Putting the fun back in sports

Program stresses enjoyment of athletics, not winning and losing

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Matt Webster stepped into the batter’s box.

A second later, the perfect pitch — about waist high and just fast enough — was coming right at him.

He took a mighty swing.

But as the ball landed in the catcher’s glove, his bat, slipping from his hands, flung into the fence behind.

Webster, 11, retreated to the fence and picked up the black bat. Before he returned to the box, pitcher Rachel Heck — one of the camp counselors — was waiting and offered a few words of encouragement.

Webster wasn’t playing in a game. There was no scorekeeper, no winner or loser. He was just one of 30 or so kids on this sunny May 14 afternoon at Hickory Grove Elementary School in Bloomfield Hills participating in the Play 4 Fun sports after school baseball program.

4 the fun of it
The idea for the program, which was founded by former Auburn Hills Avondale girls basketball coach Todd Henderson and Bloomfield Hills resident Steve Sack this past winter, is a simple one and described perfectly by the title it bears.

“Our company name exemplifies who we are and what we want to bring to young people,” Henderson said. “We want kids to improve, but they have to enjoy themselves while doing it.”

Henderson said he got the idea for the program essentially from what he witnessed as a coach.

“It seems like more and more parents and coaches are prepping their kids for college, trying to get them to excel in one sport, and doing so with a ton of pressure,” Henderson said. “I think in seeing that, the enjoyment of sports for a lot of athletes has dwindled, and they have gotten burned out. With this program, we simply stress having fun, working together and respecting each other.”

Currently, Henderson is running youth flag football leagues in Beverly Hills, Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, as well as soccer and baseball programs in Bloomfield Hills.

The programs, limited to these locations while Henderson and Sack continue to build the company, are open to youth athletes from all communities. Age requirements vary depending the sport, but generally cater to athletes from kindergarten through eighth-grade.

“We have kids from a bunch of different cities, all with different skill levels,” Henderson said. “We had a girl who had never caught a pass before, and when she did in a game, she was telling everyone about it. That’s what makes it worth it for us.”

What’s in it for parents and kids?
“There’s absolutely no pressure on any of these kids, and I think that’s something the parents really enjoy,” said Matt’s mother, Nancy Webster. “Before this program, I think Matt’s confidence had been shaken by some coaches, who yelled at him for not doing the right things, for example. But he’s been a new kid ever since this began.”

The kids seem to like the idea of playing in an environment intended solely for fun and camaraderie.

“It’s so much fun, and I’ve made a bunch of friends,” said Brian Kada, 9, of Bloomfield Hills, who also participated in a basketball program in the winter.

“My mom asked me if I wanted to go, and I couldn’t wait,” said Bloomfield Hills resident Elizabeth Shults, 9, while taking a short break during a soccer program at Hickory Grove. “I think I’m getting better every day, and it’s so much fun to just come out here and play.”

Henderson said each program continues to grow and outdo the previous. So far, 250 kids have played in one or more of his programs, and he expects that number to rise to 600 once flag football registration is complete.

He began the company with a youth basketball league in Auburn Hills, but when parents and kids began asking him what was next, he knew it was time to expand.

“It’s made for some busy weeks and late nights, but it’s been a blast,” Henderson said. “We’re still growing, though. We want to expand this to as many communities as we can and get as many people involved as we can.”

When asked about the program before his trip to the plate, Matt Webster could hardly speak fast enough.

“It’s just so much fun to come out here and play and not have to worry about winning or losing. There’s no pressure, no stress,” Webster said with an unmistakable maturity.

It’s all about fun
What good is a game without a winner?

“It’s really not that important,” Webster said. “A lot of people don’t see it that way, but it’s not.”

What was important to him on this day was getting a hit.

On the very next pitch after dropping his bat, Webster ripped a single to load the bases. Moments later, he scored on what the kids on his team called a grand slam.

No score is ever kept, because in this camp, everyone’s a winner.

For more information on the camp and for various fees, or to sign up in any of the Play 4 Fun programs, visit their Web site at www.play4funsports.com.