The YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles celebrated 20 years of its countywide PLAY program at the North Valley YMCA in Porter Ranch on Thursday, April 4 featuring the LA Kings Ball Hockey, an eight-week session with weekly practices and one game each Saturday.
The Kings program, which teaches kids about teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play while applying hockey skills that strengthen their coordination and confidence, supplements the PLAY (Physical, Learning Activities for Youth) program in 95 elementary schools in Los Angeles County.
Each of the two dozen students who participated in Porter Ranch on Thursday were given a hockey stick, some of which were taller than the child. They batted around a neon orange-colored ball with the stick in several drills before being divided into two teams.
Chase Mellow, a 9-year-old from Northridge and a student at Beckford Charter for Enriched Studies, said he got into hockey because of his older brother and his parents wanted the same experience for him.
Chase’s advice for those would-be ball hockey player: “Keep your eye on the ball until you reach the net. Then you can look around for a teammate and pass the ball to them or take a shot yourself.”
Thursday was seven-year-old Mira Jain’s first stab at ball hockey.
“It’s fun and also very hard, but that’s always good,” said Mira, a first-grader at Castlebay Lane Charter Elementary School in Porter Ranch. “Exercise is very good for you.”
YMCA’s PLAY program launched 20 years ago at Germain Street Elementary School in Chatsworth to help prevent childhood obesity. Today, PLAY is a fully structured physical education program that has expanded to 95 elementary school campuses throughout the Los Angeles area and serves 45,000 students. In the San Fernando Valley, 45 elementary schools participate.
Its origin began with a conversation between a schoolteacher at the Chatsworth school and the then-executive director of the North Valley YMCA about the lack of physical education resources for elementary aged students.
“I’m proud to celebrate 20 years,” said Suzanne Murray whose idea it was to create an exercise program for school-aged children. “This is a perfect example of the Y working side by side with community partners to meet community needs.”
PLAY offers a full curriculum of sports and activities taught by YMCA trained coaches during school hours for grades kinder-5th and is aimed at increasing physical fitness in youth, diminishing fears and stigmas associated with exercise and promoting social-emotional learning.
It also provides support and a valuable resource for schools by enabling them to offer physical education as part of their daily curriculum.
“This was Suzanne’s dream, to work with principals and develop this program,” said Jane Stanton, co-founder of YMCA PLAY and a former executive director of the North Valley YMCA.
PLAY focuses on teamwork and support of each other.
Fun, fellowship, and skill building are key goals and ensures all students participate in learning physical skills and building self-esteem.
Qualified coaches lead the program with positive role modeling, encouragement to exercise regularly and peer support, adding to the asset-rich experience for each student.
“This is a significant day for us to celebrate a 20-year anniversary of the Y’s commitment to ensuring students from kindergarten through fifth grade have a positive physical educational experience throughout Los Angeles County,” said Victor Domingues, the CEO of YMCA Metropolitan Los Angeles.
The program has changed the landscape of physical education programs in Los Angeles County, according to YMCA officials.