Jason English, Columbia County athletics manager, said the county's youth sports programs grew about 18% year-over-year, with just over 10,000 registrants in fiscal 2025 and roughly 450 teams expected in the coming fall season.

The growth matters because it is increasing the workload for the county's athletics staff and creating a shortage of volunteer coaches and paid officials, English said. "They're spending a lot of time recruiting volunteer coaches," he said, adding that referees and umpires are paid positions and the department is actively hiring part-time officials.

English said the athletics team includes six full-time staff who manage registration, team formation, uniform and equipment orders, and season planning. The county's leagues run seasonally: fall sports listed for the coming season include baseball, softball, soccer, tackle and flag football, cheerleading and tennis, with a similar calendar repeating in spring except for tackle football. Programs serve participants roughly ages 4 through 18; age ranges vary by sport.

Participation numbers and recent results were highlighted as signs of program strength. English said the county had "just over 10,000 registrants across all sports, programs, summer leagues" in fiscal 2025, and that a fall season would include "over 4,000 people participating." He noted All Stars successes, including an 11-12 softball team that went to a World Series in Atlanta and an 11-12 baseball team preparing to travel to a World Series in Lexington at the end of the month.

Registration and volunteer sign-up are handled through the county website, English said, and callers can reach the athletics office at Patriot's Park. He said each program lists a lead coordinator; registrants can indicate interest in volunteering on the registration form so staff can follow up. English emphasized that recruiting volunteer coaches is a major preseason activity and that paid part-time officials are needed to keep leagues running.

The county did not attach dollar amounts to the athletics budget or specify staffing increases tied to the growth. No formal policy changes or votes were discussed in this recording; the segment focused on program operations, participation trends and recruitment needs.