ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – With the growing popularity of travel sports around the area, local youth recreational clubs want to remind parents the benefits they can offer to children in the Star City.

“For the last two years especially, between Southeast, GSA, Star City, and Williamson Road rec clubs have all come together as a unified group. So the main thing right now is getting the word out that our sports are available, football, basketball, cheer, soccer, baseball, because a lot of the community still doesn’t know that’s an option,” explains Anthony Poindexter with Southeast rec club.

For many families, it’s a more realistic option to introduce their child to a new sport.

“The biggest difference typically if you’re playing travel is that it’s super competitive, more than rec.  You’re playing people not just in your area but multiple states, all over.  Of course it requires more travel, more funds,” he says.  “In rec we only charge $75 compared to some travel I’ve heard is $300.”

Making accessibility an important factor to not just teach children the sport, but also life skills.

“They learn teamwork, responsibility, honestly bravery even.  With football, mainly it’s all first-year players so overcoming their fears and getting use to new people, new things, new experiences,” adds Poindexter.

Cultivating a passion that can help kids make better choices.

“That’s actually one of our main points is the fact that there aren’t a lot of positive things for kids to do in the Roanoke City area,” Poindexter believes.  “Gun violence and things of that nature have been on the rise, so that’s why we push even more so for our sports, our community events that we do, just getting them around positive role models.”

Role models who dedicate their time for the good of the community.

“This is all volunteer basis, we’re not paid, anyone in these positions.  Everyone that’s involved it’s all just out of love and what they want to do for the community,” he notes.

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