Brentwood Press - Index

Brentwood Press - AntiochPress_10.03.08 - Index

4B | BRENTWOODPRESS.COM SPORTS OCTOBER 3, 2008
Biddy Sports plays its way to milestone
by Jennifer Birkland
Correspondent
In a society where competition is revered
and an athlete is labeled either a winner
or a loser, many often feel left behind.
Ten years ago, Julie Mason saw a need
within the Brentwood community, which
even then was highly sports-centric, for a
non-competitive youth athletics program
that emphasized positive behavior both on
and off the playing fi eld.
Biddy Sports is just that – a sports
program for 3-to-6-year-olds that aims to
provide a non-threatening environment in
which children can learn the value of playing
a sport, being part of a team and having
fun. Biddy offers outdoor and indoor
soccer, basketball and fl ag tag (football) in
which no scores are kept.
Recently the Biddy Sports program
reached a milestone – tallying 5,000 participants,
all of whom have left the program
feeling like winners.
“Our goal has always been to provide
an age-appropriate, safe and energetic environment
where children can have fun and
get an introduction to team sports without
the pressures usually associated with
organized sports,” said Mason, program
founder and co-director. “Giving children
a healthy start through fun and sport is really
rewarding.”
Co-director Dave Persson said the
program also emphasizes volunteerism and
family participation. “This isn’t a program
for parents to simply drop off their child
and pick them up when the game’s over,”
he said. “We encourage our parents to become
actively involved, whether as a coach
or referee or just cheering from the sidelines
for everyone – even the opposing team.”
While some children are eager to take
the fi eld or the court to participate, others
are more apprehensive. Persson explained
that Biddy coaches make a conscious effort
to reach out to those children to make
them feel comfortable and accepted.
“Some kids are naturals and they
want to play every second of the game,
while others are scared to death,” Persson
said. “Our coaches let each child develop at
their own rate and at their own pace, even
if that means not playing a single minute,
just sitting and watching from the sidelines.
We want them to feel comfortable and
know the opportunity is there when they’re
ready.”
Persson explained how benefi cial noncompetitive
sports can be to the development
of self-esteem, sportsmanship and
strong social skills at a young age.
“We make a very conscious effort to
make it completely non-competitive,” Pers-
Photos courtesy of Dave Persson
The Biddy Sports program, for children 3 to 6, introduces young athletes to the world of sports in a safe, non-competitive,
fun environment, as can been seen on the faces of the soccer and football players above. Sign-ups for the upcoming
Biddy Flag Tag program are going on now at the Brentwood Parks and Recreation Department.
son said. “As these kids get older and move
up into other youth programs, things can
get pretty competitive and out of hand.
We want our kids in this community to
grow up with a positive attitude about
what sports should be. Our program uses
sport as a tool to develop necessary social
skills.”
The upcoming Biddy Flag Tag program
for 4-to-6-year-olds is currently registering
participants in person at the Brentwood
Parks and Recreation offi ce or on its
Web site, emotion at www.ci.brentwood.
ca.us.