The primary goal of the Sports Authority is to develop a community-wide infrastructure for quality youth sports through partnerships and collaborations designed to increase effective coordination of resources.
The Sports Authority also awards grants to groups and organizations that provide sports programs for underserved youth in Milwaukee County.
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Success Stories As a whole, our club had a very successful season. Coach Miller couldn't be more proud of "his boys" -as he likes to refer to them. Out of a group of 19 total, 10 of them took first or second place in their Regional tournaments and made it to the 2008 WWF Kids Folkstyle State Tournament. Ten!! What a sense of accomplishment for all of these boys. They learned that all of their hard work, perseverance, and efforts were not for naught. One of the boys that made it to State, NA, missed making it to State last year - his first year - by a hair. With the help of his coaches and parents, he was eased through that tough period by learning about how to lose gracefully, to point out what he learned from his experience, and what he had to do to make it a little further the next year. His goal was just to make it to State this year, and he accomplished that. Another boy, DV, left our club for one season because he wasn't getting good grades. His parents thought he needed to focus on his school work and told him he had to give up wrestling, which is what most parents would do in order to try to help their child improve in school. Little did they know that they were taking away the one thing in his life that was positive, that gave him a sense of accomplishment, that gave him some structure. He returned this last season, his grades improved, he worked hard and he made it to State for the first time. Did I mention that he also beat cancer and has been in remission for 5 years? J TE wrestled for the first time ever this season. With each MATCH - not just with each tournament - he improved in one area or another. He learned how to lose in a sportsmanlike manner, and that winning isn't everything. He set a good example for the younger boys to follow, showing that listening to the coaches' advice, working hard in practice, and trying different things would lead to success. Boy did it ever - he made it to State! JR is small in stature, but has a large heart. He is smaller in size than most of his opponents, but really wrestles with all he has. He's also a great example for the younger boys to follow because shows that winning a match isn't the only way to be successful. He has a winning attitude and is a great supporter of his teammates. AM has been wrestling several years, and has missed making it to State by a smidgeon each and every time - except this year! I can't tell you the joy that was felt by the entire club when he won his regional tournament. He not only experienced this major feat, but also was able to feel the true camaraderie of his teammates. KS is the perfect example of "never give up". This boy not only has strength, skill, and experience on his side - he has great determination. He is one of the leaders in the wrestling room, and many of the boys want to emulate him. He works very hard and has made it to State 3 times! His goal is to become State Champ in his age/weight bracket. You know what? I believe he is going to make it. ZM is the other leader of the club, and is one of its early members. His sportsmanship has developed over the years, as he is one that had to learn how to accept losing. He has become another person that fellow-wrestlers look up to and want to be like. He truly loves the sport and it shows in his matches, as well as, in his practices. He works hard and has proven one of the coaches' mottos of" winners never quit", which can be applied to more than just wrestling. He has made it to State 3 times, as well, and has taken first place twice. He's come a long way. PC didn't make it to State, but he has come so far in his first season of wrestling. He was very quiet and reserved when he first joined, and is now more open - with his teammates, anyway. J He has shown improvement since he started with us, which was very exciting to see him win his first match. When he got his first pin - forget about it! RS has shown much more interest and determination this season. He's one of the "older" boys that got a late start in wrestling, but stuck with it and has showed marked improvement. With all of his hard work, he has even slimmed down some. All of these positives have only increased his self-esteem. It also gave him the courage to go out for his school's wrestling team! Another area that I consider a success is the bond that has been formed between the families. Most of the parents are very active in the club and volunteer a lot of their time to making it work. We are very supportive of one another, and it shows when one of our boys is on the mat. If someone isn't wrestling in their own match, they're next to the mat that their teammate is on, cheering him on and lending support. The same is true of the parents; they don't just cheer on their own child. You know where we are when you spot the cluster of yellow t-shirts. J Another positive thing that has developed has been our lunches, believe it or not. At the majority of the tournaments that we attend, we bring a potluck lunch for everyone to enjoy. This way we get to enjoy home cooking, healthier options, and cut down on the cost spent on food. This is another area where we've been able to "secretly" teach the kids about nutrition without them even realizing it. They are now starting to make the right choices all on their own. There isn't room on the page to list everything that one would consider a success for our club. Suffice it to say that my husband and I LOVE what we're doing and look forward to several more years with the All-Stars. I believe that Coach Miller's love for the sport has rubbed off on the rest of the club, and it shows when we are all together. |
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