LEARN TO PLAY

Do you want your child to have FUN and be ACTIVE this summer? Get involved with Softball Alberta’s revolutionary softball program – the Learn to Play Program – for 5 to 10 year olds. This program was designed to address the specific needs of 5-10 year olds and is replacing the old game of T-Ball! The Learn to Play Program was piloted in communities across Canada in 2003 and 2004 and has received rave reviews from Minor Softball Association, parents and kids. Kids can’t wait for the snow to melt so they can participate in the full launch of the program this spring.

The first and most important goal of the program is to make Softball FUN for kids. And what better way to do that then to provide the coach with all the tools they will need to run a successful program. The Learn to Play manuals contain 18 prepared lesson plans that are easy to follow and understand. The games and activities that make up the lesson plans were created to increase the activity levels of the children and to challenge them in appropriate ways. Not only will the kids be tired from all the fun they will be having but they will be developing their individual softball skills as well as building life skills like co-operation and team work.

This program differs from sports like mini-soccer where only the aggressive children touch the ball. In the Learn to Play Program, the players are broken down into small groups where they can get the required repetitions to make improvements in skill development and feel that sense of accomplishment that increases their self-confidence. One parent in a Nova Scotia pilot of the program stated that after two weeks in both a mini-soccer program and the Learn to Play Program, her son only wanted to go to the Learn to Play Program because he was having more fun at the diamond.

The Learn to Play Program fills a long-standing gap in national programming and will serve to introduce thousands of youth to the exciting sport of softball. Softball Alberta, in conjunction with Softball Canada is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of young people and to providing support to its membership at the grassroots level.

Lesson Manuals, and other resources are available at the Softball Alberta offices. Contact us if you are interested in more information.

More information about the program can also be found on the Softball Canada website. Check out this awesome video from Softball New Brunswick’s LTP program!

Other Resources:

Move, Think, Learn – PHE Canada

This resource uses a Teaching Games for Understanding approach to work students through tactical gameplay problems, think through options and skills, and learn how to apply this learning to broader gameplay situations. The series explores archery, badminton, canoe-kayak, cycling, ringette, softball, squash, soccer and team handball. Targeted to educators working with children and youth approximately 8-14 years of age (grades 4-9), the goal of the series is to increase student knowledge, confidence, and competence to become further engaged in physical activity and/or sport. To take a look at this valuable resource, visit the PHE Canada website.

Canadian Olympic Activity Challenge

The Canadian Olympic School Program has partnered with Canadian Tire’s ACTIVE AT SCHOOL movement to launch the Canadian Olympic Activity Challenge, with the aim of getting kids across the country active for 60 minutes a day through new classroom resources.

Students will be introduced to various sports including softball and learn about their history and develop an understanding of the Olympic values of Friendship, Excellence and Respect.

To download this program and use the Softball based resource in your classroom check here!