Coach Zach helps Carter Pierson take a swing at the ball.
by June Portnoy
Fourteen preschoolers between the ages of three and five received an introduction of T-ball at the Warwick Memorial Park on July 18. Parents sat on blankets and chairs cheering on their young athletes as they learned to catch, throw, run around the bases, and ultimately hit the ball.
This 45-minute Tiny Allstars summer lesson was the second of five preschool multi-session programs offered by the Warwick Township Parks & Recreation Department in partnership with Dolton Sports.
Each week the Tiny Allstars learn a different sport, including T-ball, soccer, basketball, track and field, and golf.
Coach Zach Dolton, Camp and Program Director of Dolton Sports, explained that he hopes to instill a lifelong love of athletics into these youngsters. “My goal is to make these sessions fun and engaging, so they develop an interest in athletics,” and Coach Zach did just that during T-ball practice!
He told the kids to use their imagination and pretend they were picking up pretend flowers that they had to run with to give to the coaches. This got them excited about running back and forth.
He asked them to pretend there was a garden behind them and that the baseballs were bunnies. In order to protect the “garden”, they had to pick up the “bunnies” and run with them to buckets across the field where they threw them inside. This taught them fielding skills.
“I try to cater these sports to their age,” explained Coach Zach.
He added, “I played sports throughout my life and it created so many opportunities for me, so I want to pass that love of sports on to others. There are so many benefits of participating in sports such as developing friendships and learning to control your emotions, just to name a few. So, if I can create a desire in these children to become interested in sports at an early age, we are on the right track.”
For information about upcoming activities and events for all ages, visit the Warwick Township Parks & Recreation Department, at www.warwickrec.com or call 215-343-6100.