Connecting with Youth through Sports

It's playoff time for the fall sports and while the Lititz Christian Girls Volleyball Team received accolades on Sunday, unfortunately, the Lititz Christian Soccer Team didn't qualify for the playoffs (they couldn't produce goals this season). Ironically, the goal scorers for Cedar Crest High School and Manheim Central played for Lititz Christian in Junior High.

While Lititz Christian deservedly received accolades on Sunday there are some other Grace Church connections in the playoffs. My wife and I plan to attend tonight's PIAA District 3 AA Soccer Semi-final match between Manheim Central and Mechanicsburg at Hershey Park Stadium to root on Ryan Hummer, one of Central's strikers. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:30.

I wish I could devote more time to following high school sports, not just for the entertainment value, but as a way to connect with and show an interest in our youth. When adults showed interest in my high school sports teams, it boosted my self esteem and showed me that others were interested in my life. I struggle to connect with the youth of today in a lot of respects, but athletics in one area that I share in common with them. I've heard youth speakers emphasize that the youth of today want to know they matter, want to know that we care about them, that we even know they exist. I find sports to be an easy way for me to communicate that to them.

It means a lot to the parents of the athletes too. Since I can only attend one or two games a season, I like to get the weekly update on how the team is doing from mom and dad. Their eyes light up as they give me the review and how their child did in the recent contests. Athletics are often blown way out of proportion, but it's a great avenue for building relationships with kids and with their parents.