This year, the National Recreation and Park Association is working to improve sports access for groups and communities that face obstacles.
The organization has started a program called “Get Her in the Game,” dedicated to promoting access to sports for girls.
To learn about the opportunities and obstacles for girls entering sports, NRPA partnered with Nike to conduct a study. The researchers found that girls do not play sports as often or remain involved for as long as boys. Challenges for girls included fewer opportunities, a lack of women in coaching and volunteer roles, a lack of available training for coaching girls, navigating adolescence, competing responsibilities, and a lack of access to equipment and space.
To help, NRPA developed an activation kit including resources to help communities who’d like to increase access to girls in sports. Tools include read-to-use social media assets, ready-made templates for social media posts, email/newsletter content, stickers, temporary tattoos, posters and other items to help promote the message. NRPA also provides tips for creating social media posts to promote girls in sports.
The NRPA also recently awarded 58 grants totaling more than $1.2 million in cash and in-kind support to park and recreation agencies across 25 states and the District of Columbia, for efforts to expand access to high-quality youth sports opportunities. The organization partnered with Musco Lighting, Nike, and ESPN to provide funding meant to help communities remove obstacles, build welcoming programs and create positive sports experiences for young people nationwide.
“Despite the proven benefits of youth sports, access remains uneven for many children and families,” the organization said. “As one of the nation’s largest providers of out-of-school programming, serving more than 50 million youth each year, park and recreation agencies are uniquely positioned to close these gaps and ensure more young people can participate, belong and thrive through sports.”
The grants will help fund new and improved sports infrastructure in seven communities, training for 6,000 coaches, and the implementation of “Get Her in the Game ” in 10 communities.
