Your kids will thank you

I'm told the future of minor baseball, and maybe even softball, in New Minas may hinge on the next few weeks.

For the past several years, New Minas has had active summer ball programs, using some outstanding facilities in Lockhart and Ryan Park.

All that might be a thing of the past, though, unless some new blood can be found to co-ordinate the programs.

Village recreation director Vince Forrestall describes the situation as a crisis. The outgoing president of New Minas minor baseball, Lyle Boylen, doesn't stop there, suggesting, unless some new volunteers are willing to step forward, “there might not be any minor ball in New Minas this summer.”

Aas New Minas teams have been instrumental in keeping afloat the Valley Youth Softball League for the past several years, that league might possibly be in jeopardy as well.

After several years' involvement in minor ball in New Minas - including running the organization almost single-handedly for the past couple of years - Boylen has decided to move on. Not that he is leaving the game altogether; he still has youngsters playing, but in Kentville, where he will coach the peewee Wildcats this summer.

According to Boylen, the biggest problem is an overall lack of volunteers, both in terms of filling executive positions, which is important; but, even more crucially, as coaches. Volunteers, he says, are crucial to the continued success - even the continued operation - of ball in New Minas.

New Minas has good facilities - unlike Kentville, which ironically has lot of players but a shortage of fields; but player numbers are down and there aren't enough coaches. There's probably no question the two are related.

It would be a real shame if organized ball in New Minas - or, in fact, any other sport in our area - ceased to exist because there was no one willing to volunteer their time and energy.

Being involved as a coach or executive member can mean a lot of commitment, if you want it to, but the truth is, it doesn't take much. The positives of providing physical activity and team play for our young people far outweigh any negatives.

I remember when I was young, whenever Minor Hockey Week rolled around each year, there was a slogan in the newspaper: “Don't send your boy (that was before the days of co-ed hockey) to the rink; take him there, and stay to watch him play.”

I'm not going to say all parents have an obligation to get involved in youth sport. After all, coaching - the same as teaching - isn't for everybody.

At the same time, surely there must be some who are willing to take the time to make sure their youngsters - and others - get the chance to play baseball and softball and, just maybe, keep youth sport alive in places like New Minas.

Your kids will thank you - both now, for the chance to play a fun sport; and in the future, when they might be fitter adults because they got the chance to be more active as kids.

We hear a lot about the poor physical fitness levels of today's youngsters and what to do about it. To my mind, it all starts in school gymnasiums, hockey rinks, soccer fields and, yes, on baseball and softball diamonds, where kids learn things like teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play - as well as getting lots of useful exercise.

No doubt they would coach themselves if they could, but for many reasons - most of which parents are well aware of - that isn't likely to happen. That's why they need willing and responsible adults to lead them, teach them and show them the way.