Around him were local police officers, most of them school resource officers, wearing T-shirts, shorts and sneakers who watched and then got ready to play hours of competitive yet fun kickball in the sun on the meticulously kept East Lycoming Little League complex.

“This is what is needed,” said the 15-year-old sophomore, who was among the many student coaches at what has been since 2019 known as “Kickin’ It With Cops,” a kickball tournament between 7th graders from each school in Lycoming County and local police officers.

“Today the community needs this,” Dalrymple reiterated.

The competitive tournament organized by members of the Lycoming County Health Coalition and Youth Development Task Force was held from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday.

The team from Montgomery cheer as they scored against Muncy during the Kickin’ it with Cops kickball tournament Tuesday morning in Hughesville. The tournament pitted area school districts against each other with the local school resource officers and Pennsylvania State Police who pitched and officiated the games. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“In our school, we have a retired state police officer who is now our school resource officer,” Dalrymple said, adding the community no longer has a borough police department.

He also noted how having the experienced state police veteran at the school campus is important and makes the students and staff feel safer because the officer can be there at a moment’s notice.

Cops as role models and mentors

“We are building positive relationships, bridging the gap between law enforcement and kids,” said Kyle Fera, an officer with Lycoming Regional Police Department and school resource officer at the Jersey Shore Area School District.

For Fera and others, the tournament offered a chance to decompress from the rigors of police work for a few hours, but more than that it gave them a chance to interact with the youngsters and build trust through relationship building.

Hughesville Police officere Andrew Boyer pitches for Hughesville during the Kickin’ it with Cops kickball tournament Tuesday morning in Hughesville. The tournament pitted area school districts against each other with the local school resource officers and Pennsylvania State Police who pitched and officiated the games. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Schools are looking for that type of relationship between students and police, as the districts seek to build safer and more connected environments.

Based on the amount of joyful banter and cheers from each of the players as well as spectators on the bleachers and sidelines watching from the fences, the experience was a positive one.

As for the tournament, it was all friendly fun with each of the games lasting 20 minutes, six innings. Though temperatures reached into the mid-80s, there were plenty of refreshments and food available at the concession area.

The idea of the tournament began in 2019 as a way to bridge gaps between law enforcement and the area’s youth.

It started that year with games at the Little League complex in South Williamsport and was set to become an annual event for students before COVID-19, Fera said, giving credit for the tournament organization to Jodi English, a teacher at Jersey Shore Area School District. Several advisors assist in making it a successful tournament that is between schools from Montgomery, St. John Neumann Regional Academy, Williamsport, Muncy, Montoursville, Jersey Shore, South Williamsport, Hughesville, Loyalsock and umpires with the state police.

The teams wore T-shirts that corresponded with their school colors.

The final game of the day had students from each district team choosing a male and female student to compete against the SROs.

The games are meant to contribute to a long-term positive attitude toward the police, providing the players and coaches with positive role models, mentors and officers who only want what’s best for them.

The initiative between police and the Youth Development Task Force creates a supportive enforcement for the students.

Some of the original players in 2019 are now seniors or older students who have become coaches for the tournament, said Timothy Mahoney, of the county Health Coalition and an advisor.

As a double bonus, besides getting to chat with and play against the cops, some of the players may also realize they have untapped athletic skills that can transfer nicely into other sports.

The tournament teaches teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship — as the players shook each other’s hands when the games concluded.