Learning with play

It was a great day for learning last Friday for the Ville Platte Boys and Girls Club, as they were provided valuable information and a fun time when the New Orleans Saints brought their Play 60 youth program to Chicota Youth Camp.
Play 60 is a program that all 30 NFL teams provide for the youth within a certain area around the city that the team is based in. The program is designed to teach kids the benefit of physical activity on the body, as well as other social skills and concepts needed later in life; skills like character, team building and the importance of education.
The club members were treated to motivational speakers as well as having the opportunity to participate in drills done by the actual team members of the New Orleans Saints.
According to the New Orleans Saints Director of Youth Programs, Jason Trosclair, the Play 60 program is all about building relationships with the state and region.
“We know that all the regional communities are important to us and our organization,” stated Trosclair. “With the Play 60 program, we are able to reach those communities and provide kids with alternatives to the digital distractions of today’s world. It allows us to show young people the importance of physical activity in their everyday lives.”
The Play 60 program was brought to Ville Platte through a partnership between the Boys and Girls Club and the Free Masons. The Masons also own and operate Chicota Youth Camp.
As far as Mayor Jennifer Vidrine is concerned, this event will become a yearly event.
“The kids had a ball and learned a lot of information,” said Vidrine. “They were so enthusiastic, but they were exhausted at the end of the day. We are going to try and make this an annual event. Hopefully, this will help us to foster a relationship with the Saints and the Pelicans.”
Vidrine hopes to build on that relationship so that the Boys and Girls Club can enjoy many more activities with the Saints and the Pelicans.
“The future plans are to try and get the club to an actual Saints and Pelicans game,” commented Vidrine. “Also, I am hoping to have the club attend an actual Saints open practice. We are also hoping to get the travel bus with actual players to come during the next off-season. Next year we are hoping to bring in the basketball aspect of it with the Pelicans.”
According to Dianne Johnson, the Boys and Girls Club director, getting the Play 60 program here was a natural tie in to what is being done at the club itself.
“We thought this would be perfectly in line with the activities that go on at the club,” said Johnson. “At the club we have our stations that coincide with the skills that Play 60 addresses; education, goal setting, team building, and fitness. It gave them some good information on watching the things they eat and how to stay active so they can build stronger muscles and stronger bodies.”
When asked about the Play 60 program and the Boys and Girls Club in general, everyone of the kids were ecstatic about the programs and events provided to them.
“This was a great thing,” said Conner Dupre. “We got to do football training like the New Orleans Saints and worked on throwing and jumping. It was so much fun.”
“It was a good day,” added Jordan Lafleur. “We had a lot of fun. I’m a little sweaty and tired, but it was worth it. We got prizes for asking questions right and some souvenirs.”
With the number of kids that participate on a daily basis at the club, activities like these will only serve to enhance its reputation as the place to be.