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Get Out & Play readies for winter season

As winter approaches, the Youth Sports Alliance is preparing for the busiest season of its Get Out & Play program.

The program, which is a partnership with Park City School District elementary schools, Weilenmann School of Discovery, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Park City Ice Arena, Utah Olympic Park, White Pine Touring, Young Riders, the Miner Bouldering Gym and the Youth Sports Alliance, serves students in grades 1-5 by providing affordable opportunities to participate in winter sports.

YSA Executive Director Aimee Preston said there are several options for students this winter season, including the usual alpine skiing, which has been offered through Park City Mountain Resort for more than 30 years.

"In the last nine years, with the Utah Olympic Park coming onboard, we’ve added ski jumping, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and freestyle skiing," she said. "A couple years ago, we added ice skating to the mix. We have kids who learn to skate, figure skate, play hockey and speed skate."

The program takes place on five Fridays — Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Feb. 5 — for PCSD schools and the Park City Day School. It runs on Thursdays — Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, and Feb. 4 — for Weilenmann students.

Preston said the Get Out & Play programs have been very popular in the past, a trend she expects will continue this winter.

"Each year, we’ve helped about 1,000 kids," she said. "About a quarter of those kids are scholarship kids. We have scholarships that, if students qualify, we can help them cover the costs of the program. We provide an affordable option for them to stay active."

Preston said Get Out & Play aims to get Park City children involved in sports they may not otherwise have the means to try, or may not have thought about trying before. She said it’s important to keep kids active and introduce them to activities they can do for years.

"They’re learning sports they can do for the rest of their lives," she said.

Registration for the winter session is open until Dec. 1. Preston said it’s better to sign up as soon as possible.

"We do sell out on some programs," she said. "Kids that want to participate should sign up as soon as they can."

Prices for the different sport programs vary. To register, or for more information on the Get Out & Play program, visit ysaparkcity.org or email Program Director Heather Sims at GOAP@ysaparkcity.org.


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