Young Athletes

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

– The primary need addressed by the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department (MCPRD) Young Athletes (YA) program is the ability to provide early therapeutics recreational intervention to young children with disabilities, focusing on developing physical, cognitive, social, and communication skills. In the spring of 2010, MCPRD began implementing the YA program in the County’s public preschool centers, as a structured, replicable, goal-oriented sports development program. This seven-week pilot season served six classrooms totaling a maximum of 47 students each week. For the 2010-2011 school year, the program has more than doubled in size and now serves 13 classrooms, serving a maximum of 120 students per week. During the 2010/2011 school year, two weeks in each season are spent highlighting one or two of the skills outlines in the Special Olympics Young Athletes Activity Guide. These skill areas directly parallel skills needed to participate in organized sports that will be available to students when they are older. Successes of the YA program include students’ improvements in basic sports skills, increased participation in MCPRD preschool programs, and increased community awareness about the strengths and skills of individuals with disabilities.