Not many people can call themselves parent of the year, but Kimberly Atnip can.
Atnip, a widowed mother of three very athletic boys, was recently honored as the 2014 Parent of the Year from the Parents Association for Youth Sports. The award, one that she said both humbled and honored her, sought to recognize her hard work and volunteer spirit as she continues to help her sons with their athletic interests.
Atnip was nominated for the award by Angie Toebben, recreation program supervisor for the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, as well as other parents and volunteers. According to a release from the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Atnip was "praised for being selfless when it comes to stepping up to the plate and noted that she's always the first to sign up when help is needed."
Atnip said the award was a complete surprise to her, joking that perhaps there was no competition for the award. She said her sons were very excited for her, adding that though they're young, they realize the time and effort she puts in to their activities.
Though she was once a bit of an athlete herself, Atnip's three sons - Nolan, 13; Justin, 8; Michael, 6 - are involved in nearly every sport possible and Atnip said that really came more from their father.
"My husband was a huge athlete," Atnip said. "So he just kind of passed that one to them."
Atnip lost her husband in May 2013 to a very rare form of bone cancer. The two were high school sweethearts, Atnip said, and were together since she was 15.
Between her three children, Atnip is involved in basketball, football, baseball and golf, both through their schools and through Parks and Recreation programs. Throughout the past year, Atnip said she has felt the added stress of trying to get her boys where they need to be with everything they need, all without her partner.
"It's incredibly time consuming. It's overwhelming at times," Atnip said. "But I see the joy that it gives them and I know that it's also an outlet for them and for their heartache."
She said it was important to have her sons continue with the activities they love after losing their father.
"A lot of people, I think, thought that I was crazy when I kept the boys in all the sports that they wanted to do ... thinking that it was too much on my plate," Atnip said. "My kids gave up enough when my husband passed away and I wasn't going to make them give up anything that they love."
"It's something that my husband loved and he passed that passion on to them. I don't want to take that away from them."
Atnip said she's had to learn to limit her advanced planning, because it can be so overwhelming.
Instead, she said she tries not to stress out too much about the scheduling and take it on a day-to-day basis.
Plus, she said, she's able to rely on friends who are more like family and who she knows will help when needed.
"Without them, my kids could not do it," Atnip said. "They help me tremendously."
She said she loves watching her boys play and getting to see so much of their father in them. And she finds having her sons involved in sports has helped build character and teach them about responsibility and team work.
"I think it gives you a lot of life lessons," Atnip said.