Jake, Chloe and Charlie Klein are all students at Byram Hills High School. Jake is currently a senior and has been volunteering with BYSC for 6 years. His younger siblings, Chloe and Charlie, are freshman and are currently in their second year as volunteers with Backyard Sports Cares.
How did you get started with Backyard Sports Cares? (Jake)
It started as a bar mitzvah project and I thought I would probably end up doing it for a season or two. But after my first season volunteering, I wanted to keep going. So I stuck with it for all of 7th grade, and then I kept going in 8th and 9th and 10th and now I’m a red shirt (a special BYSC designation for seniors). It has honestly become one of my favorite parts of the weekend, working with the athletes and helping them have a good time.
What is it about volunteering at Backyard Sports Cares that you think makes it unique? (Chloe)
It just makes my day knowing that the athlete I work with is happy and excited to come and work with me each week. My athlete has become more comfortable over the past few weeks and I think that’s because we have developed a bond and I think he trusts me more. Also, every time we have a session together, I can see he improves on something new and it’s obvious how happy that makes him. It also makes him want to return for another session with me the following week.
What makes volunteering with Backyard Sports Special? (Charlie)
I really enjoy getting to know my athlete. It’s not just some kid to go and play sports with, it’s someone that I can connect with and help out and make happy. I noticed that the athlete I have been working with over the past few weeks is really happy to see me at the start of each session, he’s really ready to play sports and it just makes me feel good to be doing something good for someone else.
Is there a particularly memorable part of your volunteer experience that you would like to share? (Jake)
During my sophomore year, I was paired with an athlete named Will and I ended up bonding with him really well. Apparently Will went to his parents after a few weeks and told them that he really liked me and wanted to see me outside of the Sunday morning program. So Will’s mother approached me after the next session and asked me if I might want to start tutoring Will after school so I did and it was really great. I also think, especially when it comes to learning, that it is sometimes easier to learn from someone who is closer to your own age than from a grown adult.
