---

SPIRITUALITY

Kids learn to be good sports through parish program

Kids' commitments to participating in sports often leave the practice of religion on the back burner. To address this, St. Michael the Archangel parish in Troy has instituted a "Sports and Spirituality" program this year.

"It's something we've talked about in the past and thought it would be a good idea," said Barbara Berger, pastoral associate and director of faith formation and youth ministry. "We had seen the interest in the younger children - the enthusiasm and energy."

The program, which will be held the week of Aug. 24, is geared to children from pre-Kindergarten through sixth grade. It will teach valuable lessons about sports - not just the rules of popular sports like soccer and baseball, but how to be gracious winners and losers and how to have fun playing.

God-goal
The main goal of the Sports and Spirituality program, however, is to boost children's faith through athletics. 

Each day will have a theme and begin with a Scripture reading based on that theme. A certain sport will be correlated with the theme, as well. Through the rules and regulations of sports, the Sports and Spirituality program hopes to send a message by "building analogies through Church life," said Mrs. Berger.

"When you talk about sports, you need to learn the rules, you need to practice and you need the right equipment," she added. "With church, it's the same thing. You're being a member of God's team, and you need to learn the rules of the Church; you need to practice by going to church and religious education; and you need the 'equipment,' or community."

Themes such as sportsmanship will be related to the story of Jesus and how He assembled His disciples for "God's team." One day's sport will be cycling, highlighting the theme of balance. The kids will learn how to balance their lives during good times and bad and discuss some things Jesus did to help Him balance His own life.

The children will be taught and coached by teenagers, many of whom previously pitched in at St. Michael's summer Vacation Bible School and other youth ministry programs. The teens reported looking forward to this first-time experience, too.

"It's cool to be able to do stuff with the little kids," said 12-year-old Courtney King, a group leader and member of St. Jude the Apostle parish in Wynantskill.

Mrs. Berger was impressed with what the adolescents have to offer.

"They know a lot; it's nice to see," she said. "They really have some great skills that they've learned from Vacation Bible School and other programs they've done with us."

Off the bench
Though few of the group leaders have expertise in sports, they're not concerned, since their message is more of faith than athletics.

Besides, "I wanted to do this for other kids to have fun," noted 13-year-old Michaela Omencinski.

"It's more for what [the kids] are going to get out of it than us," added her older sister, Lesia.

The $30 program is getting help from the Troy community. The North Greenbush Sheriff's Department has offered to come down to help and give lessons on riding a bicycle; the Tri-City Valley Cats baseball team will lend a pitching machine; and the Oasis miniature golf course will play host to the program for it's golf day. 

For many children involved in sports, said Mrs. Berger, "it's like we're competing [for] time. Practices and games conflict with religious education. We want them to see you can do both, but you have to set priorities and make decisions about what's important."

Twelve-year-old Katherine Kowalczyk, a program leader, can't wait for Sports and Spirituality to start. "It's really to learn more about God and how He's always there for you," she enthused. "And it gives you something to do during the day!"

(07/09/09) [[In-content Ad]]

---