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Sports for Tots kicks-off the season

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Veronica McMahon
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --   Sports season is starting up again, and while teenagers are grabbing their soccer balls and footballs, so are toddlers and young children this year.

Team Andersen has just kicked-off the 'Sports for Tots' soccer season and children ages 3-5 are encouraged to come join the fun Tuesdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., at the field beside the Andersen Base Exchange.

"Practices are Tuesdays and games are on Sunday," said Amber Rhine, military spouse. "It is free and open to everyone with base access. Plus it's great for learning, hand and eye [coordination], communication and the 'team' concept at such a young age."

The season began Nov. 8, but each sport will go in six-week sessions so it is not too late for parents to sign their children up, Mrs. Rhine said. After the soccer-session ends, they will go into baseball and then football or cheerleading. There will be roughly a two week break between each season.

Each practice or game will be 45 minutes long with a 15 minute snack period at the end.

"The Sports for Tots program is a great program for Andersen Air Force Base," said Senior Master Sgt. Steven Zellers, 36th Contracting Squadron superintendent. "It will give our 3-4 year olds and 5 year olds that just miss the cut off the opportunity to learn the basic fundamentals of sports. We won't be going out and turning double plays or pulling off hat tricks at this level, but we will be teaching them to play together and to work as a team; something that will provide huge dividends for when they make it to that next level."

According to Mrs. Rhine, parents are required to stay with children at all times during the games and practices. Children are encouraged to bring their own soccer balls and colored shirts to designate the team they play for.

"These kids will get the chance to burn off some of that energy that they all have plenty of," said Sergeant Zellers. "Additionally, who can forget about snacks at the end of practice, which for the kids is most likely the most important part."

Sports for Tots is still looking for more coaches and participants to step up, and invites children to come and learn the basics of sports.

For more information, e-mail Mrs. Rhine at sportsfortotsaaf@yahoo.com or visit the Sports for Tots face book page using the same e-mail address.