SOUTH BEND, IN (WSBT) — The Play Like a Champion conference at the University of Notre Dame not only helps provide those resources, but it also connects coaches from all over.
It’s a focus on providing equal sporting opportunities for all kids while also educating coaches on their role in a child’s life as mentors.
It’s a three-day conference that unites coaches from across the country to advocate for youth sports.
“As coach mentors, we’re coaching sports for kids, making sure it’s fun. And we are mentoring them. So, that what they learn in sports they can use for their lives and we can help them lead good lives and not just be good athletes,” said Clark Power, Play like a champion today founder,”
Organizers say it’s a community of coaches helping one another while bridging resources to reach all kids.
“We have an abundance of resources in South Bend but we don’t know how to share them as as well as we need to in the very near future,” said Clark Power.
But the common goal throughout the conference is that all children have the opportunity to be active and be part of a team.
“The thing about athletics, it’s not just for winning a championship for something. Sports is good and fun and its own right because kids just need to have fun and laugh and move their arms and things like that, And so that’s what we really want to do is make sure kids, irregardless of their ability to pay have the opportunity to play,” said Cauzae McCall, Michiana Academic and Recreation Association member.
Coaches were also educated on the importance of sports play in a child’s life.
“The way children develop as people, especially socially the way they develop as good children as good friends and then as good community members,” said Power.
It also brings awareness to what happens when kids don’t have a space for recreation and a space to play.
“That impacts their learning in school relationships, being bullied online all these things the lack of mentorship they don’t have a really strong support system at home or church or anything like that. And so, trying to bring the awareness of how much of an impact we can make collectively,” said McCall.
With the importance of sports in children’s lives, organizers just want to be able to provide recreational sports for every child in the community.
