Press

“More than one hundred local children appeared in KidSports episodes, where our show opening showcased a Delco street filled with kids playing their favorite sport,” says Marilou Regan, co-executive producer and show creator with partner Ken Barbet. 

“With a press release in the local news in the summer of ‘96, we asked any kid who wanted to be in KidSports to fax us a letter telling us about their favorite sport. The fax was buzzing for days, with over a hundred and fifty replies. We invited all of the senders to be in the opening.”

If you were a middle school student in a gym class in Springfield in the late ‘90s, there’s a chance you were on KidSports in the New Games segment. 

“We also cast the high school science teacher in a regular segment on the Science of Sports and we used district classrooms and school grounds. The administrators, parents, and kids were super supportive in helping us make KidSports an exciting educational TV show for kids,” Regan says about finding lots of talent in her own school district. 

Students, teachers, and locations in other Delco districts were also featured in the show, including Rose Tree/Media, Marple Newtown, and Upper Darby. Regan also credits Springfield Township officials and police for their cooperation. “Sometimes we had to close streets for filming or schedule our shoot in a local park. The support was stellar. We were treated like it was a Hollywood production!” Regan remembers. “And each child was treated like a mini film star on every set, with respect and regard.”

While showcasing local kids, KidSports highlights timeless topics regarding the mental and physical health of children, like fitness conditioning, skill enhancement, nutrition, wellness, and the spirit of fair play. 

This homegrown project that landed on the national stage was supported by major league teams and youth organizations, including the NFL, NHL, and the National Council of Youth Sports. The producers leaned heavily on their hometown teams and featured appearances from athletes from the Flyers, Eagles, Reading Phillies, and the Philadelphia Kixx. 

The story-telling approach in KidSports presents skits and vignettes for tweens that address empowerment, self-esteem, and decision-making, as well as childhood challenges, insecurities, and friendships. KidSports aired on the former Comcast SportsNet channels in millions of homes nationally from 1996-1998.

To post the shows on a YouTube channel, the KidSports content had to be transferred into other formats from the VHS tapes that the producers had in storage. Barbet, the show’s director, acknowledges that “the viewing quality is not at the level of today’s High Definition broadcasts. The HD technology wasn’t available then and the show’s transfer was not directly from the master tapes. But the joy, the heart and spirit of the show shines through in every segment and with every participant.” 

Each KidSports show highlights one sport per episode, and key segments include Pro-athlete Tips; Street Games; GoodSport, Lunch Box Tip; KidStories; and KidsQuestions. There are seven episodes on the KidSports YouTube channel, with a few more being added soon. 

“Unfortunately some tapes were lost in a flood with the masters, including the football episode,” Barbet said. “We’re hoping someone taped the show – maybe one of the local participant’s families - and can share a copy. It’s easier to connect now that we have visibility on YouTube.” 

Barbet is hoping the fan-favorite football show surfaces. “That episode featured our own Eagles and had a segment with sports legend Roger Staubach, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. We really had some great experiences with some great athletes,” notes Barbet. “But it was the kids’ participation that really made the show an exceptional experience. They brought infectious enthusiasm and pure joy.”

Regan and Barbet knew they were creating something special. “And some 25 years later the show’s mission to empower children stands up to the test of time,” Regan says. “We wanted to show kids how to have fun and enjoy their childhood while becoming healthier in mind, body, and spirit through participation in sports. 

“Such an essential message is even more important in today’s incredibly complicated world. That’s why we are hoping and preparing for the show’s revival,” notes Regan. “Stay tuned.”