All About the

Recommendations

For Communities

Kate Dilworth

History

Today

Audience

Recommendations Parts I, II, and III

Supporting Content

Website Resources

NAYS Update

All About the Recommendations For

Communities

History

In July 2000 at a

suburban Boston

ice rink, a man

beat another

father to death

during their sons'

youth hockey

practice arguing

over rough play

History

National Summit on Raising Community

Standards in Children’s Sports (2001)

Recreation professionals from 34 states

across the country gathered in Chicago,

Illinois to examine the widespread problems

affecting organized sports and to devise

usable guidelines that can be implemented

in any community.

History

As a consensus of the

contributions from the

National Summit on Raising

Community Standards in

Children’s Sports, NAYS

released the original

Recommendations for

Communities document in

2002.

Today…

Today

Increase of YSOs, inconsistency in

management techniques of volunteer

organizations, as well as a perceived lack

of control over public facilities from the

recreation standpoint

Today Prevalence of YSOs

88% of public entities have volunteer youth sports organizations (YSOs) utilizing public facilities.

Inconsistency

“Some park districts and leagues have instituted

mandatory pre-season education sessions to lay out guidelines for appropriate conduct.”

Lack of control (or perhaps lack of intestinal fortitude):

“We don’t have any say so over the youth sports, a private group is responsible.”

“Oh we just give them the facility permit and they do

whatever they want.”

Give me a break!

Updated Recommendations for Communities

resource deemed necessary

70% of recreation professionals agree public

entities are responsible for the actions of

YSOs using their facilities.

Don’t ever forget who youth

sports programs are for…

Your Responsibility

Audience

Community officials and recreation

leaders.

Those who have the ability to impact public

regulations regarding youth sports program and

facilities

Any concerned citizen

"A small spark can start a great fire."

~Emmet Fox

Recommendations

Part 1 – Adopt a community

philosophy that makes youth

sports safe and positive for

children.

Part 2 – Appoint a professional

youth sports administrator to

ensure adherence to the

philosophy.

Part 3 – Hold everyone

associated with community

youth sports accountable for

their behavior.

Remember these are a

compilation of input from

youth sports and

recreation professionals

throughout the country.

An overview of children’s

sports in this country and

the purpose of youth

sports

A look at how

community youth sports

is commonly structured

Supporting Content

Supporting Content The valuable role sports

play in a child’s physical and psychological

development

Specific problems and

issues affecting youth

sports and the primary

factors behind these

problems

Steps that can be taken to

change the culture of

children’s sports.

Website

www.nays.org/recommendations-for-

communities

Download (Full Document or Executive

Summary)

Share

Supplemental Materials

Add your signature of support

NAYS National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) is a non-

profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1981 as National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA), a training and membership program for the dads and moms coaching their kid's sports teams.

NAYS offers programs and services for everyone involved in youth sports, including professional administrators, volunteer administrators, coaches, officials, parents, and young athletes. NAYS strives to make playing sports fun, safe, and positive for all kids.

NAYS Update

Sports Parent Pledge

Bullying Prevention Training for Coaches

and Parents

Concussion Training for Coaches and

Parents

New National Youth Sports Officials

Association Training Video

www.nays.org

kdilworth@nays.org

1-800-688-5437

Go to

www.nays.org/recommendations-for-communities

& add your signature

of support!

Thank you for all you do for the children

in your community!