About Knox Youth Sports

Knox Youth Sports is a non-profit organization in Knoxville, Tenn. that has been organizing and administering recreational youth sports programs since 1956. Today, KYS participants range in age from four to 14. Our leagues play at Lakeshore Park, Sequoyah Park, and in gyms around west Knoxville. KYS has some 600 girls and boys in winter basketball, 1,200 in spring baseball, softball, lacrosse, and basketball, and more than 500 in fall baseball, softball, flag football, lacrosse, and basketball. In addition to these rec programs, KYS also hosts a number of baseball and basketball tournaments, plus sports camps, each year.

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In the past several years, we’ve added a number of new programs that allowed more children from around the entire city to play more sports than ever in our history. Here's a recap of them.

1) We started our middle school baseball program with 6 teams. Each spring, 18-20 middle-school baseball teams will be playing, making this league the largest league in any sport at any time of year at KYS.

2) Each year we send a team of 12-year-old baseball players to participate in a tournament of 100 teams in Cooperstown, N.Y.

3) Our lacrosse program, held each spring and fall, was started a couple years ago and players age 9 to 14 have really taken to this sport, which is relatively new to Knoxville.

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Challenger Sports
Challenger sports is an important part of KYS. The Challenger baseball program was organized in April 1997. It began with 4 teams and about 30 special needs children. Since that time the league has expanded to 8 teams (4 for younger children and 4 for older players) with a roster of 80-100 children per year.

There is no charge to youngsters with special needs and is funded mainly through community support and contributions. KYS has been instrumental in keeping this program going by allowing the Challenger program to use their playing fields. The Challenger program is a recreational opportunity for all children with special needs. Each child receives a hat, t-shirt and also a trophy at the end of the year cookout. Challenger programs also provide an excellent network for parents to exchange information and ideas.

The Challenger organization has expanded to include golf in the summer, bowling in the fall, and basketball in the winter. These programs help keep children active and involved throughout the year. For more information, contact Nic Arning at 637-1403 or nicholasarning@birch.net.

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Inner City Sports
Offering team sports to inner city children in partnership with a youth ministry in Lonsdale is an important part of KYS. The program has had a a positive effect on KYS players and coaches as well as children from SOAR.

SOAR children often fall victim to emotional abandonment of adults, the lack of opportunities which leads them to give up hope of improving their situation, and “phenomenal trauma and chaos” of everyday living. Most Lonsdale children receive only a fraction of the support while growing up that more fortunate children receive. It's not academic or athletic ability that holds such children back but it's their environment.

1) They don't eat enough nutritional meals.

2) They're from unstable single-parent homes.

3) They're subjected to traumatic stress resulting from neighborhood violence.

4) They're lacking in structured leisure-time activities.

5) They have far too few positive role models.

KYS has supported SOAR for many seasons because their participation in our team sports programs allow SOAR children to improve their self-image, build their confidence, and learn what it means to play on a team.

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ANNUAL KYS FUNDRAISER AUCTION
Every year, Knox Youth Sports holds an annual fundraising auction to benefit the organization. Thanks to the generous donations from area businesses and individuals, Knox Youth Sports is able to raise money that helps keep the organization alive and well. In addition to ticket sales and auctioned items, Knox Youth Sports accepts donations online and by mail. If you would like to learn more about any of our philanthropic opportunities, or if you would like to donate a product or service to our annual auction, please contact us.

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