City sports program nets major honor
Published 10:21 pm Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Some of Suffolk’s youngest athletes have been enjoying one of the best sports programs in the nation as recently recognized by the National Association of Youth Sports.
The organization announced recently it was honoring the Suffolk Parks and Recreation Lil Sports Program with an Excellence in Sports Award for being among the United States’ top five youth sports programs for ages 4 to 5.
Roberto Ramos, a recreation specialist in the athletics division, runs the program, which he said was started by Jason Jones.
The blue Lil Dribblers team receives instruction on what to do as part of the now award-winning Suffolk Parks and Recreation Lil Sports Program. Blue team members included Devin Breaux, Jalahn Flynn, Jashon Overton, Ryan Ponton, Cameron Powell, Bryce Sterner and Davis Turner. The team’s coach was Reginald Ponton. (Photo submitted by Roberto Ramos)
“It is outstanding to know that we have the team that Rob led, along with the parents and the coaches,” said Lakita Watson, director of Suffolk Parks and Recreation. “That’s what makes it all possible. It’s such a team effort.”
The program includes Lil Dribblers and Lil Pom-Poms, basketball and cheerleading opportunities created by Jones, and Lil Kickers, a soccer offering, which Ramos developed and started this past winter.
Ramos said one of the things he thinks helped establish the Suffolk program as one of the best is the fact it includes children as young as 4, something not many programs do.
Since the participants are so young, Ramos and the combined group of more than 100 volunteers and city staff members are not focused on getting them to pull off clutch wins. Instead, efforts are centered on helping the youths develop fine motor skills and good attitudes.
“It’s more about sportsmanship than it is about keeping score and competing,” Ramos said.
And Watson noted the program helps instill early on the habit of being active, making it more than likely the youths will continue to be active when they are older.
“I think (the program) also helps, too, with socialization,” Ramos said. Since it includes those from different school zones, “it really helps with socializing with other kids from around the city.”
The volunteer coaches also benefit because Suffolk Parks and Recreation educates them by giving them an instructional DVD and tips, ensuring they receive coach certifications. Education of those running the program is among the criteria on which programs are evaluated for the award.
Hard work by volunteers and staff helped Lil Dribblers grow from 18 participants in 2013 to 48 in 2014, and Lil Pom-Poms went from six to 18. The new Lil Kickers featured 19 soccer players.
Ramos said receiving the Excellence in Sports Award “really means a lot. It shows that we are moving in the right direction, and we’re getting youth involved, and to be recognized as one of the top five programs in the country, it’s a big award.”
In November, he will travel to an athletic business conference in Florida to accept the award on behalf of Suffolk Parks and Recreation.
Online registration for the 2015 season of the Lil Sports Program runs until Oct. 30. Parents can pay by credit card at www.suffolkva.us/parks by using the “Online Registrations” link.
For more information and to learn alternative ways to register, contact Roberto Ramos at 514-7270 or rramos@suffolkva.us.
