Based in Oakland, the nonprofit Sports4Kids program teaches fourth- and fifth-graders about nutrition and all kinds of sports, keeping them busy during recess and after school.

Fifth-graders also have the option of becoming junior coaches, helping younger students with their homework and showing them how to play various sports, said Jill Vialet, executive director of Sports4Kids.

In November 2002, Berkeley Prudential Realty donated a space at 2095 Rose Street, for the Sports4Kids Swap Shop, a place where kids can buy donated, discounted athletic equipment. The shop also received a $44,000 grant from the Alameda County Waste Management Authority for recycling sports equipment that otherwise might end up in the dump.

The Swap Shop receives donated sports equipment from parents, local sport teams and sports equipment stores, said shop manager Arden Fredman.

The shop is open to anyone, and it's filling up with various athletic equipment including cleats, skis, snowboarding boots, tennis rackets and nutrition books. Anyone can donate equipment and will receive a tax-deductible receipt.

During 2002-03, the Swap Shop diverted about 20 tons of equipment from the waste stream, according to Sports4Kids environmental reports. All shop proceeds go toward Sports4Kids school programs, which now involve 50 schools, serving 20,000 Bay Area students, Fredman said.

"When we first started, we had nothing," she said. "Now we have to build shelves for the donations. Unfortunately, even thrift stores take tons of equipment each year to the dump because customers overlook the items in those stores."

Team Players
Liz Stevens, manager of Berkeley Prudential Realty, said the Sports4Kids program teaches children how to be team players and good citizens.

"I learned so much about sports when I was a kid," Stevens said. "Schools don't have the same kind of budgets they used to. It's tragic."

Sam Seder, 9, lives about two blocks away from the Swap Shop and said he volunteers as much as he can.

"I like helping out and organizing the sports equipment," said Sam, who has been a regular customer since the Swap Shop opened. "I've bought everything there."

As the result of minimal physical education in public schools and a child obesity epidemic that has been in the headlines, Vialet said, Sports4Kidsencourages youngsters, especially girls, to participate in sports.

According to a Sports4Kids survey, because of budget cuts in the public schools, students are only receiving an average of 37 minutes of physical activity a week. But the California Department of Education requires 100 minutes of physical education a week.

"Enforcing the state requirement is difficult because it isn't funded to be enforced," Vialet said. "The requirements are not often met."

Sports4Kids first began in two Berkeley schools in 1996 and has expanded to Oakland, Alameda and San Francisco. Next year, the program plans to be in at least 10 more schools, including Contra Costa County and the South Bay, said Vialet, who wants to expand the program statewide.

Lamar Kendricks has been a Sports4Kids site coordinator at Bella Vista Elementary School in east Oakland for two years.

"I grew up struggling so I know how it is," said Kendricks, who is legally blind. "I tell these kids that I treat them like they're my kids because I care."

Kassandra Silva, 10, dreams of being a professional football player and has been a junior coach in the Sports4Kids program for 18 months. On rainy days, Kassandra said, "my favorite part of being a junior coach is that I get to play with the kids and have fun activities in the classroom."

Bella Vista Elementary School Principal Shannon Yip said Sports4Kids has several positive impacts on her students.

"It's not just about improving their behavior," Yip said. "But it's about how kids interact, become leaders and how they maintain leadership that makes greater impacts in their lives."

Helping Others
Fifth-grader Lionel Green, who has been a junior coach for a year, says, "I like to help break up fights. I tell them to calm down, so the little kids look up to me."

Joan Copser, vice president of community investments for the East Bay Community Foundation, said she is proud that the foundation supports Sports4Kids.

"I see what Sports4Kids is doing as really effective because a lot of times troubled kids have the most leadership skills and energy to do something productive," said Cosper, who was involved in the grant selection process.

Melvin Ong, who has been a fourth-grade teacher at Bella Vista for four years, says there's definitely a difference in student behavior since the program came to his school.

"Kids learn how to socialize with each other, and those are important concepts to learn about teamwork," said Ong, who believes every school should have a Sports4Kids program. "Even the most reserved students kids (get) fired up and enjoy the activities.

"I always tell my students to think of themselves as a player in the real world," Ong said. Anyone can purchase recycled athletic equipment at the shop, 2095 Rose Street, Berkeley, which is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For more information, call (510) 868-1591.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
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