The Barometer Online

Issue date: 1/7/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Corvallis Parks & Rec. Middle school students run drills during a basketball practice last year. The Corvallis Parks and Recreation Services organize athletic programs for youth in the area.

Corvallis Parks and Recreation has many year-round volunteer opportunities that are adaptable to almost every interest, schedule and ability, some of which are marketed specifically to get college students involved with kids and the community.

Many one-day volunteer opportunities include cleaning up Central Park, serving meals at the Senior Center, planting flowers or shrubs and working booths at various festivals.

There are also short and long-term volunteer opportunities available, such as; coaching a youth sports team, teaching seniors to use computers and technology or counseling at a summer day camp.

Sarah Skotte, a junior in pre-nursing, coached a sixth and seventh grade girls basketball team last season with Corvallis Parks and Recreation.

She described her coaching experience as being a positive one that acted as an ice-breaker into the world of coaching.

Skotte said she wants to coach varsity soccer or basketball in the future.

"I had to tone down my competitiveness and adjust to the age and ability of the girls. Practices were challenging sometimes, and I really had to learn the personalities of each player and how they deal best with teaching instruction," Skotte said. "Parks and Rec is mostly about having fun, so we played the girls' favorite games frequently."

The youth sports programs emphasize fun, good sportsmanship and team spirit. With that, each child on the team is given a fair chance to play and participate in hopes of boosting their self-confidence.

"They are starting to formulate opinions and goals for themselves, and they really need a positive role model that they can relate to - someone closer to their age than a parent," Skotte said.

"I can remember being at that age when you just idolize someone. I remember thinking, 'That is how I want to be when I grow up.' Having a college-aged coach is a really valuable experience for these girls, and it gives them a glimpse into the future and shows them what they can achieve if they work hard for their dreams."

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