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![]() Coach Richard Kirby |
Coach Troy Ramcharran |
Coaches Patrick and Jane Cooke |
![]() Organizer Geoff Brown |
More to come! |
WHAT TO BRING: Athletic shoes -- they're pretty important since we play on a field. Ordinary sneakers are fine.
Sunscreen and insect repellent are an excellent idea, too.
We always provide plenty of cold drinking water during our time in Trinity Field, but if you wish you can bring your own water bottle. There are always treats during the parish coffee hour after Summer Sports is over for the day.
COST: There is absolutely no charge for this program. We do take a completely voluntary offering after sports are finished on Sunday mornings for those going inside for Communion.
Read more about Summer Sports 2009 at Trinity.
Call Geoff Brown at (860)824-0640 or e-mail him at soccer@trinitylimerock.org if have any questions.
Answer:
1. We think that kids need some summer sports activity in our area.
2. Trinity's got a beautiful, well drained 8+ acre field for a back yard.
3. We like to welcome kids who are just here for the summer as well as kids from the area who don't attend Trinity, and this is a great way to do it.
4. We know that sports participation is important. As the New York Times recently reported, girls who play interscholastic sports are 41% more likely to graduate from college than their peers who do not -- and skills do count!
5. Athletic activity for kids, sadly being eliminated or curtailed in the schools, is an effective antidote to the national epidemic of childhood obesity.
6. Coach Kirby was recently quoted in the Hotchkiss Magazine: "I have a basic philosophy of developing the whole person -- mental, physical, and spiritual." That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?
ANSWER: We've found that most of this stuff isn't really needed to just have fun with sports -- and to build skills as well. Remember that many more World Cup soccer players have started out without all the accoutrements than have started out fully equipped with all the bells and whistles. (We do NOT envision organized Trinity Sports Teams in the future, by the way -- we know that the kids who come to us have their own Town, Club, School or other teams in our area or back home, and it's our desire to support those teams, not to compete with them.)
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How's the field coming along? Pretty well, thanks! The folks at Lime Rock Park keep it beautifully mowed all summer long. The mowed area is now roughly the size of three regulation International soccer fields. We're continuing to improve the field surface. The grass was better in 2008 than in previous years, and we think that it will be still better in 2009.
Click on the picture above to see the field just before the first session for 2006. |
ANSWER: Yes, it can get pretty hot out there. We do take precautions regarding the heat, including lots of water always available right at the edge of the field and compulsory water breaks -- and we keep a close eye on the kids as well.
ANSWER: We've got a great new addition to our church facility that lets us take the kids inside and show soccer DVDs and discuss and demonstrate them. Also, the field is extremely well drained, so field condition is never a factor.
ANSWER: Well, we had a great run with soccer. Four years of soccer fun, lots of kids, plenty of coaches who were happy to let the kids learn by doing. However, when it because evident that the kids interests were changing toward other sports, we are flexible enough to follow their interests.
ANSWER: If the kids want it, we will.
ANSWER: We're always happy to welcome young people who don't usually attend Trinity. During 2007 and 2008 we welcomed young people from Roman Catholic, Jewish, Congregational, and Baptist traditions, and several from no religious tradition -- as well as Episcopalians. We're definitely sensitive to the beliefs of others, and we take real pains to be inclusive. While we invite anyone who wishes to come into church for Holy Communion when soccer ends for the day, we don't push it or make a big thing about who comes in and who goes home at that point.
ANSWER: We're a little unusual in this respect. First of all, there's no check to write. The program is free. (Actually, we do take a collection for those who choose to go inside for Communion at the end of Sunday morning sports, but it's completely optional.
ANSWER: Yes, and we make it easy! After about an hour and fifteen minutes of sports we stop for the day. Those who wish to may go inside and join the Holy Eucharist already in progress. Those who do not either wait for the parish coffee hour to begin or go home at that point. For those who do elect to come inside for Holy Communion, there is never any obligation or pressure to receive the Sacrament, by the way. Communion is available for any baptized person, but the Priest is glad to offer a blessing for anybody who doesn't want to receive Communion. Furthermore, there's absolutely no stigma attached if a young person (or adult) chooses simply to stand aside or remain in their seat when Communion is offered. Alternatively, if parents choose, they may elect to pick their child up at 11:15 AM, when the rest of us move inside.
ANSWER: Our parish clergy enthusiastically support our summer sports program. They recognize that our kids like it, and that it's our duty to serve the community, and this is one way that Trinity uniquely does just that.
| Here's what
the Bishop of Connecticut recently wrote us about our Summer Sports
program when it was still a Soccer
program:
The summer soccer program is such a creative offering and
blessing. There are several churches that are doing such innovative
ministries on Sunday mornings, especially during the summer, and I
thank you for your energy and your care for the children and their
presence at church. |
ANSWER: We're happy to say that we offer a full year of activity, learning, and fun for young people. Sunday School at Trinity picks up early in September and runs for the entire school year. The first week in December we start preparations for our famous Christmas Pageant (2008 was be our 66th consecutive year of Christmas Pageants), and our acolyte program functions during the months that Sunday School is in session, depending on the interest level in the kids. Early teens may be interested in Confirmation, and we schedule confirmation classes when we have a few kids who are interested. The kids also really enjoy some of our Parish-side activities, like our Blessing of the Animals, which is held in early October each year, and seeing the fire trucks and ambulances that visit us for Emergency Services Sunday.
Because we're a family-oriented parish, we're also very happy to welcome young people to worship with us. We're delighted when they serve as acolytes, when they sing, and when they assist with ushering responsibilities -- something the current crop of kids seems to be very interested in. We have weekly bulletins for young people to use during the service if their attention begins to wander -- the youth bulletins have a variety of activities based on the Bible readings assigned for that Sunday. And yes, we even understand when they wiggle -- we remember when WE were that age and wanted to wiggle too!
At Trinity Lime Rock, we understand the needs of young people, and we are thankful that we have them with us.
In short, for young people who want to be involved, we offer a full year of activities for young people at Trinity. Summer Sports are only a small part of it.
Contact Geoff Brown at 860-824-0640 or via e-mail: soccer@trinitylimerock.org
to learn about Summer
Sports 2009 at Trinity Lime Rock
to see pictures from
Summer Soccer 2008
Website updated Sunday, June 27, 2010 06:01 PM |