A love of sports can last a lifetime, though actual playing time for most athletes is painfully short.
Tennis, golf and swimming are the exceptions. These three activities can be enjoyed at literally any stage of life, but what makes kids start—and stick with—these sports?
For youth teams, building lifelong interest starts with building a positive team mindset. Bob Bozzuto, athletic director at North Allegheny School District, says the district’s tennis team is fortunate to have inspiring coaches who help motivate the student athletes and create an all-around positive culture. He notes the boys’ team won the state tennis championship last year, which helped solidify many players’ commitment to the sport.
That culture is bolstered by the support the team receives. “We have a lot of support from our school board and central administration. The support of the administration—that’s a real positive we have here,” Bozzuto adds.
Getting kids to sign up is a matter of creating opportunities. North Allegheny holds free off-season practices for eighth to 12th grade students interested in high school tennis so they can build their skills and confidence. “We just have a great program in general,” he says. “Create that positive energy, and kids will want to do it for a lifetime.”
Bozzuto says the district has a good relationship with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) as well. “Our tennis courts are open seven days a week, during the evenings and on weekends, so people from the community can come in and use them,” he says. “All of these relationships are very helpful.”
Pine-Richland High School’s golf program in Gibsonia wants to grow the game as much as possible, particularly for girls and women. “Traditionally, golf has been seen as an exclusive sport, something very much for the ‘country club’ set,” says Jared Slimm, Pine-Richland’s golf coach. “We’re just trying to open kids up to new possibilities.”
The players’ goal is to get youngsters excited about golf by speaking to the district’s elementary school students. “We’ve reached out to Eden Hall Upper Elementary School and partnered with Treesdale Golf Club. They have done a Women in Sports program, specifically a Women in Golf, and we brought it to the Eden Hall parents,” Slimm says.
Players from the golf team also set up a tent at the school’s homecoming kickoff event.
“We have activities for kids—a Chip ‘n Putt and some of our high school girls talk to the younger kids to generate interest,” Slimm says. “We have winter and spring activities that are open to more than just the high school students. The younger kids are encouraged to attend, even if they aren’t necessarily interested in golf.”
Slimm would love to see more kids develop an interest in golf at an early age that can carry through to adulthood. Besides staying in shape, he says, golf is a great way to network and meet new people, maybe even leading to that next big job opportunity.
With the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh’s aquatics program, you can start as early as 6 months old and then move to swimming lessons, water aerobics, lifeguard certification programs, swim team (at select Y locations) and water safety programs.
“Swimming is a great sport for your whole body. It’s low impact, and there are lots of ways to be in the water and adapt to your physical ability. Whether you have physical limitations or have an injury, you can still be in the water,” says the Y’s aquatics director, Marie Leska-Dupont. “It is great for lifelong fitness because it has a lot of adaptability.”
Besides the fitness aspects around the water sports, Leska-Dupont says it’s good to know basic water safety. “Drowning is a leading cause of death among children and teens, so having that background in aquatics is so important,” she says. “Children should have the cognition of a safe place to swim and how to protect themselves if something happens.”
Parents looking to introduce their child to these sports can look for clinics as an entry point for tennis or golf. They’ll find summer clinics and camp schedules at racquet and fitness clubs in the area. The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh offers aquatics at each of its locations, though individual programs may vary. Encourage your child to try a new sport this summer, and it just might lead to a pastime that lasts a lifetime.
