The document discusses strategies for facilitating youth sports programs, noting that their goals include increasing physical activity, developing life skills, and building skills. It outlines challenges like attracting and retaining participants and doing more with less. The document provides recommendations for defining a program's culture, examples of organized team and individual sports, benefits of different activities, and resources for support.

1. FACILITATING YOUTH SPORTS
PROGRAMS
Laura M. Rice
Henderson County Parks & Recreation Department

2. Youth Sports
 Organized team sports
 Individual sports
 Club sports
 Provided by recreation departments,
private youth sport organizations, for-
profit organizations, non-profits, schools

3. The Goals
Increased wellbeing
 Helping youth in the community
achieve more physical activity
Life skills development
Skill building

4. The Challenges
 Facilitating competitive youth sports
 Attracting new participants
 Retaining participants
 As always...doing more with less!

5. Your challenges?

6. Two Extremes

7. So...
How do we redefine
our approach and
provide sport
activities that engage
and reach youth?

8. The Facts
 One in three children are physically active
each day
 Children spend 7.5+ hours in front of a screen
daily
 28% of Americans are physically inactive
 CDC recommends at least 60 minutes of
physical activity per day for ages 6-17
 4% decline in organized sport participation
between 2008-2012

9. Define the Culture
 What do you want to accomplish?
Increase physical activity?
Build a championship travel team?
Promote the FUN of sports?
Expose children to a wide range of
activities?
Grow non-traditional activities?
Get parents involved?

10. Culture Definitions
 National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS)
Recommendations for Communities
 Established policies and procedures
 National leagues or organizations (Little League, US
Youth Soccer Assoc, SWAC, Cal Ripken, Pop Warner
Football and Cheer, USTA Jr Tennis)

12. Your sports philosophy?

13. Organized Team Sports
 National and State Organizations
 Little League
 SWAC
 Cal Ripkin
 Pop Warner Football and Cheer
 NCYSA & AYSO
 Babe Ruth Softball
 US Lacrosse

14. Recreation Soccer
 North Carolina Youth Soccer Association
sanctioned through local club
 Kindergarten-high school
 Focus on development and FUN
 Feeder for higher levels of play

15. Benefits to Players
 Recreation—Classic levels of play
 Olympic Development Program
 Age-appropriate training
 Emphasis on free play
 Supplemental liability
coverage
 Safe program with coaches
passing background checks

16. Coach Training and Support
 Background Checks
 NCYSA Coaching Curriculum
 Training Plans
 Licenses and Certificates
 Liability Insurance
 Recognition
Mike Ericksen, NC Boys Recreation Coach of the
Year, Region III Coach of the Year, USYS Coach of
the Year 2013

17. Parent Support
 Standards and safe
operating practices
 Liability coverage
 Chain of command
 Information resource
 Set standard of behavior

18. Administrator Training & Support
 Policies and procedures
 Risk management system and standards
 Yearly Soccer Show
 Seasonal regional meetings
 Support staff at state office

19. Ultimately, are the kids having fun, and are
they developing skills and knowledge
about the sport?
Is the culture there to support the
program goals?

20. Individual Participation Sports
Activities that encourage whole-body fitness
 Bike and Skate Parks
 Challenge Races (mud run, color run, Spartan dash)
 Tennis
 Running Programs
 Bike Clubs
 Swimming

21. Benefits of Individual Sports
 Motor skill development
 Mental development
 Physical fitness
 Confidence
 Coping skills
 Independent thinking
 Easily accessible
 Limited equipment

22. Trips for Kids Bike Club
 Use bicycles as a vehicle for lessons in confidence
building, achievement, health, fitness and
environmental awareness through the
development of practical skills and the simple act of
having fun.
 All bikes and helmets are provided
 Programs are typically free or very
low cost
 Local chapter of national organization

23. HCPRD Club
 Taught basic riding skills and
bike safety
 Led two summer sessions with
dept staff and volunteers
 Small groups
 Equipment provided by TFK
WNC
 Trips also led by TFK directly
 School or club based

24. Mountain Bike Races
 Free youth race for 4-10yrs
 USA Cycling sanctioned
 Part of Summer Short Track
mountain bike race series

25.  Increased use of bike skills
park
 Family event
 Required permitting charge
through USAC and
insurance fee per rider
 Provides age-appropriate
competition

26. Girls on the Run
 5K training combined with life lessions
 Partnership program
 Dept provided space
 Coaches, registration, training provided by GOTR
 First year of expanding to parks and recreation
sites

27. USTA 10 and Under
& Junior Tennis
 Instructed by volunteers
and paid staff from local
USTA club
 Modified courts, balls
and racquets
 End of session
tournament
 Registration and
promotion handled by
dept

28. Look outside the box....what activities
or sports can you bring to your
organization that get kids involved?

29. Resources
 North Carolina Youth Soccer Association
 USA Cycling/International Mountain Bike
Association
 Trips for Kids WNC
 Girls on the Run WNC
 United States Tennis Association
 National Alliance of Youth Sports: Certified Youth
Sport Administers
 NRPA CPRP

30. Sources
 CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity
/facts.htm
 President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition:
http://www.fitness.gov/resource-center/facts-and-
statistics/
 Youth Participation Weakens in Basketball,
Football, Baseball, Soccer:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB100014240
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