Edison schools promote youth sports participation
RICHMOND — Edison Local Schools is promoting sports activities in an effort to drum up more participation at a younger age.
District Youth Sports Coordinator Jason Ensinger worked with Stanton and John Gregg Elementary Schools to host a special dress-up day on April 30. Students who took part in school and community youth leagues donned their jerseys and T-shirts to promote their organizations and hopefully encourage others to get involved. Ensinger said the plan was designed to not only build interest in current sporting activities but to eventually be part of high school athletics.
“We have kids playing youth soccer to softball and they had an opportunity to wear their uniforms,” he said. “The elementary schools have been working on the theme of community through their counselors and it happened to tie in. We made our typical Wildcat Friday a special occasion.”
He added that activities have been held to draw more youth participation, most notably a youth track meet at Edison High School on April 24 that attracted about 125 kids. Not only did it showcase the youth but it also highlighted the new facility.
“We gave the kids a chance to show off their skills and get them interested. We want this to be the springboard as we continue things here,” Ensinger said. “This [dress-up day] is an opportunity to show off what they are doing and gives them a chance to wear their uniforms.”
He continued that myriad opportunities are available from the Junior Wildcats football team. starting up this summer. to basketball and cheerleading.
“We’ve been working hand-in-hand with coaches and some will have summer camp events. We’ve also been marketing swimming but that is outside of Edison. There were 24-25 girls at the Little Bumpers volleyball practice on Mondays, which is open to grades 4-6 and teaches skills and drills,” Ensinger added. “We’ve dabbled in after school activities with basketball last March prior to COVID and have been brainstorming ideas with the coaches. The football team and cheerleaders have also partnered with us to get and involved.
“We are going to continue things at the schools and have had camps throughout the area, and when the COVID regulations ease we will have more.”
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