Monthly News & Updates

JUNE 2024 | Vol. 14

Summer is Here

Executive Director's Message

Summer doesn’t start officially for 20 more days, but it feels like it has begun. Before school ended for summer break, we celebrated a few more events in May. Throughout the month, Waco hosted multiple high school championships, a downhill mountain biking enduro event, and multiple runs (Waco Police Memorial, Bad Ass Half Marathon, and the Best 5K on the Brazos).
 
On a personal note, the GWSC’s largest fundraiser is the Mother’s Day Run (10K, 5K, & Fun Run), and this year, due to severe weather that morning, I had to cancel the event. For the past six months, our staff, volunteers, and sponsors had planned every detail to make this an incredible event. When I saw the flashes of lightning stretch across the sky that morning and rivers of water across the streets and parking lot, I had to make the hard decision for the safety of our volunteers, families, sponsors, and staff. Our partners (Bird Kultgen Ford, The Bear Mountain, Milo, Discover Woodway, 360 Painting, Mission Golf Cars, D1 Training, Active Therapy Group, Slowrise, T-Mobile, and Waco Surf) were incredibly supportive of us. They even helped us create an off-site party at BK Ford’s showroom floor that morning. We had music, a Mother’s Day card-making station, a paint balloon dart game, ax throwing, and over $8K in door prizes to give away… yes… $8K! I just wanted to thank everyone involved for being understanding and supportive and making lemonade when life handed us lemons. 
 
We can now get ready for summer vibes! 😎 With a great holiday weekend behind us and the school year ending, many of us sense a shift in our schedules and routines. Embracing some well-deserved rest is essential, but as summer rolls in, it’s helpful to stay mindful of our desires and priorities and make the most of this season. So, activate that summer mode, soak up the sun, and embark on new adventures while staying true to what truly matters. It’s time to enjoy the warm days and make more unforgettable memories!  
 
– Mike Vogelaar

TEAM WACO UPDATE:

We’re in month 3 (of 7) of training for our TEAM Waco athletes. Mitch, Jen, Daniella, Kenneth, and Brian continue to persevere through their mental, physical, and social roadblocks as they begin working on two-a-day workouts!
 
They’ve had semesters of teaching semesters finish up, end-of-the-year school events for kids, job changes, and other difficult events in life come up, and they continue to push on through.  
 
This past month we’ve been busy behind the scenes recording podcast episodes and a #WeAreWaco segment so that you can learn more about them and their stories in the near future. 
 
Next on the horizon for TEAM Waco is TriWaco on July 8th. With the coaching of Katie M. and Mike C. at NVDM, they compete in the sprint distance to create mental and physical benchmarks as they continue to build the endurance needed for October’s IRONMAN.
Make sure you click here for a quick follow on social media (Instagram / Facebook) so you can join the journey and be a part of TEAM Waco. 

LITTLE LEAGUE SOUTHWEST TOURNAMENTS

The 2023 Southwest Region Little League Softball and Baseball tournaments are set to take place in Waco, Texas this July 24th-28th and August 3rd-8th and they are seeking volunteers to help make the events a success.
 
The tournaments will bring together some of the best youth baseball and softball teams from around the region and be aired nationally, like last year’s World Series-winning Midway Little League Softball All-Star Team. They will provide an exciting opportunity for young athletes to showcase their skills and qualify for the Little League World Series on a big stage.
 
Volunteers will play a crucial role in ensuring the tournaments run smoothly, from helping with concessions and parking to serving as scorekeepers.
 
Anyone interested in volunteering can find more information on the Little League website (here) and by contacting Caleb Boujemaa. 

Upcoming Events

Check out what events are coming up in Waco and how you can get involved.

Sponsorship Opportunities

We are always looking for new community partners! Please email [email protected] if you are interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities with new events for your business.

GWSC Volunteer Opportunities

Click here to check out upcoming opportunities.

In the pipeline for Waco Sports

Be on the lookout for new merchandise options. 

 Coming soon!

A Word from Dr. Adesina

Mental health in youth sports is an important and complex topic. While participating in sports can provide numerous physical, social, and psychological benefits for young athletes, it can also present challenges that may impact their mental well-being. Here are some key points for parents and coaches to consider: 
 
1.    The pressure to meet and exceed expectations can place a significant burden on an athlete’s mental health. Oftentimes this is seen with
overly critical or demanding coaching styles or excessive pressure from
parents. It is important to ensure that the athlete is reminded repeatedly that
their self-worth is not tied to their success. 
 
2.   Modern youth sports require athletes to balance academics,
rigorous training schedules, and other extra-curricular and life activities.
Failure to achieve an appropriate balance often results in burnout. 
 
3.    Sports injury is one of the highest risk factors for depression
among young athletes. An athlete whose identity is strongly tied to their sport
is also at higher risk for developing mental health concerns, especially when
experiencing an injury. Injury recovery has to be managed with a clear
understanding of the recovery process while continuing to allow continued
engagement with the team or club.
 
All young athletes must be surrounded by a team of individuals who not only want to see them achieve their goals, but are willing to support them on that journey. Support comes in many forms, but they all require the same foundational emotion: love.