If you have a preschooler who can’t wait to play sports, Independence Township Parks and Recreation has the solution for you.
The department’s Start Smart Program, geared toward youngsters aged 3-5, is offering classes in basketball, soccer and baseball as well as an all-sports class. Each session meets once a week for six weeks. The basketball and all-sports programs conducted their second sessions last week, while the soccer program just got underway. The baseball program will start Feb. 24.
The program has been around for a couple of years, according to Jeff Morris, a recreation specialist with the Independence Township Parks and Recreation Department. He also stated the department offers these classes in the fall.
He believes the opportunity for parents to teach their youngsters the fundamentals of each sport, with the help of Parks and Recreation volunteers, is an attractive aspect of Start Smart.
“It’s a good program,” Morris said. “The key is the parent-child one-on-one interaction. It allows the child to feel real comfortable.”
Clarkston resident Michelle Malinowski, whose son, Tony Jr., 3, attends the basketball program with her husband Tony, agrees the program provides a good experience for both father and son.
“My son likes to play sports and it gets him out for the winter,” she said when asked when they enrolled Tony Jr. in the program. “They like it — it’s organized and it gives them time to hang out. The staff helps them out when needed.”
Start Smart is open to any youngsters aged 3-5. The cost is $30 for residents and $40 for non-residents. For more information, contact Independence Township Parks and Recreation at 248-625-8223.