It seems to be a natural for Beth Walker-P’Simer. She enjoyed sports as a youth and she enjoyed working with sports as she grew older.
Now it’s a full-time job for the assistant parks and recreation director for Independence Township, and it’s almost easier to note the programs she has not worked with over the years.
Born and raised in Clarkston, she enjoyed her first job with parks and rec as a senior in high school. She ran the girls basketball program for third and fourth graders and also served as a baseball umpire.
In college, she was a baseball supervisor, then was promoted to director of the baseball program. She started her full-time career in 1998.
‘I played sports in high school, so that’s what I wanted to do,? she said. ‘I wanted to have something to do in sports.?
Along the way she earned a college degree in sports management, and her job now includes a lot of good old administrative work. Her current projects include coordinating various tournaments and special events, ranging from the ‘tuneup tournament? in baseball and the spring soccer program.
‘I do get to go outside,? she said.
Walker-P’Simer also handles regular duties such as coordinating use of school facilities, outdoor recreation fields and publishing the semiannual parks and recreation magazine, which people depend on for information on program schedules and registration.
‘When we’re done with one, we get to start up with the other one,? she said.
While spring is understandably a busy time, she said it really starts getting in busy in January.
‘It takes a long time to prepare for a program, especially the sports programs,? she said, noting tasks such as scheduling of fields and umpires and ordering uniforms.
The biggest challenge is also one of the things she likes.
‘I’m never bored,? she said. ‘One of the things about this job is you have to be good at multitasking. If you’re not organized, that can be a problem.?
She emphasizes that she’s not alone in the task, giving credit to other recreation programmers, clerical staff, maintenance staff, sponsors and volunteers who handle coaching duties.
‘It’s a team effort,? she said.
It’s fast-paced job, and Walker-P’Simer credits her family and her youth experience as part of her motivation.
‘I grew up with it? as the youngest of three children. ‘My parents were always taking me to the games, so I was always around the field.?
She played intramural sports in college and never had a doubt about following the career field.
‘I can’t sit and do one thing,? she said. ‘There’s a ton of variety, and that makes it fun.?
Yes, there is stress at times, and growth in the community has caused some growing pains for Independence Township. The soccer program, for example, had about 500 participants in 1996 and now has about 1,300.
While there’s growth in the number of programs and participants, there are now budget challenges in all governments. (She helps track numbers for the annual budget, as well.)
The local program has cut back on some areas such as capital improvements, but there is long-range concern.
‘It could get to the point where it does affect what we have to offer,? she said. ‘We’ve cut out what we could as far as the little things.?
The benefits of the program to the community include ‘a longer, healthier life? for the participants, she said, and the township program helps make programs more affordable for all.
‘Even though we’re subsidized by taxpayers of the township, I think we provide services that benefit the community,? she said, including events such as the July 4 parade and activities offered free of charge. ‘I don’t think we have enough parks. I think open space is important.?
Walker-P’Simer gets great satisfaction from helping people find fun and fitness through the parks programs, and she especially enjoys watching kids enjoy themselves.
‘It’s supposed to be fun,? she said, and occasionally there are the thank-you notes and well-wishes from the participants and parents. ‘Those kind of things keep you going.?
As active as she is, Walker-P’Simer is forcing herself to slow down a bit as she and her husband are expecting their first child this fall. This summer will be the first she has not played softball, but she has a nephew who plays sports and she plans to be an active spectator.
‘I’ll be able to be a spectator and watch the program for fun,? she said.
To remain as active as possible, she has taken up golf, something she thought she would not do for awhile.
‘I said I would never play golf until I was old and unable to play anything else,? she laughed, ‘but it is something my husband and I can do together.?