At NRPA, we believe all children deserve open and fair access to high-quality youth sports opportunities.  Research shows that when children play sports, they increase their chances to grow up healthy, feel good about themselves, build friendships, develop skills like teamwork and respect, and are more likely to succeed in school and in their future careers. Local park and recreation agencies reach more than 40 million youth each year, with the majority of agencies (more than 92 percent) providing youth with opportunities to play sports. To ensure all kids have the opportunity for sports and play, NRPA is working with park and recreation professionals and our partners to revitalize park and recreation sports and advance systems change approaches that increase access to quality youth sports for all. Specifically, NRPA is focused on the following objectives:

  • By 2029, develop, disseminate and advance NRPA’s Youth Sports Framework to achieve a 10 percent increase in key youth sports strategies to reduce obstacles and expand the reach and impact of youth sports programs in parks and recreation.
  • By 2029, provide direct support through funding and training to more than 150 agencies and train 45,000 coaches to improve outcomes in under-resourced communities through the power of sports.
  • By 2029, increase the percentage of youth participating in and benefiting from organized youth sports opportunities in parks and recreation by 10 percent nationally.

Youth Sports Framework

As one of the largest providers of youth sports in the nation and the leading provider of youth sports facilities, park and recreation professionals are catalysts for increasing access to youth sports in communities nationwide, offering affordable, fun, welcoming and multisport options that level the playing field and promote positive youth development. NRPA developed the Youth Sports Framework to support professionals to increase access to sports for all youth. The framework guides agencies through five key pathways and outlines systems change approaches that park and recreation professionals can implement within each pathway to reduce obstacles to sports for youth, increase participation, improve the quality of programming and ensure all kids can play. The Youth Sports Framework was made possible with support from Musco Lighting.

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Youth Sports in Parks and Recreation Report 

To better understand gaps and opportunities for increasing access to youth sports through parks and recreation, NRPA partnered with Nike to launch the Youth Sports in Parks and Recreation Survey in October 2024. This report includes findings from the survey, along with insights into the current state of youth sports delivery through parks and recreation and reflections on the potential for advancing strategies that level the playing field and promote positive youth development.

View the Report

Partnerships to Support Youth Sports

NRPA collaborates with leading youth sports organizations and philanthropic supporters to increase access to youth sports. Together, we work to leverage the power of local parks and recreation to ensure all youth can play sports in their communities. Explore our current grant programs and how they are supporting park and recreation agencies across the country.

 

Communications Toolkit: Attracting Families to Your Youth Sports Programs

Park and recreation professionals build important relationships with parents, caregivers and families in their communities to work toward a world in which every child can access park and recreation sponsored sports programs. To raise awareness about the benefits of these programs, NRPA has developed a communications toolkit, in partnership with The Walt Disney Company, to help park and recreation professionals make connections and encourage participation in park and recreation youth sports programs. This toolkit provides data-backed messaging, sample social media posts, template graphics and more.

 Download the Toolkit

Boosting Youth Sports Registration at Your Agency

In addition to the toolkit above, NRPA has developed a suite of new resources to showcase all the reasons park and recreation youth sports are a great option for kids. Easily shareable with families in your community, these resources include:

  • An interactive website that demonstrates the benefits of park and recreation youth sports
  • A downloadable conversation guide for families to connect with their child about which sports they might like to play

Visit the site

NRPA developed these resources to support agencies in increasing engagement with youth sports offerings. Use our sample social media posts to share them with families in your community today!

Download Sample Posts
 

 

Partnership Opportunities

To learn more about NRPA’s youth sports initiatives and how we can work together to increase access to youth sports for all, contact NRPA Senior Program Manager Teresa Morrissey at tmorrissey@nrpa.org.

 

 

 

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