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Program All Fun And Games

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By SEAN C. LEDIG, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

CARROLLWOOD - It used to be that kids would get together with other kids in their neighborhoods for pick-up games of baseball, football, dodge ball or tag.

But as Gail Greene, director of Van Dyke United Methodist Church Day School noted, times have changed.

'It used to be you'd learn your games from older siblings and kids around the block, but that doesn't happen so much any more,' Greene said. 'So the games don't get passed down.' That's where Sports Fun comes in.

Greene said her school hired the Carrollwood-based company to help promote a healthy lifestyle and instill a sense of teamwork and sportsmanship for her students.

'I think Sports Fun owner Leigh Dawson just came around and was sharing her information,' Greene said. 'We were looking for some way to get our kids in our after school active.'

Dawson, a former physical education major from the University of Tennessee, started Sports Fun in 1986 while teaching physical education at a private school.

'I noticed many kids were staying after school, so I created an after-school sports program,' she said.

Despite the name, the emphasis in Sports Fun is not on competition but rather teamwork, sportsmanship and physical fitness, Dawson said.

'If we have a lesson that might involve football, we make sure we have enough Nerf footballs,' she said. 'Then we might teach throwing for distance, throwing for targets.

'And if we do soccer, we would do a soccer game,' Dawson continued. 'But we like to throw in four balls, so if we have 15 kids more kids will get the balls instead of the kids that are the stars of the team.'

Dawson and her staff also devise their own games. She encourages her staff to go to the movies and find out what is popular with youngsters to make games interesting. During classes at the Jewish Community Center in Citrus Park, she played versions of tag based on King Kong and Harry Potter.

Darcy Dobbie, one of the owners of Barrington Academy on Lutz-Lake Fern Road, said her school originally hired Sports Fun to work with them for summer programs, but due to popular demand, they have hired Sports Fun to work during the year.

'We had a good response to it,' Dobbie said. 'The kids started asking, 'Is today Sports Fun day?' The parents liked the idea because it incorporated physical fitness into the day.'

Sports Fun also is economical for the school because the company provides the equipment, Dobbie said.

'While we might have three hula hoops, she has 16 for all the kids,' Dobbie said. 'That way, the kids don't have to stand around and wait, and the school doesn't have to provide the equipment.'

Greene credits Sports Fun with making sure all kids get involved.

'They are good at creating situations that are not competitive but are still fun,' she said.

Sports Fun teaches at private schools and churches in the area. Its employees come from a variety of backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common: They must have worked with children in the past.

'I look for someone who has experience in working with kids, whether it is in summer sports camps, at a church or working at the YMCA, anything that would show their leadership with children,' Dawson said.

In addition to schools, Sports Fun organizes events and programs for company picnics, birthday and holiday parties and fundraisers.

Part of the secret to keeping kids involved is to expose them to a variety of sports and activities, Dawson said. They also try to find out what is popular with the kids, she said.

'The kids love football,' she said. 'Since the movie 'DodgeBall,' that game had a comeback. That's popular, as long as you don't use the hard rubber balls. We also use hula hoops and trampoline.'

Marcy Hall, whose sons Hunter, 9, and Jacob, 6, take part in Sports Fun at the Jewish Community Center, said Sports Fun has been good for them.

'It keeps them entertained,' Hall said. 'It's hard to find things that keep them happy and motivated.'

Cameron Petrie, a 9-year-old from Deer Park Elementary who takes part in after-school programs at the center, said he is partial to dodge ball and soccer exercises.

'It's really fun, and it keeps me fit,' Cameron said.

Charlotte Rose, an 8-year-old fourth grader from Westchase Elementary, likes the more imaginative games.

'I think it's really fun,' Charlotte said. 'I like the game 'King Kong.''

Greene said she is optimistic that Sports Fun will promote an athletic lifestyle for the current generation of kids.

'I'm hoping they're taking some of these games home and playing with their friends,' Greene said.

For information about Sports Fun, call (813) 963-7529 or go to www.sports-fun.com.

Reporter Sean C. Ledig can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or sledig@tampatrib.com.

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