According to Jack Beery, Carmel Dads Club president, practices and games for the spring season of Dads Club sports will begin on April 14. Most leagues, Beery said, will conclude in early June. With approximately 5,000 athletes participating in many different sports, including softball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse and rugby, staff members have been busy organizing teams and schedules for the next season.

“It’s a really busy time here at the Dads Club,” Beery said. “We have a lot of work to do with organizing teams and scheduling games and practices and organizing sponsorships. Everyone has been working really hard to get everything done so that the kids can have the best youth sports experience that we can offer.”

Junior Sharmistha Chakrabarti, who has played soccer at the Dads Club since she was three years old, said she is looking forward to the upcoming spring sports season.

“I’ve been looking forward to this,” Chakrabarti

said. “Carmel Dads Club sports is just a really cool experience. It gives you the opportunity to have fun and hang out with friends and stay active at the same time.”

Beery said he agrees that participating in youth sports at the Dads Club gives students the opportunity to socialize and stay active.

“I think there’s a lot of things that students can take away from this experience,” Beery said. “At every level, there’s just the socialization aspect. Being around kids that they go to school with and their teammates is just a great thing for kids socially. It’s things such as teamwork, learning how to be a teammate, relying on other people that just make this a great experience. It all goes back to having fun with your friends and being active and healthy. That’s what youth sports is all about.”