Mission Statement
Simply Sports is a non-profit organization wholly dedicated to providing Manhattan youth with supervised, fundamental learning experiences in an athletic setting. The mission of Simply Sports is to: (i) teach children skills in a variety of sports (basketball, baseball and soccer) through clinics, leagues and competitions, while also facilitating character and sportsmanship development; (ii) promote, encourage and improve the standard of recreational and amateur sports in Manhattan; (iii) foster the values of integrity, fair play, teamwork, mutual respect and the pursuit of excellence through hard work; (iv) develop confidence, concentration, discipline and physical fitness and (v) promote fun and enjoyment for every participant. Simply Sports always focuses on the positive, fun aspects of learning, enabling each child to enjoy the instruction and develop both their aptitude and self-confidence.
Our goal is to support and engage emerging athletes to be successful both on and off the playing field. At Simply Sports, games are taken seriously, but participation, effort and good sportsmanship are emphasized over and above winning. Participants discover the importance of respecting one another and their coaches. Above all, Simply Sports makes playing sports fun.
Simply Sports Coaching Principles
1. Teach “FUN”damental skills in a variety of sports for success.
2. Provide positive reinforcement based on effort rather than results
3. Build confidence and self-esteem.
4. Offer individualized attention.
5. Provide every child with equal opportunity to play and learn, regardless of their skill levels.
6. Teach acceptance of errors.
7. Promote respect for coaches and friendship with teammates and opponents alike.
8. Make it fun so the children develop a love for the game.
Jeffery Bernstein
Dear Parents:
Since 2006, it has been a rewarding journey providing boys and girls with the opoprtunity to experiene the magic of sports. My goal of making every child a competent athlete who feels confident to particpate in a variety of sports has created thousands of positive results. It is my pleasure to confidently continue to provide an athletic program for children that is built on a highly quality infrastructure that includes top-level professionals, distinguished coaches and superior instruction.
We are committed to creating programs that are age appropriate, safe and fun for all children. We firmly believe that a child must develop a love for the game first, and that learning skills and techniques follows second. We also believe that it is vital for every child to experience success to build confidence and self-esteem. Our philosophy is to capitalize on teachable moments because there are many situations that are hard to simulate in a practice or a clinic. During an activity, our coaches may pause to demonstrate a point or tactic using the events that have transpired in the activity. For example, during a flag-football game, a child may run a pass route incorrectly. When that happens, our coaches will bring it to the children’s attention and teach the proper method to run a route. Drawing on actual situations that arise during a game provides a tangible method to teach skills so that children can effectively tackle the situation should it arise again. By utilizing this approach, we engage the children, eliminate idle standing around time that often follows other teaching methods and help children learn without requiring them to figure out how to apply a formal lesson to a real game situation.
We strive to draw out positive life lessons from competitive experiences including learning to work as a team, playing fairly, treating others with respect, accepting defeat graciously and trying one’s hardest. At Simply Sports, games are taken seriously, but participation, fun, effort and good sportsmanship are emphasized over and above winning.
Best regards,
Jeffrey Bernstein, Director