BYSC Celebrates Women’s History Month with its Own History Makers

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Meet Extraordinary Women Volunteers of Backyard Sports Cares & Founders of the
MHS Backyard Sports Community Club

Pictured from left: Paulina Paras, Holzberg, Sydney Farrell at the MHS Club Fair
Pictured from left: Paulina Paras, Emily Holzberg, Sydney Farrell at the MHS Club Fair

Paulina Paras, BYSC Volunteer and Co-President of MHS Backyard Sports Club

Hi, I am Paulina Paras and I’m currently a senior at Mamaroneck High School. I was a freshman when I first got involved with Backyard Sports Cares. Volunteering to play sports with special needs kids every Sunday morning has become a passion for me and my two friends, Emily and Sydney. We  loved the BYSC program at Purchase College so much, that we decided to replicate it  in our school district.  Now, with a humbling volunteer base of over 100 students, we run a club at the high school called the Mamaroneck High School (MHS) Backyard Sports Community Club, which has, by far, been my favorite experience with Backyard Sports Cares, as well as  my passion throughout high school.  It has been amazing to see the impact that our program has had, not only on the athletes who are learning both teamwork and athletic skills, but also on the athlete’s parents, volunteers, and the broader community.  Our town is constantly reaching out to us to get our members involved in activities related to  sports and the special needs community.  I am so grateful to be a part of the Backyard Sports Cares family.

Sydney Farrell, BYSC Volunteer and Co-President of MHS Backyard Sports Club

Hi, my name is Sydney Farrell, and I’m a senior at Mamaroneck High School. I have been a Sunday volunteer for Backyard Sports Cares for three years. During that time, I became Co-President of the MHS Backyard Sports Community Club. Being a member of the Backyard Sports Cares family has always been such a privilege. Working with these kids to help improve their skills on so many levels is a reward in and of itself. This is what motivated my  friends, Paulina and Emily, and me to found the Backyard Sports Club at our high school. In the past two and a half years since we started the club, it has grown tremendously. We now have over 100 committed members and over 50 volunteers who have become just as passionate about Backyard Sports as we are.  This program has been my favorite Backyard Sports program, because I know I have helped start something great that will continue growing and help kids in my community.

Paulina, Emily, and Sydney receiving the Blum Award from the Rotary Club of Larchmont for their service to the community.
Paulina, Emily, and Sydney receiving the Blum Award from the Rotary Club of Larchmont for their service to the community.

Emily Holzberg, BYSC Volunteer and Co-President of MHS Backyard Sports Club

My name is Emily Holzberg, and I’m a senior at Mamaroneck High School. Through Backyard Sports Cares, I have volunteered with special needs children for three years on Sundays at Purchase College. Now a co-president of the Mamaroneck Backyard Sports Community Club, I also created a volleyball program for middle school and high school students in Yonkers at the Elm Street Location. My favorite program has been the sports for special needs children at Central Elementary School that my co-presidents and I created. We have shared our greatest passion with the volunteers, and have organized a supportive athletic community for the children. The parents are always so appreciative of the programs we run for their kids, and it is rewarding to see the children leave with a smile on their faces. It is inspiring to see that our club and mission has had a truly positive influence on helping high school students and the community understand individuals with special needs. We have shared our love for Backyard Sports Cares with both high school students and special needs children, and we’re confident that the program will continue to thrive for years to come.

Meet Paulina, Sydney and Emily at Backyard Sports Cares third annual 3-on-3 Tournament fundraiser on April 19th where they’ll be doing what they do best — volunteering!