October 28, 2015 - Recently, the City of Center created a position and budget for a Parks and Recreation Director. The City has hired Jason Mitchell for this position.
I use the terms “we” throughout this piece because of the fact that so many people in the City strongly support the City’s decision to create this position.
We believe the City has shown tremendous vision and financial courage to create a position and support a department that can have a direct and positive influence on the youth of our community, and even create programs for adults.
This was not a snap decision, but rather it was the result of the City's leadership that started almost 7 years ago, when a discussion began about making Center a “Youth Sports Destination.” Such a program would not only provide activities for our kids, but it would also serve as an economic engine to benefit Center and Shelby County.
From the beginning stages of the Boys Dixie State Tournaments, the City strongly supported that endeavor, both financially and also in manpower for clean-up and preparation of the fields. The City even assisted in the construction of an additional baseball field at the current facility. Jason Mitchell, as president of Dixie Boys Baseball, has devoted literally hundreds of hours of his time to organize the events. The results have been financially rewarding to our community. Thousands of visitors, and millions of tourism dollars, have been created by these Dixie state tournaments. Center has gained a reputation of having quality tournaments, that are well organized, and all teams feel that they are welcome and treated fairly.
Other towns in Texas and East Texas share or desire these same goals. A recent article in the Longview Newspaper quoted the Mayor of Longview explaining how important baseball and softball youth tournaments were to that community’s economic development.
During the past 7 years the City has continued to work to improve our youth facilities, investing in a new Girls’ softball complex and investing dollars in other projects that benefit the youth of Center.
The foundation has been set. The City has now created the position of Parks and Recreation Director, the culmination of a 7 year thoughtful and planned process.
So what is the next step?
The next step is for our community to do what we do best. And that's get involved. Involvement from civic clubs, Churches, the Center School District, mom and dad’s, aunts and uncles, grandparents and everyone else is essential. We all need to step forward and offer to help.
There will be a need for many volunteers in the future: coaches for youth baseball, softball, soccer, football, basketball and other sports. There will also be a need for score keepers, and people to work league and tournament events.
But, you know what? That's what Center and this community does the best. We give, we volunteer, and we support our youth.
The Center School District, with its athletic facilities, is a key partner for this venture to reach its true potential of this success. We hope CISD will work with a goal of co operation and support for this program. With the school’s participation, our community will be able to increase tournaments offered in baseball, basketball, softball, tennis, golf, cross country and other sports, which will bring multiple teams to Center for athletic tournaments during the school year.
A quality recreation program will provide activities for our youth in the summer, building good sportsmanship and character in our youth, and it can increase academic performance in our schools, and even provide for a higher level of participation and success in athletics in CISD for both boys and girls.
It's too easy to just simply say that “our youth are our future.” This has been true since the beginning of time. We have put our money where our mouth is. The issue today is for our community to rally around this decision, to support it financially, but even more importantly with our time and with volunteer hours.
As more and more visitors come to Center for these tournaments and events, we need to be prepared to welcome them and appreciate the dollars they are spending locally. We need to realize the important economic impact this can have on our community and the positive impact locally we can have with our youth.
Breaking new ground involves risk. Mayor David Chadwick, the entire City Council, and our City Manager Chad Nehring have worked long and hard over the past 7 years to develop a vision for the future.
The City has stepped forward, now it's time for Center as a community to do the same. Call Jason Mitchell at City Hall, make contact, and offer your support and assistance.
And if you see our Mayor, City Manager, or any of the Council Members, thank them for putting our youth first.
Now......Let the games begin.
