S.P.O.R.T.S Youth Soccer Introduces Character Development Program

Writer  /  Demi Lawrence

S.P.O.R.T.S, or Southeastern Program of Recreational Team Sports, is an organization in Fishers that aims at giving youth the opportunity to be part of recreational but competitive sports teams that foster leadership and promote character development as well as overall fitness. This organization is private and nonprofit, but nonetheless, it gives the youth in the Hamilton Southeastern area an immense opportunity to get involved with a sport and hopefully create a lifelong passion for that sport in the long run.

“S.P.O.R.T.S leagues provide a great community service. Specific skills and rules are taught about individual sports, hopefully leading to a love of the game for later in life,” said Executive Director of S.P.O.R.T.S., Lynda Carlino. “Those participating and their families form a sense of community and fun. This is often where kids as well as parents meet their best friends, building friendships that last for years.”

One of the most popular sports that S.P.O.R.T.S has to offer is youth soccer which attracted 1,156 children of all ages, Pre-K all the way to high school, in the spring of 2015. The teams are led by over 175 volunteer coaches who teach the fundamentals of soccer and coach weekly games.

Along with the coaches, the S.P.O.R.T.S Youth Soccer Board of Directors is also 100 percent volunteer-led. Consisting of an Executive Team, grade division commissioners and more focused positions including Fields Director, Director of Coaching, Equipment Coordinator and Marketing Director, the Board welcomes any volunteer ready and able to help S.Y.S., or S.P.O.R.T.S Youth Soccer, plan a successful fall soccer season this year.

About to begin its fourth year as the most popular community-run youth soccer program in Fishers, S.P.O.R.T.S Youth Soccer decided to put a more specific focus on weekly Life Skills. Executive President, Alyssa Anderson along with Vice President Marc Emenhiser worked to develop six weeks of essential core life skills that will help the youth develop positive characters. Coaches lead five minute weekly chats with their players about skills such as respect, leadership, motivation, listening and determination. Weekly goals are set, and each week, coaches award players for improvement and achievement in the specific skill assigned to that week.

Katherine Wellington’s son Ezra first joined S.Y.S. in the fall of 2015. She loved the character development program and how it provided ways for Ezra to interact with his teammates in a positive way while allowing him to learn communication skills that would last him a lifetime. “For the first time, he was able to consistently recognize how his positive behavior impacted his peers. I have witnessed his competence and confidence increase,” Katherine said. “This soccer season has grown his social skills as well as his physical skills. His pride in himself is unmistakable.”

For more information about S.P.O.R.T.S Youth Soccer and how to join in on any sport, visit hsesports.org. Registration for fall soccer is currently open.

S.P.O.R.T.S. Youth Soccer is sponsored by Goldfish Swim School, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bounce U, Fishers Magazine and Awards-R-Us and would like to thank them for sponsorships and commitment to the program. S.P.O.R.T.S. Youth Soccer is also accepting new sponsorships for the fall season.

For more information about this exciting sponsorship program, contact Kiersten Flint at Kiersten.Flint@gmail.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Send me your media kit!

hbspt.forms.create({ portalId: "6486003", formId: "5ee2abaf-81d9-48a9-a10d-de06becaa6db" });