By LOIS KINDLE
If your kids are into sports and you’re looking for a safe, family oriented place for them to play, N Zone Sports Southshore can provide it.
Owned and operated since 2019 by Riverview residents Nora Greenwall and her husband, Kenneth, the recreational, youth sports organization gives kids the opportunity to play a team sport they love and do so in a safe and supervised environment.
Their three sons are involved in N Zone Southshore. Jacob, 21, is a director. Adam, 16, and Jason, 15, volunteer coach and do anything else mom asks.
“This has always been my husband’s dream, said Greenwall, a former long distance runner and certified personal trainer.
“When he came back from 18 months in the Army, we bought the franchise from Tony its original owner, Tony Westbrook.
We have a lot of fun running these programs. That’s become my main focus now.
“I handle operations, and he’s involved in coaching, which has been part of his lifestyle for so long now,” she continued.
He’s coached at the high school level and has mentored lots of kids.”
N Zone’s volunteer coaches are certified for safety, background checked and must be CPR, first aid and AED certified before ever stepping foot on a field. They’re folks who enjoy working with kids and helping promote N Zone’s responsible, competitive environment.
Although spring league registration is over, registration for six weeks of indoor summer basketball academy opens April 1. Play is for 80 to 90 kids, ages 5 to 13, and it begins June 29 at Calvary Lutheran Church, 1250 College Ave. E, Ruskin. The cost is $100 per child. Multi-child discounts are available.
Fall registration for flag football and soccer opens June 15. The seasonal average is about 40 teams, and they fill up fast. So mark your calendar now to ensure your kids can participate. The average cost for eight weeks of league play is $165 per child. Again, multi-child discounts are available.
Close to 400 kids currently participate in N Zone sports every year. There are three seasons of outdoor play – fall, winter and spring. There are no tryouts or fundraisers, and most teams are co-ed.
N Zone leagues include standings and eliminations, with the top two teams in each age bracket – 5 to 7, 8 to 10 and 11 to 14 – awarded trophies for champion and runner-up. Throughout the season kids are recognized for sportsmanship, teamwork, leadership and effort.
Kids in the 3- and 4-year-old junior “bracket” do not compete. Theirs is a curriculum-based, skills learning program. All who participate get a trophy.
Join N Zone’s email list to get the latest information on its goings on, including upcoming league play. Send an email to nora.greenwall@yahoo.com/.
To learn more about N Zone Southshore, coaching and sign-up, visit its Facebook page or website at https://www.nzonesports.com/southshore or call 813-362-9281.