Photo Credit: Courtesy of NAYS
Youngsters participating in sports programs at the Simpsonville Parks and Recreation Department in Kentucky will never complain about being bored. Department Director Chris Truelock makes sure of that.
“Last season, we dedicated ourselves to ensuring that fun in our youth-sports programs was paramount, and we refused to continue to offer the same, old, standard sports leagues,” says Truelock, who took over at the start of 2012 after 18 years at the Bloomington (Ind.) Parks and Recreation Department. “We wanted much more for our participants, so we added music, special-effects smoke, lighting, and the national anthem to player introductions.”
But the department didn’t stop there. Toss in silly games conducted with parents at halftime, plus dance and cheer entertainment, and game days are packed with non-stop fun for the kids—and the parents, too.