In this edition:

• Note from our new board president, Jason Petti
• Traveling Baseball - Registration Closing Soon & Other Key Dates
• Soccer - Registration opens March 1 / Girls Only 6-8 / AED Program / Officials Scholarship
• Lacrosse - Registration Open / new BOX Lacrosse / Girls Program
• Softball - Registrations Open / Coaches Needed
• Track - Registration Open Now

Helping Your Child Choose a Sport

Sports can be a fun way for your child to get physical activity and develop skills. Around age 6 or 7, kids start to have the kinds of physical and mental traits they need to play organized sports. Being part of a sports program can give your child many benefits for learning and growing. It can help with:

• Getting regular physical activity

• Developing motor skills

• Having fun

• Building self-confidence

• Developing social skills

• Learning about teamwork and sportsmanship

• Working with a variety of people

• Challenging themselves

• Learning the discipline of practice

• Learning how to listen to directions and follow rules

Is your child ready for sports?

Before you look into a sports program, make sure your child is ready. A child’s readiness can depend on:

• Physical maturity. Different sports vary in their demand for certain kinds of physical traits. Does your child have the strength, height, flexibility, endurance, or other traits needed to start a particular sport? Talk with the coach to find out what traits are needed.

• Emotional maturity. Playing a sport requires a certain amount of mental maturity. Training, teamwork, pressure, physical and mental stress, control, and being in competition with others with a good attitude – these all demand emotional readiness.

• A doctor’s OK. A chronic health condition or a disability can make sports a challenge, or even a risk. Make sure to get the doctor’s OK before your child starts a sports program.

Choosing the right sport

Finding a sport that will fit your child depends on many factors. They include:

• Age.  Kids ages 6 to 9 have basic motor skills, but have fewer complex motor skills. They may be new to ideas such as teamwork, and not as good at following directions. Older kids have more developed motor skills. And they can handle things such as strategy, competition, and pressure. Certain sports can be easily adapted for younger and older players.

• Personal interest. Is your child drawn to a particular sport? Does he or she like to watch local games or follow the sport on TV? Curiosity and enthusiasm are good motivators.

• Temperament. Consider how social your child is. Some kids are drawn to team sports such as football, soccer, or baseball. Others prefer to focus on individual goals. These kids might prefer swimming, tennis, or running.

• Physical traits. Is your child tall? Is she more flexible? Does he have strength? Different body types can be more suited to different sports. But keep in mind that this doesn’t mean he or she won’t enjoy a sport that doesn’t seem to fit their physique.

• Your child’s schedule. Certain sports have intense schedules for practices and games or meets. Will your child be able to go to all of these? Will they have problems juggling homework and time with friends and family?

• Your family’s schedule. Think about how practices and games will affect day-to-day life. How will they affect your family’s plans? Many sports have games on the weekends. Will this be a problem for your family’s schedule? Can you adjust family time as needed?

• Cost. The cost of equipment, uniforms, fees, and other expenses can be high for some sports. Can your family afford them?

• Who’s in charge. Do you and your child like the coach? Does his or her experience and attitude match your values?

• Your readiness to put in time and assistance. This may include helping your child keep schedules, providing transportation, volunteering, and bringing team snacks.

Making sure a sport is a good fit

Ask your child some questions to find out how he or she feels about the sport, such as:

• Did you have fun playing today?

• What did you learn in practice?

• What was your favorite part of the game? Your least favorite part?

• What do you like most about your coach or teammates?

• What do you like least about your coach or teammates?

• What’s the best thing about being on the team? Your least favorite thing?

Don’t be surprised if your child wants to switch sports a few times. It can take a few tries for a child to find out what kinds of things they enjoy and are good at. But even if a sport isn’t a good fit, it can still give a good learning experience. 

https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=helping-your-child-choose-a-sport-1-4802

APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (January 7, 2020) — Eastview Athletic Association (EVAA announced today that they are partnering with Hope Fieldhouse, the  Rosemount-based nonprofit with the mission of making sure everyone has a place to play. Hope Fieldhouse has completed the capital campaign to build a facility to solve the gym shortage crisis in our area and construction has begun and is set to open in the fall of2020.
“We immediately recognized the value of the facility to our communities,” said EVAA Basketball Board President Ben Goodman. “This is a great opportunity to support and grow our neighboring communities.” The facility will have four hardwood basketball courts as well as a walking track and fitness center that will be open to members of the community.

EVAA will use the fieldhouse mainly for basketball and soccer and has plans to host three basketball tournaments yearly at Hope Fieldhouse. It will also have access to the track, which can be used by all the EVAA sport programs as well as a state-of-the art fitness center that will be offered to EVAA families at a discounted rate.

“Having access to this facility will allow our athletes and their parents a resource that is much closer to their homes,” said EVAA President Marc Dannecker. “Like most communities, Apple Valley is limited in their available courts and fields, and our soccer and basketball programs are growing.”

In addition to EVAA, Hope Fieldhouse will also be home to the Dakota United Hawks adaptive programs. “The partnership with EVAA has been easy and natural from the start. We look forward to partnering with them for many years to come to ensure our youth athletes have the opportunities they deserve” said Dan Corley, Hope Fieldhouse Executive Director.

About EVAA
EVAA’s mission is to deliver a diverse range of well-managed sports programs to families living within the Eastview High School enrollment boundaries, as well as the city of Apple Valley. EVAA strives to provide a quality athletic experience to kids of all ages and capabilities with a focus on sportsmanship. It seeks continuous improvements in developing, promoting and administering youth sports opportunities and is proud to be one of the premier youth sports organizations in the Twin Cities. The heart and soul of EVAA are the people who volunteer their time, energy and talents.

For more information, please visit EVAAsports.org,facebook.com/EVAASports or follow @EVAAsports.

To learn more about EVAA and how to get involved with the organization, contact: Marc Dannecker at EVAAPresident@gmail.com.