Parks and recreation was not on my radar of professions when I was younger. When I left high school, I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do or what direction I wanted to go when it came to a job or future. Not all those who wander are lost, but wandering can put you at a disadvantage when you suddenly change your career. Luckily for myself and many others, the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) resources can provide solid guidance and direction.

In 1999, I entered the workforce with a GED and no true aspirations. I sacked groceries, worked building maintenance, fried chicken, sold fishing tackle, X-rayed pipelines, helped on the family ranch and worked at RadioShack. Eventually, I settled into owning my own computer repair shop for almost 10 years and started a family.

In a lucky turn of events, I became a founding member of the parks advisory board for my small local community. My grandmother had been on a park advisory board when I was a kid and helped guide the direction of a small lake park in the Texas panhandle. I had attended their board meetings and participated in the events they hosted, so I brought my past experiences to the position. I had no idea that getting involved with the advisory board would give me the direction I had been missing.

I ended up closing my computer business and took a park maintenance position with the local park and recreation department. We worked hard to improve all the parks in the community and figured out better ways to perform maintenance and be more efficient.  A little more than a year later, I moved up to become the maintenance supervisor. Over time, I became more involved with the inner workings of the department and the projects we were working on. I had no formal education for the work I was dabbling in, but I was learning as much as I could through daily experience.

Then, Covid-19 happened and shook everything up. I found myself in the director’s seat of the department, and I needed resources to fully prepare myself for my new role. Where in the world could I find information specifically about my job? That is where NRPA came in.

The resources that NRPA membership offers have been invaluable. I was able to immediately dig into the study guides for training and certifications. I could use CAPRA standards to help guide the department in a new direction. I could attend webinars on subjects that had no firsthand experience with. I could attend online informational meetings and breakout sessions with other people. I was safe to ask the newcomer questions without judgment. I have been able to network with many people from numerous backgrounds and work histories. I’ve met so many members who are genuinely interested in my advancement and growth — not just in my career, but in my life. NRPA has provided everything I need to reinforce my newfound passion for public service and parks and recreation.

I went from mowing the parks to being a small-town parks director in only a few years. In my interactions with other professionals, I learned that my story is not that rare. In my experience, many people come into parks and recreation from a wide variety of other, sometimes unrelated, professions as I did. NRPA has programs for young professionals and people who went to college for the field, but NRPA also gives newcomers an instant resource to become knowledgeable and certified. It also enables us to pass this information on to our staff members and peers at an attractive price point. Now, if I’m interviewing someone for a position with no experience, I do not worry.  I know I can give newcomers everything they need to start their careers confidently.

As the saying goes: I don’t know what I don’t know that I don’t know. I always keep a copy of Management of Park and Recreation Agencies within reach. There is so much information to learn.  There are so many different fields of study in parks and recreation that I do not have experience with. Yet, I am comforted by the large assortment of resources, training opportunities and the great people who make up NRPA. In my experience, they have a great way of saying “Newcomers Welcome.”

John Blue (he/him) is the director of parks and recreation for City of Purcell, Oklahoma.