp.

"Like everyone, their thoughts are on the current time, which is summer time," says Town Recreation Director Steve Colt. "But we need to get the word out that it is time to sign up for Small Fry Football, and the youth cheerleading program, and our youth soccer program that we run in the fall... and flag football.  And this year we're offering a cheerleading camp."

Sign-ups start early, because a rough idea of how many kids will be participation drives the second stage of making the programs happen: recruiting volunteer coaches. 

"The cheerleading, football, the big soccer program... our engine is our volunteer coaches, parents, grandparents... whoever coaches," Colt says.  "Moms, dads... they are the engine that drives all of our big programs.  it's been that way since the beginning.  They do a great job.  We need them."

Colt says that participation in Rec Department programs each year can be measured in thousands.  The spring baseball and softball programs alone attracted over 300 kids this year.  The summer day camp averages about 40 kids per one-week session, with camp director Dan Cheatham running five sessions this summer.

"In a calendar year we're talking more about thousands than hundreds," Colt says.  "Participation ranges from summer through fall, winter... any of the camps, all the different things.  You're talking about a four digit number, not three digits, for sure."

Colt says you don't have to be a sports fanatic to be a coach.  The main ingredient is willingness to work with the kids.

"If you're warm, willing, and able, we'll hold coaches clinics to make you feel comfortable enough to get out and easily get it done," says Colt.  "It's not super complicated and I think a lot of folks look forward to it.  Some of them are a little apprehensive, because they feel that they may not have the background for it.  But they do.  If you're a parent you've probably got the chops to do this, and when they do it, they enjoy it.  That's what you hope to hear, and we need them.  We can't do what we do without them."

But the first step is to get your kids enrolled.  The Late Summer & Fall programs brochure went home with Lansing school students on the next to last day of school.  It is also on the Recreation Department Web site for those who have lost it or didn't receive one.

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