Frozen Ropes Wyoming Valley Baseball and Softball Training Center. A graduate of St. Nicholas/St. Mary’s elementary school, Bishop Hoban High School and King’s College, Patrick gave up a successful consulting career in the healthcare information technology industry to pursue his dream. Northeast Pennsylvania Family caught up with Wills at his 24,000 square foot facility in Plains.

NEPA Family: What can parents do to promote a love of athletics in their children?

Patrick Wills: The best thing a parent can do is expose their children to as many sports as possible. Even when children are very young , parents can run around with them, roll a ball with them, enroll them in a Mommy and Me type class…. As kids get older, parents might want to take them to a variety of high school, college or professional sporting events. And if a mom or dad is interested in a sport, they can include their children in a run, a catch, a swim, show them karate moves, go ice skating together, take the kids mini golfing… the opportunities are endless.

NEPA Family: When should children enroll in an organized sporting program?

PW: As soon as a child shows interest. There are swimming classes for infants, Mommy and Me gymnastics classes, “Born to Play” athletics classes at Frozen Ropes and Gymboree classes for toddlers, and of course, soccer, t-ball, hockey and other team sports starting around age five.

NEPA Family: What kinds of sports are best for kids?

PW: The best sport for any child is one which he or she enjoys! Some things to consider are if your child likes to be a part of a team (soccer, hockey, baseball, basketball) or if your child works best alone (karate, gymnastics, track, swimming). You also need to take into account the amount of time you and your family want to dedicate to the sport. Some sports are about pure athleticism and some are about developing particular skills. Exposure to multiple sports will give your child the best chance to find one that fits their personality and level of athletic skill. But don’t limit the children to the sports or activities they like early on in life. The term “late bloomer” is something to pay attention to as the child grows. Children develop skills at different times so a child who may not be the best basketball player or swimmer at age six, might just turn out to develop great skills in those sports at age ten.

NEPA Family: Once you find a sport that your child enjoys, how can you help him or her to excel?

PW: Practice, practice, practice! Find opportunities to participate in the sport as often as possible. Here at Frozen Ropes we like to say, “There’s Never an Off Season,” and that’s true for just about every sport. Find a training program that your child enjoys and find leagues that offer year-round play, or close to it. While it’s good to commit to a sport that a child enjoys and in which they are skilled, time off from a sport is also a good thing. Carefully balancing training time with time off allows for maximum skill development and enjoyment.

NEPA Family: What are the benefits of participating in sports?

PW: There are so many benefits: Development of gross motor skills, specific sports skills, group play and team skills, and good sportsmanship.  Learning how to compete properly, how to handle success and failure gracefully, how to learn from failure and grow from it are all life lessons. Proper training in sports will help shape better individuals no matter what path they choose in their adult lives.

Paula Chaiken is the mother of three baseball-loving boys who is trying not to throw like a girl.