Volunteers needed in ML

One of Ivanna Lomas’ duties as the Medical Lake Parks and Recreation coordinator is to organize the city’s youth sports program.

This includes getting equipment ready, managing the registration and finding volunteer coaches for teams. That last part can be a little difficult as the department is always looking for volunteer coaches. To boost numbers in 2017, the department will allow a parent who coaches a sports team to waive their child’s $40 activity fee.

During a Dec. 6 City Council meeting, Councilwoman Jessica Roberts asked if a coach with more than one child participating in youth sports would be able to waive the activity fees for all of their children. City Administrator Doug Ross said coaches may have up to two children fees waived.

“Those details are still being worked out,” Ross said.

Ross, who has been the acting Parks and Recreation director for the last 10 years, said participation in youth sports has increased but so has the need for coaches.

Lomas, who has been with Medical Lake since August, said the coaching shortage is not drastic, but she is usually short 1-2 volunteers right before the season starts.

“Not having those two coaches means those 14 kids who signed up for a sport may not be able to play,” she said.

Lomas noted that it is not that simple to place extra kids on teams. Teams are separated into different age groups: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12, and some teams may already have a full roster.

“We don’t want to have one coach take on a number of kids they may not be able to handle,” Lomas said.

Lomas said she has been building relationships with parents whose children participate in the programs.

“It’s much easier for me to ask ‘would you like to coach your son or daughter?’” Lomas said. “Asking for volunteers is tough, but it’s easier when you know them.”

Medical Lake’s programs are a part of 4 Rec Youth Sports with Airway Heights, Cheney and Fairchild Air Force Base. Andy Gardner, Airway Heights Parks and Recreation supervisor, said he has a “solid group of volunteer coaches right now.”

“Year after year, I have a great group of coaches whose kids are involved in the program, but those kids grow out of the program and we have to start all over,” Gardner said. “But you don’t have to be a parent to be a coach. You can be a neighbor, or family friend.”

To become a coach, a person has to be 18 years old, fill out an application, pass a criminal background check and attend a National Youth Sports Coaches Association course.

“A little bit of knowledge of the sport is helpful, but we don’t make you go to any special classes (for the sport),” Lomas said. “I’m looking into developing practice plans, but coaches can also find special drills on their own.”

The sports seasons run 6-8 weeks, with two one-hour practices a week and games are usually played on Saturdays and done before 11:30 a.m.

The recreation department’s sports programs are not as competitive as high school athletics, which Ross said “can be a tough sell” to some parents. The focus for the recreation’s sports programs is to teach children fundamentals, keep them active and help them get along with others.

“I’ve coached (recreation sports) before and it has its own rewards,” Ross said.

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.