More than two decades ago, when my triplet sons were 3 years old, I found myself looking for something that did not exist on the Isle of Palms – an organized recreational sports program for children their age.
At the time, most youth sports programs began around age 5. My boys were active and ready to participate, but there really wasn’t an option for them. While serving on the Isle of Palms City Council and chairing the Recreation Committee, I began working with the recreation department to develop a program specifically for younger children.
That idea became Fast Start.
T.J. Rostin, now recreation director for the Town of Mount Pleasant, was assistant director on Isle of Palms at the time. He remembered being approached about creating a program for children under 5. “After some thought and conversations with a few people, the Fast Start program was born,” Rostin recalled.
Fast Start was designed for 3- and four-year-olds, introducing them to basic sports skills in a fun, noncompetitive environment with heavy involvement from parents and recreation department staff.
Former Isle of Palms Recreation Director Norma Jean Page recounted that the goal went well beyond simply teaching children how to kick or hit a ball. “The program introduced children to sports, which gives them a positive look at physical activity,” Page said. “Even though island children were active, this gave them a structured opportunity that taught teamwork, sharing and learning to take turns.”
Soccer and baseball became the foundation of the program, which adapted the equipment for smaller children. Early soccer used foam balls, while baseball incorporated batting tees, flat bats and softer balls to give children an opportunity to experience success while learning the fundamentals.
Page also remembered that while Fast Start was intentionally designed to be noncompetitive, that didn’t necessarily stop the parents from paying attention to the results. “We didn’t officially keep score, but the parents did,” she joked.
The response to the new program was remarkable.
Karrie Ferrell, who now serves as Isle of Palms recreation director, recalled that Fast Start soccer took off quickly. In 2004, she fielded numerous calls from Mount Pleasant residents eager to enroll their children because Mount Pleasant did not yet offer organized sports for 3- and 4-year-olds. Demand became so strong that Isle of Palms had to prioritize residents of Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island. Eventually, Mount Pleasant recognized the same need and developed its own program for that younger age group.
That remains one of the best measures of Fast Start’s success. What began as an effort to create an opportunity for a handful of young island children demonstrated a much broader demand for age-appropriate recreational sports.
The program has evolved over the years, but its basic concept remains largely unchanged. Parents were originally expected to participate in every activity with their children, and sessions focused almost entirely on skills. Today, teams have leaders or parent volunteers, practices are more organized and children may even finish with an informal scrimmage. Ferrell said one of the great rewards is watching the “organized chaos” of the first practice gradually turn into children learning to kick, hit and catch a ball – and seeing the excitement on their faces when they succeed.
Fast Start has now introduced generations of children to sports, teamwork and a sense of belonging.
This year, the story has come full circle for my family. The 3-year-old triplets who helped inspire the program are now 27, and my 3-year-old granddaughter, Winnie, is participating in Fast Start herself.
More than two decades later, I’m back on the sidelines – only this time, as Ry-Ry.
By Ryan Buckhannon
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