Slam-Dunk Idea

By Fred Engh

Jerrid McKenna, the recreation coordinator for youth sports for the city of Santa Clarita (Calif.), is fully committed to providing kids with sports opportunities that weren’t always available to him growing up.

“As a child I can remember wanting to refine my skills outside of organized practice or games,” McKenna says. “However, the only opportunity to do so was at a local gym with players much older than me.”

Reflecting on those experiences sparked an idea that has turned out to be a slam dunk with the community’s young athletes.

“That memory helped me design a free, open-run basketball program for the community during the month of July,” he explains.

Each Wednesday, the department opens the outdoor courts for kids ages 9 to 13 to play—minus coaches and officials—and more than 200 kids show up to dribble, defend, and have fun.

“Players would keep their own score and call their own fouls,” McKenna said. “This experience allowed them to develop as a person and fine tune their basketball skills amongst players of their own age.”

Here’s what else McKenna had to say about the rewards and challenges of administering youth-sports programs for more than 5,400 kids who participate annually:

Fred: How have your own youth-sports experiences affected how you approach your job today?

Jerrid: Over the many years growing up around all types of sports, I have had good coaches and bad coaches. Both experiences have had a tremendous influence on my approach to administering youth sports; however, the memories of bad coaches have stuck with me more, and I constantly stress the importance of not being one of those coaches who leave a bad, lasting impression on sports for participants.

Fred: What makes your job worthwhile?

Jerrid: Youth sports can definitely be a challenging atmosphere to work in; however, I constantly keep my focus on those moments when I see participants score for the first time in their life or smile as they run down the field or court. The positive experience and true passion evident on their faces are worth every minute of the hard work and long hours.

Fred: What is the best piece of advice you have received that has helped you in your job?

Jerrid: The first would be from my parents constantly advising me to find a profession that I love. I am extremely passionate about helping children develop a love for sports and staying active. I am blessed and humbled by the opportunity to work in this amazing city. The second piece of advice came early in my career, and that was to be kind and humble at all times. It is very easy in youth sports to become defensive and argumentative with parents and coaches. However, treating others with kindness in any situation has been very beneficial and has created lasting relationships. This type of focus on customer service has turned those coaches and parents into advocates for our programs.

Fred: Why are you so passionate about youth-sports programming?

Jerrid: I have and will always love sports! Whether I’m watching them on TV or playing in some leagues myself, I have a deep passion for the excitement contained within sports. To me, sports have the ability to teach numerous life lessons that develop children into better people. Whether it’s developing life-long relationships with teammates or building character and self-esteem, the rewards to participating in sports are endless. I love being able to protect this culture that youth sports has and contribute to the positive influence within a community that means so much to me.

Fred: What is your department’s most popular youth-sports program?

Jerrid: Our basketball programs are by far the most popular. Basketball was one of the first sports introduced by our youth sports division and has a longstanding tradition in the community. We have also been able to partner with very influential and reputable high school and college coaches for our basketball camps and clinics.

Fred Engh is founder and CEO of the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) in West Palm Beach, Fla. He can be reached via email at fengh@nays.org. To join more than 3,000 communities by starting a NAYS chapter, visit www.nays.org or contact Emmy Martinez at emartinez@nays.org or (800) 729-2057.