Gym time transformed

A table filled with stacks of handwritten name tags and clean, folded, blue jerseys waits patiently, just inside the church doors.

Every Tuesday night, ClearView Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in Oakville, Ontario, is ready to welcome youth ages eight to 13 for Sports League.

In the gym, volunteer coaches prepare for the sport of the evening. Trollies of basketballs are rolled out of the storage room, or volleyball nets are set up in anticipation of the first whistle and the 41 kids on their way.

Chairs are set up in the corner so parents can watch and fellowship with each other, and the athletes begin to show up.

The dream

But before the jerseys and whistles, and basketballs and volunteers, came an empty gym and a dream from former church member Carolyn Vriend. She had three young boys at home who loved playing sports, and they frequently asked if their family could go to church and use the courts. It got her thinking: what if other kids in the community and neighbourhood wanted an opportunity to use ClearView’s empty gym too?

Together with Heather Maat, the church’s community engagement staff member, and her husband and coach, Derek Maat, Carolyn began planning the logistics of an affordably priced sports league in April 2022. They wanted it to run once a week, be rooted in short gospel teaching moments and have time at the end for a group prayer.

They applied for a funding grant, bought some new equipment, enlisted Brent Van Laare as an additional permanent coach and designed jerseys. Armed with the goal of providing high-calibre sports programming while sharing the gospel, they were ready to go.

That was three years ago, and since the very first session that saw more than 50 kids sign up, the gym has always been full – and mostly with kids from the community, not just the congregation.

Meet Matthew

Matthew is often one of the very first players to show up. His sister was part of the first-ever ClearView Sports League session, but he wasn’t old enough to join until this year. It has been such a blessing to see Matthew’s family involved over the years and see the impact of affordable and friendly sports on their lives.

“I like coming because it’s fun and you get to play games, Matthew shared. And, when asked if he made any friends at Sports League, he was quick to reply: “Yeah, probably like 18.”

He lives just five minutes away from the church and is homeschooled, so opportunities like these are great for making friends and building community, even when his family doesn’t attend on Sunday mornings.

With excitement, as he tracked a volleyball sailing across the gym, Matthew shared how much the skills he learned and the encouragement from sports league coaches meant to him. “I never knew how to spike before,” he exclaimed.

High calibre skills

But ClearView’s Sports League isn’t just providing opportunities for kids: parents are getting involved too.

One mother, Dede, and her son, Peter, have been with the program since the early days.

“We couldn’t not participate because we were so thankful that all of this was being given to him at such a fraction of the usual cost. The weekly program provides stability and training for kids from very experienced coaches,” she shared.

“I feel like my son has progressed through his three years here, he was able to make the soccer team. He was able to make the volleyball team when he initially had zero skills in volleyball, and I attribute that to what he’s learned here.”

Dede appreciates how the league isn’t just about competition, instead, it’s about building character, sharing a bit about God, and developing the beautiful aspects of sport like teamwork and resilience.

Peter, who is in grade eight, sees and values that piece too. While waiting for his turn on the court, he talked about his Sports League takeaways.

“They’re teaching us how to be responsible and how winning isn’t everything,” he said.

Two twelve-year-old twins share a story similar to Peter’s. They have both been a part of the league for multiple years and really appreciate the skills they’ve learned from caring coaches.

“It’s really fun to learn a new sport.” Monica shared. “And we made the volleyball and basketball team!” Jessica added. “Plus, we have friends here and it’s really nice to come and see them.”

Off the court

In these testimonies from kids and in the conversations she has with parents on Tuesday nights, Heather Maat, the church staff member who leads the program, can see God at work. Providing more than just sports has always been the focus, and she feels the quick teaching that starts off each night helps to do just that.

“We do focus on skills, but at the beginning of every night, we think about a character trait or point of faith that helps kids develop in more ways than just on the court. For example, they talk about patience and how patience is something that you need when you are learning a new skill, but it is also something that can be transferred into everyday life. We get kids thinking about how to be patient with their family, with their friends,” Maat said.

“And we see these things really hitting home with kids. We see it in the way they pay attention and in the way they respond when they are struggling with a sport and in how the coaches can encourage them and build them up.”

It’s been three years since the church gym was empty on Tuesday nights, and in that time so many kids – and parents – have found community. Sports are what bring people in, but because of God at work, people are leaving with friends, new skills to help them excel elsewhere and a better understanding of who Christ is.

*Only the first names of participants and their parents have been used for privacy reasons.