Tots get into sport fun
STARTING school can be tough but it is something Darryl Flashman says even the shyest kids can do with a little confidence boost.
Darryl knows all about confidence and has seen his own confidence grow after the success of his program Sporty Tots.
Darryl said Sporty Tots was a program for children between the ages of three and five and was all about getting children active and "having a go" at different sports.
Darryl said the trick to getting children involved in sport was making sure they had an early introduction that was fun.
"Get them involved as early as possible," he said.
"As long as they want to have a go, that's half the battle."
Darryl has been running sporting programs for children for the past 15 years, both overseas and on the Sunshine Coast.
He said Sporty Tots was very apparatus- driven and was all about giving kids an introduction into sports which would hopefully lead to them finding something they could stick with to stay active.
The program lets youngsters try their hand at sports such as baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer and Australian Rules.
Darryl said the program also gave children the tools needed to make a smooth transition into primary school.
"It helps kids with their self- esteem and also with their listening skills," he said.
"It arms kids with problem-solving techniques."
Since starting his program, Darryl has seen a massive increase in participation across childcare centres, early learning centres and kindergartens throughout the Coast.
He said getting youngsters involved in physical activity all came down to creating an atmosphere where they felt confident and could have some fun.
"If kids have a go and they like it, then they want to go on and get involved in sport, which will hopefully stick with them for life."
Darryl said Sporty Tots was a program designed to get children active - something which not only had significant health benefits but also armed kids with some useful skills.
"It's all about getting kids active so it becomes ingrained in them," he said. "The kids love it, they learn how to listen, they have fun and they really get a great sense of self-worth."
To learn more about the Sporty Tots program, visit sportytots.com.
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