Elyria Youth Sports Club kicks off mentoring program at Saturday celebration

The Elyria Youth Sports Club is launching its mentoring program called "Empowering Youth Beyond the Game" at South Park in Elyria today. The event starts at noon at the South Rec pavilion, 101 South Park Drive, Elyria, with a communitywide celebration to honor the accomplishments of athletes and recognize the contributions of parents, volunteers, and coaches. "We're committed to shaping well-rounded, confident, and community-minded youth," Elyria Youth Sports Club CEO Aric Bowens said in a news release. "This mentoring program, paired with our celebration, reflects our mission to empower young people far beyond sports." The new mentoring program is designed to support youth development on and off the field, with a focus on: • Academic Support and Enrichment: Homework help, tutoring, study skills, and encouraging educational achievement. • Social and Emotional Development: Building self-esteem, emotional intelligence, resilience, conflict resolution, and healthy relationships. • Life Skills: Financial literacy, time management, and decision-making. • Health and Wellness Education: Promoting nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle habits. The Community-Wide Celebration Event will introduce the mentoring initiative while also highlighting the achievements of athletes with awards presentations, athletes' and coaches' reflections, parent volunteer recognition, a program verview, food and fellowship. For more information or to get involved, visit www.elyriayouthsportsclub.com or email elyriayouthsportsclub@gmail.com.