For more than 50 years the Leprechauns Sports Association has brought a winning tradition to the young and budding athletes of the River Wards. John “Herbie” Smith founded the non-profit community sports organization in 1961 at the old Ancients of Hyberians Div. 87 hall. Smith and a group of members began floating around the idea of bringing football back to the neighborhood during a time when football’s popularity seemed to be dwindling in the area. The club didn’t have much equipment back then, just one well-worn football. But what the association did have was an identity— when Smith asked thirty ninety-pounders, “Do you know what your name is?” before the team’s inaugural season over half-century ago, they responded in thunderous uniformity: “Yeah! The Leprechauns!”

Today, the Leprechauns Sports Association provides the boys and girls of Port Richmond and the surrounding communities a place to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and respect through sports. Toddlers through those in high school participate in football, baseball, basketball, softball, t-ball and cheerleading year round, competing against other clubs in the city. The organization celebrates its rich history and has developed a name and tradition in the neighborhood, thanks to some families boasting several generations of Leprechaun players.

“We’re all about tradition and, as you can see, our motto is, “Pride and Tradition since 1961,” Frank Reinhardt, President of the Leprechauns Sports Association, said.

Reinhardt, who was just recently promoted from vice president to president, is spearheading new efforts to strengthen the organization along with a newly elected Executive Board. The board is made up of Reinhardt, Cathy Dugan, Desiree Probst,

Kathy Kehoe, Cathy Ryley Hornung, Bill and Lisa Stahl and Dan O’Brien, all of whom have been involved in either coaching or volunteering with the Leprechauns for years. The Executive Board is responsible for the Leprechaun Sports Association’s finances and makes the final decisions on the direction of programs, fundraising, competition and coaching.

“We want to be the neighborhood’s [sports] organization,” Reinhardt said. “I feel like we were that in the past and we are trying to reestablish that. We are taking things in different directions.”

The Leprechaun’s Executive Board is emphasizing an increased effort to be transparent with the community as far as bookkeeping and finances go. They also want to engage in deeper conversations with the neighborhood and parents in order to increase support and volunteer turnout.

“We want the people, the parents and the neighborhood to know that if there’s any question about what we are trying to do sports-wise or financially, we are open,” Reinhardt said. “We hear their complaints, we know what type of club they want, we know the type of environment they want for their kids. It’s just that we need more help from them to get that.”

The Board’s first priority is to repair and renovate the clubhouse, which is worn from age. This includes painting, roofing, drywalling and general maintenance. Ultimately, the Board would like for the clubhouse to be a safe and comfortable place where children want to come to hang out or study after school.

“We have bills we need to pay like any other organization, we have repairs to the clubhouse that need to happen,” Reinhardt said. “We could always use a helping hand— any carpenters out there, painters, roofers, anybody who would like to come and give us a hand are welcome to come in.”

The Board is also encouraging parents to volunteer and create a booster club, which is an organization formed to support an associated club. Generally, booster clubs are run and organized by the parents of club participants. A booster club is not a social club—its main purpose is to develop support for the youth program and raise funds and public support. Through the efforts of a booster club, the Executive Board hopes to raise funds to help recondition the clubhouse, purchase equipment and help lower registration costs.

“[As a parent] you have an investment [in your child]. You want a place where your child can play safely, learn the proper way to play a sport and have fun. But we need some help,” Reinhardt said. “It all goes back to that old saying of, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ I think that a lot of us believe in that. We want all these kids to succeed as much as our own and want them to have everything they need to do so. Team sports teach them how to be good citizens.”

“It teaches them respect— disrespect is something we don’t tolerate from our kids,” Lisa Stahl, Treasurer of the Leprechauns Sports Association, said. “Whereas they might not necessarily have discipline at home or school, when they come onto the field, they are to talk to adults in a certain way and there’s a certain behavior we expect. You can see they change a lot of the time from the beginning of the season to the end. It’s very important for them to have somebody by their side and supporting them and cheering them on when they might not have that off the field.”

She added:

“We also have a lot of kids coming in who might not be getting enough physical activity. We don’t do tryouts and every kid plays. That participation is important because if not, some of these kids would just be at home on the couch playing video games. Now they are on the football field four days a week, two hours a day, doing laps and working out. It’s good for their physical health.”

“It shows that hard work pays off,” Bill Stahl, Sergeant at Arms for the Leprechauns, said. “Nothing shows that better than when you win in a football game. It’s 22 kids coming together as a team and showing that all that handwork throughout the week paid off.”

While developing all of these positive traits through sports, children are also succeeding at the most important aspect of athletic competition: having fun and developing self-confidence.

“It’s that pride when [a child is] coming in after hitting the home run, shooting the game winning shot, getting the high five,” Cathy Dugan, Leprechaun’s Trustee, said. “That’s what it’s about— the smiles, the laughs and knowing that I accomplished something. I’m proud of myself, I did it.”

“The kids will have memories from this,” Reinhardt said. “They’ll look back on their childhood and say, ‘my life was pretty good when I played for the Leprechauns— I had great role models and great people in my life who cared, because we all do, we all care and we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t.’”

Moving forward, the Leprechauns Sports Association looks to build on its history and tradition with the next generation of Leprechaun athletes and put the pieces in motion to ensure that youth sports exist in Port Richmond for years to come.

“We just want to reestablish that support. Come in, meet us, talk to us. If you have any questions, we are willing to answer them. If anyone wants to come in and help, our arms are open—we are a family here and we want to establish that first and foremost. We are here, we are working hard and we are not going anywhere.”

You can get involved with the Leprechauns Sports Association— reach out to them through their Facebook page. The Executive Board also encourages all neighbors to stop by their monthly meeting on the first Sunday of the month at 9AM at the clubhouse. ou can get involved with the Leprechauns Sports Association— reach out to them through their Facebook page. The Executive Board also encourages all neighbors to stop by their monthly meeting on the first Sunday of the month at 9AM at the clubhouse. Leprechaun Sports Association is having their annual coin drop this Fri., July 18th starting at 6 pm, so be on the lookout. The football players, cheerleader, and coaches will be walking around the neighborhood knocking on doors collecting money for the club and wearing green t-shirts or their uniforms, and carrying helmets.

Leprechaun Sports Association will be teaming up again with The Fresh Works with a fundraiser on Fri., July 25th from 5-9 pm. Eat in, take out, or deliveries. Just mentions the Leprechauns, and they will receive a portion of all sales. The Fresh Works is located on 2634 Belgrade St (19125) to place an order 215-423-6900. For more information call Leprechauns at 215-423-6309.

The Leprechauns are also hosting their 1st Annual Cow Chip Bingo and Family Fun Day on Sun., August 24 at noon. The event will be held at the Ukraine Club (847 Franklin St.) and tickets are $20 each. The event will feature food, games, prizes, raffles, a DJ and more. Only 1,000 blocks will be sold so reserve your plot for a chance to win up to $10,000.