For many of us, parenting and volunteering go hand in hand. We volunteer to organize play dates and picnics. We fundraise for our schools. We host special events for kids in our communities.

Volunteering to do things for others feels really good. The bonus for us is that researchers say that our children reap amazing rewards when we, their parents, are involved as they are growing up. So if you’ve been thinking about taking that step toward volunteering in one of your child’s activities, why not consider spring baseball or softball? Spring 2012 baseball and softball sign-ups for kids and volunteers happen on the Peninsula from October through December, on a first come, first served basis. It’s a perfect opportunity to get out and get actively involved with your kids!

Making Memories

Now is your opportunity to make wonderful memories for your kids. Our parents never hesitated to jump in and be the first to sign up for almost every activity my brother, sister and I wanted to join. You could say they led the league in volunteering! Now as an adult thinking back on my early years, I’m glad I had good role models for how and why to get involved. Back then, they didn’t cite all of the research about what kids got out of their parents’ involvement. We can search the Internet now and find millions of articles about volunteering, and why it’s important.

I don’t have to do the research because I know the benefits. I lived it.

America’s favorite pastime has long been my family’s favorite pastime back in western Pennsylvania. Summers were filled with Little League baseball in our hometown. The Little League field was the place to be every night while games were being played under the lights. Weekly practices were held each afternoon in all of the fields around town. Our community was buzzing with baseball, hot dogs and apple pie.

Girls’ softball was coming into its own as part of the community recreation programs. My parents were the first to jump on the softball bandwagon and sign us up. With two daughters of playing age, they were interested to see what was unique about softball and why there was all of the excitement surrounding this sport. My dad volunteered as an assistant coach alongside the local town police officer who signed up as head coach for our new team. My mom planned the snack schedule and carpools with the other moms, driving half of the team to our practices at the elementary school each week. These dads proudly led our teams to many victories and a few defeats over the next five years. We then moved on to play high school softball and my sister even played in college. We made lots of family memories on and around the softball diamond. Softball was a fun and active way for us to spend time together as a family.

More Than Just a Game

Whether or not you can throw a ball or line a field, there is a place for you in the spring softball and baseball programs on the Peninsula—just about every town has its own program, run completely by volunteers. The best part is the volunteers are parents just like you who recognize the value of everyone playing for fun, cooperating with others, exercising and involving your whole family. These are all things that can be gained through participation in baseball and softball.

Now that we have our own family, we got involved early and have been enjoying baseball on the Peninsula ever since. When our son was just four, I was the manager for his whiffle ball team in San Mateo. Since then, I’ve been a Little League Team parent and have seen lots of other parents jump in to volunteer as coaches, assistant coaches and team parents, as well as board and auxiliary members. There are so many opportunities to participate and begin making those family memories together.

Sports help our kids to develop good sportsmanship and positive relationships with peers. They teach commitment to a team and how to participate actively in exercise. These are qualities that will stay with our kids for life, regardless of whether baseball or softball is in their future.

How to Get Started

The good news is you don’t have to be the best softball or baseball player on the Peninsula to be a baseball mom or dad. You only have to sign up to volunteer when you sign up your child and see where your talents take you. There is a place for everyone. You can volunteer to coach or umpire, be a team parent or a board member, help at picture day or provide field help and much more.

As a parent, you are already good at volunteering, so why not add baseball or softball to your volunteer resume? Your children will thank you for it. After all, kids are more likely to be active and involved in life when they observe their role models being active and involved. Start humming the tune, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and get started on your baseball or softball adventure this fall!

Specific sign-up dates are available by regional area. Check the Web to find a baseball or softball program near you by simply typing in your city and Little League for baseball or your city and youth softball.