By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Youth sports will have a new look in Birmingham after Mayor Randall Woodfin announced on Friday the formation of a league beginning this summer with youth football and cheerleading, and basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer to come in future phases.
During a press conference at Legion Field flanked by members of his administration, City Councilors and area officials and leaders, Woodfin said the Birmingham Youth Sports League “will serve as the official organization to streamline organize and elevate youth sports across the Magic City.
“This is a chance for Birmingham to support and enhance the youth sports experience across our city,” he said. “We’re not just building athletes, we’re building character, community, and opportunity … Ages as young as five to 12 years old” will have the opportunity to join.
The league will be governed by an advisory team, a commissioner, an assistant commissioner, an operations director for each sport with support from the mayor’s office, Park and recreation, and the Department of youth Services.
Woodfin said the city plans to invest $500,000 in the program. “This is not just seed money from the city,” he said. Corporate sponsors will make it a public-private partnership, he added. “We’re grateful for the private sector (support),” Woodfin said.
Cedric Sparks, chief of staff for Mayor Woodfin, said uniforms in first year will be free.
“Uniforms, training, security, all of the things that we’ve seen, that are really challenging for youth sports programs, we’re taking those costs away,” he said. “The stress that comes with trying to raise revenues for those programs, those will be eliminated.”
The program is rooted in character, excellence, equity, teamwork, and accountability, the city said. In addition to athletic training, the league will focus on providing life skills, conflict resolution strategies, and academic mentorship to participating youth.
This pilot project also builds on recent efforts to revive city-run youth engagement programs like the Police Athletic Teams (P.A.T.) by the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board and Birmingham Police Department.
The independent Birmingham Crime Commission highlighted the importance of such programs in its Jan. 6 report recommending “reinvest in mentorship, education, and diversion programs to reduce juvenile crime and foster positive relationships. Re-implement the Police Athletic Teams (P.A.T.) and other proven youth engagement and mentorship partnerships.”
For more information or to get involved, visit: www.birminghamal.gov/youthsports.
