HARLINGEN — It’s up and running.
The Boys and Girls Clubs fall sports programs began Tuesday, but there’s still room for more kids who want to play co-ed volleyball, flag football, middle school volleyball and high school basketball.
The clubs — there are five locations — even offer an adult volleyball program, said Gerald Gathright, director of the clubs here.
“There will be about 60 teams participating altogether,” Gathright said. “They can come by the Main club. Actually signups are pretty much finished, we’re starting to play today. But individual players can still come by and we can probably find a spot on a team for them.”
So why do the clubs in Harlingen offer so many activities? Because they’re concerned about living up to the standards of their motto: Fulfilling our promise. Every club. Every kid. Every day.
“We also have another season of #girlstrong,” said Hilda Gathright, director of the LaMoyne Gardens Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs.
The statewide program from the Office of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division provides prevention and awareness of human trafficking for Texas girls ages 8 to 18, says the Texas Boys and Girls Clubs website.
“Statewide, Boys and Girls Clubs will serve young girls who have been identified as at-risk for involvement in trafficking due to demographic, socio-economic and family-related factors,” says the website.
The program is made up of SMART Girls, NetSmartz, and the Boys and Girls Club Experience.
“These programs provide multiple protective factors that defend girls from vulnerability to involvement in trafficking,” the site states. “They improve girls’ self-esteem and resilience, teach them about safe use of the Internet and social media, and offer daily after-school guidance and support.”
Texas AIM will offer tutoring for at-risk students.
“We’ll also have our public speaking contest and our annual essay contest,” Gathright said.
Next month will bring more fun with the winter basketball program. Students can start signing up for that now.
“This gives children the opportunity to be in a competitive sportsmanlike league format where they learn the skills of competition and sportsmanship and fun activities with kids from all over the community,” he said.
The clubs will also offer Scratch, a program where students will learn about coding, said Sophie Cantu, recreational director at LeMoyne.
“The kids will learn how to use computer science language,” she said.
There will also be more STEM programs throughout the year, as well as numerous activities. For more information, call the Main Unit at 956-428-4183
MORE INFO
Boys and Girls Clubs of Harlingen
• Main: 956-428-4183
• LeMoyne Gardens: 956-245-2257
• Milam/Bonita Park: 956-428-7816
• Lamar/Los Vecinos: 956-423-7005
• Wilson/Primera: 956-421-3244.
