Goals

The IAO founders have these long-term goals for this year-around program:

1. Unite our community by our children learning new, fun ways to enjoy recreation together.
2. For health, provide active alternatives to television after school and during the summer.
3. Teach children, through good role models, teamwork, community service and the joy of learning.
4. Give children who love specific activities, a year-around opportunity to improve with caring coaches.
5. Teach our children about the variety of activities that they can enjoy because they live at Lake Tahoe.

• Incline After-School Organization (aka IAO and Incline Athletics) is a non-profit organization tax exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
• IAO Board of Directors
  • Wayne McClelland, President/Treasurer
  • Chris Laramore, Executive Director/Secretary
  • Michael Goldberg

History of IAO

Incline Athletic Organization (IAO) was started in January 2004 to deposit the donation checks given by the local community to help three soccer teams of girls and boys play year-around soccer. The teams were made up of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders who wanted to play competitive soccer. Qualified coaches, with several years’ experience, who are also fathers to some of the players, coach the teams. The local principal provided the elementary school multi-purpose room while snow was on the local soccer fields so practice continued through the winter, right after school. The majority of players on two of three teams come from less privileged homes and the only way to keep the kids playing as teams was to find donations. The local community willingly gave just what was needed. This season ended recently and these children were the most improved in their league and age groups. The improvement in attitude and skill was remarkable. Two of the three teams won "Most Sportsmanship" awards.

The response to this "after-school" activity, by the students, their teachers and parents, in the positive attitude these kids began to show, led to two questions. If more activities are offered will more children get involved in athletic and recreational activities after school? Could the positive results of three teams be scaled to include the entire student community? We learned from the students who played soccer that they watched several hours of TV after school each day they didn't have soccer practice.

To answer the questions, a survey was conducted of 100% of the students in grades 3rd through 8th, attending public school, in Incline Village, NV. The survey asked students which activities they would embrace after-school and in the summer. This led to a focused effort, by IAO to provide some of those activities including competitive soccer, kayaking, hiking and mountain biking. By using the results of the survey, IAO has a chance of providing activities that will be embraced by the majority of students. In the future, IAO will add activities that will encourage 100% of the students kindergarten through 12th grade, to participate in some after-school athletics or recreation. Students will not only gain appreciation for working as a team, embracing daily, physical-activity and learning new ways to enjoy the Sierra, but will also learn environmental responsibility and about the natural beauty that exists near their home.

IAO will not duplicate other community efforts, but will focus on activities that are either not provided at the right times or at a low enough cost to reach the whole community, or are not provided during important summer and after-school times. Classes will be taught by qualified coaches starting at 3:30 PM and ending at 6:30 PM every weekday during the school year (with exceptions as the local schools require). Students will learn, practice and play a variety of activities. Some students will form competitive teams. IAO will strive to find needed resources for all the students, kindergarten through 12th grade, to enjoy these activities daily, regardless of the student’s economic resources.