Editor:

 This is a quick note to announce the end of activities of Scarborough Youth Sports Forum. It is also a thank you note to many who have helped so much during the past l0 years to benefit so many little kids.

When SYSF started 10 years ago, the town was growing tremendously. Facilities, programs and resources were not keeping up with the population explosion. Several parents (some with kids at Lil Folks Farm, and some with kids elsewhere) were looking for some exercise/fitness/sports opportunities for their children who were ages 3 through 7.

Some of the kids were future Division One college scholarship candidates (at least that is what the parents told us). Others were just kids who Mom and Dad thought would sit on the couch all Saturday afternoon unless there was some activity to take them to with other kids.

In l0 years, SYSF ran 11 different programs, and served a total of 3,722 registrants, with that number including 2,402 different kids (many kids enrolled in several different SYSF programs.

We had seven different locations, starting with tiny B Fit Gym, ending mostly at Camp Ketcha, and including First Congregational Church, where the minister’s pulpit proved a good obstacle around which to practice fingertip dribbling.

Featherball baseball attracted the most repeat registrants. Indoor winter basketball was the most popular with total numbers; you could track the number of housing building permits issued by town hall since l997 by looking at winter hoop registrations; one year was as low as 37, two years later l5l.  The most controversial was outdoor November cross country for all ages; it was the wettest fall on record in 50 years. Prizes went to the Most Rain-Drenched Shirt in the final program race.  Beginner golf was the only program that allowed adults (One father said, ‘If I had been here at age 4, I wouldn’t need to be here at 44!’). Outdoor soccer and baseball were the most satisfying; 3 and 4 year olds who had played both indoors being allowed to play on “real” fields outdoors. Happy campers.

Bob and Don Mitchell provided use of the Mitchell Farm for golf. Fire Chief Mike Thurlow allowed use of the Pleasant Hill Hose House many years ago in exchange for a well-used donation. Police Chief Rob Moulton had one 4-year-old jumping rope 200 times in the hallway outside his dispatcher headquarters. It was shortly after the terrorist attacks in New York and elsewhere on Sept. 11, 2001. I thought having little kids near official operations would be a problem. The chief said his officers felt just the opposite.

Other highlights from the past decade:

*1998, I saw Alyssa Williamson throw her first underhand softball/featherball. Now, she throws softballs about 75 mph against teams across New England. I wonder if I could sell that photo of her and her parents on E-Bay?!

*Phil Kent said he ought to have the kids warm up and stretch before starting whatever indoor sport we were doing. I said, ‘great – jumping jacks? Run in place?’ He said, ‘No, pushups and situps!’ I said, ‘OK, five pushups?’ ‘No,’ he said. ‘Ten?’ ‘No, everybody down and give me 20!’  At first, I was alarmed to see 3, 4 and 5 year olds doing 20 pushups, but then I realized Coach Kent was a hockey player, and couldn’t help it. Plus, the kids were giggling and thought it was funny.

*Jere Michelson, in a break between sessions, started shooting three pointers. We all waited for him to finish. It kept up. I asked when he would be done. He said, ‘I’m hot...I can’t miss.’ He drained two more before missing

The little kids then got their chance. Yes, it was a tiny ball and a Toys R Us hoop, but, fact was, Coach Michelson was on fire.

*Mason Saltz and Nick Lorello took turns at different ages, 3 and 4, jumping rope 200, 300, 400 times. At the time, we had the high school baseball players jump rope during winter baseball workouts. Some couldn’t. Mason’s parents agreed to let us bring Mason over to demonstrate to the l5 year olds how a 3 year old jumps rope. Luckily, the session got snowed out!

*We told the small children that George Washington University student Sean Flaherty could hit a golf ball over the river from Mitchell Farm onto fairway No. 2 at Willowdale. Luckily, no kid ever asked him to do it; we measured it later, and it was about 700 yards away.

*Del Larrabee, SHS ‘75, pitched featherball batting practice to kids indoor at Camp Ketcha. He denies it, but I swear he was throwing hard inside fastballs to 3 and 4 year olds who were crowding the plate.  He even brushed back his niece and nephew.

*John Hughes, father of three, helped establish a new theorem in the life of youth sports: the more an adult says he will help, but really doesn’t know much, the better a coach he will be. Having a good attitude and being willing to learn isn’t just for kids!

There are many other stories, many other people who played a terrific role.

The program participants became younger and younger each year. Coach helpers started out being college students. That changed to high school students in the late 1990s, and changed again to middle school students after 2000. Don’t ever bet against SHS freshman Adam Cohen in a political contest; no one alive can more quickly deliver a dozen students to help teach kids how to grip a baseball, or perform a chest pass in basketball, or how to trap a soccer ball than Adam.  Anybody discouraged about “the youth of today” should meet with Adam to get un-discouraged real quick.

Again, thanks to all who participated, who brought kids to the programs, and who helped coach the kids.

It was a great ride.

Dan Warren

Director, Scarborough Youth Sports Forum