SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.
Issue link: https://sportsevents.epubxp.com/i/634578
January 2016 36 www.sportseventsmagazine.com YOUTH Sports t Lending their time and talent, many current and former professional athletes run and participate in youth sports camps. For plan- ners, these types of sports events require special attention to logistics and security, as well as community outreach. For the athletes, the camps offer a chance to give back to their communities and to inspire kids to excel in life skills as well as athletic pursuits. But before and after the drills and prac- tice sessions, the autographs and photos, there are the practicalities of turning the idea for a kids' sports camp into a reality. And that's where the myriad skills of sports events planners come into play. "There are so many different elements that go into making a sports camp run smoothly," said Bethany Vietmeier, president and CEO of Ten Four Social, an event planning and social media market- ing company which plans celebrity sports camps. "But many of the elements are the same as you would have for any other type of event." She explained that her company helps the celebrity athletes with details such as marketing, registration, logistics and safety concerns. Terri Grunduski, co-founder of the Grun- duski Group, a Lawrenceville, Ga.-based organization that works with philanthropic organizations, agreed but pointed out two major differences; these events involve celebrity athletes and many of the children who participate are from underprivileged backgrounds. "Security issues can be a larger concern than they are for some other events and reaching out to the children the athletes want to connect with can take a lot of time," she remarked. "Fortunately, there are lots of rewarding moments that more than com- pensate for any extra effort." Making The Connection For planners interested in celebrity sports camps, both Vietmeier and Grunduski rec- ommended "working your contacts." Ten Four Social already had a number of charitable foundations as clients when Vietmeier met Will Allen, a safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who also happened to be her neighbor. In 2008, Allen had started the Will Allen Foundation (WAF), as part of his endeavor to "pay it forward" and empower people to change their lives in a positive manner. "Will had the idea to develop a program and provide resources for underprivileged children in a way that would inspire hope for them," Vietmeier said. "He had run some camps when he was playing for Ohio State (University) and wanted to do something similar as part of his foundation outreach." For the past three years, Ten Four Social has helped provide the programming, marketing and other resources needed to operate the WAF Football Skills Enhance- ment Camp, which is "geared toward teaching the proper skills to become a better football player, as well as how to transfer those lessons and skills learned through sport into valuable strengths for life beyond the feld." Since it was started, the camp has coached more than 620 kids ages 10-18. Along with Allen, the coaching staff for the event consists of current and former NFL and Ohio State University players. Vietmeier also works with Sound Mind Sound Body football camps run by Jerome Bettis, former Pittsburgh Steelers' running back, Pro Football Hall of Famer and ESPN commentator. She related that her contacts with the Pittsburgh Steelers' staff, in particular the director of security, Winning Combinations BY MARCIA BRADFORD Planning Kids Sports Camps With Celebrity Athletes Both Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Will Allen (left) and Atlanta Falcons Wide Receiver Devin Hester (right) are actively involved in camps that teach kids life skills as well as football techniques.