The Ghajnsielem Redcoats baseball and softball club has said that in an effort to help children in their athletic development, it has launched the ‘Active Start – Young Multi-Sport Athletes’ programme.

This programme, which will run from the 4th of October, 2014 till the 6th of June, 2015 is designed for boys and girls 4 to 6 years old. Sessions will be held at the Gozo Stadium from 9am till 10am every Saturday.

“Young children need regular, vigorous, physical activity – active play – to develop and grow properly.” The club said, “a physically active lifestyle is crucial for life-long health and physical and emotional well being. In addition, children need different types of play to fully develop the brain and body. It is for this reason that that the Redcoats have set up the Active Start programme.”

Active Start is intended to enhance the development of the brain function by having children think while they engage in physical activity. “The aim is to improve physical coordination, gross motor skills, as well as posture and balance through structured and unstructured free play. This programme will also help children to build self-confidence, social skills, emotional control, and imagination while reducing stress and improving sleep,” the club said.

It added that, the programme is designed specifically to help children improve their agility, balance and coordination through a variety of fun games. “Through play and movement, children will develop the fundamental movement skills that will provide the foundation for learning fundamental sports skills at older ages.”

“Well over 25 different games including obstacle courses, relays, pursuit races, and various ball games with football, handball, basketball, rugby, beach ball, American football, volleyball as well as softball will help the children develop into fine athletes.”

The Ghajnsielem Redcoats said that this programme is ideal as preparation for those who would like to take up football, athletics, baseball, softball, rugby, basketball or volleyball among other sports when they grow older.

The club said that Active Start “is in line with the objectives of the Ghajnsielem Redcoats to promote a culture of sports in Gozo and to help boys and girls develop initially into athletes and eventually into baseball and softball players.”

Anybody interested can please contact Joseph Scicluna on 99429422 or by e-mail on jscic@onvol.net for more information.

Permalink: Ghajnsielem Redcoats launch multi-sport programme for children