i9 Offers Sportsmanship, Skills And Fun

In the modern era, sports fans have become all too familiar with acts of selfishness, the "all about me" attitude and watching athletes with a sense of self-entitlement.

Saturday morning, long before many people begin to stir in their beds from a long night's slumber, the empty fields on Boyette Road are transformed into the playing fields kids call "home" for a day.

Sports played here are unique. There is no pressure to "win" at all costs. There are no thoughts that losing is failing. The focus on competition is healthy, fun and team-focused.

Cars fill the parking lot of St. Stephen Catholic school. Both parents and children easily spot the volunteer coaches who each come equipped with a bright red "COACH" T-shirt and a huge grin, waiting for them on the practice field. In return, the same sleepy-eyed kids, who parents say cannot seem to wake up for school during the week, become instantly energized and eager to play and learn.

i9 coaches know they have a special responsibility of leadership and a duty of being a role model for these young athletes. These values are evident in the personal attention and interaction shown toward each child on the field. Their guidance and patience while teaching is the "hands" of the organization.

More than 400 kids participate in the spring session if i9 Sports. Kids between the age of 3 to 14, and all with different skillsets and experiences, participate in various sports like flag football, soccer and cheerleading, and have fun doing it. Each week is a new skill to be learned, a new chance to master a challenge and a new opportunity to gain confidence.

As the long, hot summer-like day came to a close, the fields were once again stripped clean to nothing but bare grass and nature. You could almost feel the loneliness of the field as it longed for the refreshing feeling of feet upon it. But for now, it rests and waits.

i9 Sports, a nationally based organization, has built its reputation on the philosophy of sportsmanship and fun over winning. It defies the common thought of, "If you're not first, you're last." Instead, with kids in mind, the sports-based organization supports a family-friendly and kid-focused culture that has grown year after year with no shortage in sight. 

For information on i9 Sports, call 813-662-6773.