Our mission is to provide quality recreation through expertly coached athletic training and competition for children of all abilities, identities, and financial means. We believe all children should have access to the physical and emotional benefits of healthy training, competition, and sportsmanship. Since 2016, we have supported the ongoing development of the sport by providing valuable volunteer experience to young athletes with aspirations to become coaches in the future. As we have grown, we have also been able to provide experienced coaches with well-paid positions in our club. We are now proud to launch our newest initiative — The Coach Education Scholarship Program — as a way to support the coaches, and in turn the athletes and programs, at the schools who actively support SJTFC as we work to achieve our mission.
It is an unfortunate reality that youth athletic clubs are sometimes seen as operating in opposition to scholastic programs. “Pay-to-play” programs sometimes discourage young athletes from participating in varsity sports. We believe that kids should always play with their school teams first, and we actively encourage this in our club. At the same time, it can be challenging for scholastic coaches to get the professional development required to excel in their roles. Most scholastic coaches are extremely busy teachers and school staff, and funding is often not available to earn certifications. We cannot help with your busy schedules, but we can provide financial support.
We cannot achieve our mission on our own, which is why a central aspect of our mission is to support the entire sport of track and field, and all of the different entities that keep our awesome sport growing and thriving.
Spring 2022 Award
We will award a grant of $210 to a minimum of one middle school, and one high school coach. This is the cost of the USATF Level 1 course, and the award can be applied to a USATF Level 2 course, or a USTFCCCA course.
Eligibility: open to any non-volunteer middle or high school track and field coach in Camden County (preference given to coaches at schools that provide access to facilities or other forms of support)
Deadline to Apply: June 13