On any given Saturday in October, drivers can take Maryland 297 into Worton and pass by a scene that plays out in most counties across the country. Teen and tween aged girls play field hockey on the first field they pass. A peek into the park yields a view of tiny mites trying to tackle the opposition from the next county. As the park fades away and they head towards the intersection with 298, boys and girls of all ages chow on orange slices at halftime of their soccer games.
On this coming Saturday in April, drivers will be able to take Maryland 297 into Worton and pass by another scene that plays out in most counties across the country. Teen and tween girls and boys will take turns on the lacrosse field. A softball team will find some turf they can use for practice. Of course, hundreds of tee-ballers and little leaguers will open their season.
Presumably, many of the children seen at each of these scenes are at both places. For girls, there seems to be a link between playing field hockey and lacrosse. For boys, that link is typically between football and lacrosse. There also seems to be a soccer/baseball circuit.
We can also presume that these children exist between October and April. Sure the weather is cooler, but their energy is no less nervous on those months. In fact, cabin fever probably creates more nervous energy. Certainly these children need a place to go in the winter months, but where?
Kim Welch, manager of the Kent Athletic and Wellness center has an answer. Each weekend in January and February since 1995, parents have loaded up their cars and vans, and navigated the speed bumps in the Dixon Valve parking lot en route to the KAWC where youth indoor soccer action takes place. The program is available to children aged 5-10 for a nominal fee, which coincides with the fees charged by other programs. The center also hosts a volleyball league for adults.
The mission statement is also similar to what you might find from KCYSA or Kent County Babe Ruth:
“The youth indoor soccer program at Kent Athletic and Wellness Center strives to provide an outlet for children to further develop their soccer skills and to improve their overall level of play. We are committed to developing a competitive program which will enhance these objectives, while maintaining an atmosphere which will increase the children’s enjoyment of the game. While having fun and promoting health and safety…we also advocate good sportsmanship and team camaraderie via the coaches, parents, and children.”
This past season, 110 children participated in the program. The highest number of participants in a season was close to 250. Welch believes that an ideal enrollment for the program is around 175. The game is demanding and each team needs enough players to account for substitutions. At the same time, all the teams are sharing the gym which means that over-enrollment may lead to reduce playing time.
As we re-visit the notion of youth baseball’s impending opening day at Worton Park, there is a puzzling fact worth mentioning. Twenty-six teams will begin their season this weekend, which translates to roughly 300 kids playing for the next two months. Within the town limits of Chestertown, no games will take place.
It could be said that Worton Park is Chestertown’s de facto home field for baseball and soccer games. While that could be said, is that any comfort to a child who lives on Edge of Town Drive, Morgnec Road, or Calvert Heights?
In some sense, the KAWC soccer league, Kent County Babe Ruth, and the other leagues that serve the area share somewhat of a connection. There is a supply of youth sports and recreation programs in the area. Not all potential users of these programs have a clear understanding of the inventory that exists. Or perhaps there are some other barriers that keep children from hooked up with these various programs.
Last summer, the Chestertown Recreation Commission conducted a survey in the hopes of assessing the recreational needs of the town. In the coming months, the Commission will be making recommendations based upon those results and communicating some longer-term goals. Access to recreational programs and facilities is a key component to Chestertown’s quality of life and even has economic implications.
Much hand wringing has been done over how to (or maybe whether to) lure upwardly mobile families who will strengthen the tax base and boost public school enrollment. For some, it may be a swing set. For others, it may be proximity to an athletic facility to play indoor soccer or volleyball. Either way, I’m guessing there weren’t many “none of the aboves” on that survey.
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