LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- For Nathaniel Morrison, 47th Force Support Squadron youth center recreations specialist, memories of the 1990’s were not just days in front of the TV watching ninja turtles or playing 8-bit video games. Rather, those memories were spent on days outside in his North Carolina neighborhood playing soccer, basketball, and other outdoor sports.
“Even though I and my friends got to enjoy playing those video games when we had the chance, we were more encouraged to be outside and active by our parents,” Morrison said. “We were playing out in the neighborhood all the time until the street lights came on at night.”
In 2018, however, with technology as innovating as it is, allures children daily away from the same outdoor activities that Morrison both remember and cherish. That’s why he’s made the Youth Center’s sports program a top priority — a program soon rolling into its 2018 season.
“Today’s kids have way more distractions, and with it being a pilot training base, having families regularly moving makes it hard to create awareness of our program in the beginning,” Morrison said. “Now, we’ve stepped outside of the box to accommodate not only traditional athletes but recreational athletes as well, which has helped us put the program in a much better place for everyone.”
The program features various sports from common games like soccer, to unique sports like whiffle ball and “gaga ball,” a game that combines the movement of soccer and the competitive elimination of dodgeball. The program, according to Morrison, is now more in depth, accessible, and open to the public and their children.
“We gauge their interest and change events weekly to expand their horizons,” Morrison said. “The kids absolutely love those kinds of sports and the variety we give them. It’s a healthy, fun, and competitive environment, which is what we encourage in the kids to help foster positive lifestyle choices.”
According to Omar Matos, 47th Force Support Squadron youth center director, the program relies on volunteers from around the base and fundraisers that help provide the equipment and attire necessary for the center’s sports program. He also stresses that while both volunteers and participation in the program has risen over the years, the center is always accepting more volunteers to help lead events.
“Within the last three years, after creating awareness and revamping the program, we’ve seen our numbers of young participants rise,” Morrison said. “However, now that we are getting the youth, we need more volunteers to help run the program.”
For more information about the program, or to volunteer, all personnel regardless of military affiliation, can contact the youth center at (830) 298-5343 about scheduled events, requirements and the cost to enroll a child.