Ashburn, VA, March 24, 2025 (Globe Newswire) – The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the leading advocate of the country for park and recreation, catalyzes the power of parks and relaxation to ensure that more young people have access to high -quality sports experiences. All over the country, parking and recreational agencies offer youth sports programs that offer far-reaching advantages over physical activity. These programs promote physical and mental health, build trust and promote sensible connections. Through the youth sports in parks and recreational initiative and partnerships with industry leaders such as ESPN, Musco Lighting, Nike and the Susan Crown Exchange, the NRPA expand for all high -quality sports facilities.
The possibilities of participating in youth sports are not always the same and access can be limited for many. As one of the largest providers of extra -curricular programs who look after more than 40 million young people annually, parks and relaxation are well positioned to expand the opportunities in sport.
In order to support these efforts, the NRPA recently granted grants of almost $ 1 million up to 68 agencies in 33 states to change the youth sports landscape. These grants offer funds and training to implement strategies from the new youth sports framework of the NRPA, which describes important ways to increase access to sport for everyone.
Find out more about youth sports in parks and relaxation grants that were awarded to agencies on the following links:
NRPA from Musco Lighting offers six local parking and leisure activities to increase the possibilities for physical activity that are inclusive for everyone for all youth in sports. Agencies receive $ 20,000 to implement system-change strategies as well as a factual donation of the Musco lighting infrastructure such as lighting or a mini-place worth $ 100,000. Read more about the awards here.
The million coaches Challenge developed by the Susan Crown Exchange offers young people in parks and relaxation at no cost -person training, so that employees and volunteers have the skills to support positive youth development. Trainers who are trained in youth development have been proven to improve sports experience, which leads to increased participation. Training partners include the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, Nike in cooperation with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the positive coaching Alliance and the United States Soccer Foundation. ESPN has also contributed to increasing the effects of this subsidy program through its youth sports initiative Nake Back Sport. The NRPA 52 agencies supports the investment of Susan Crown Exchange and ESPN. Read more about the awards here.
Nike operated by Nike supports 10 organizations to test activities and to pilots that increase access to sports for girls. The participating organizations receive $ 20,000 to implement system-change strategies and take part in an NRPA-led practice community that offers educational and networking opportunities that concentrate on increasing access to sports, especially for girls. In addition to the increasing participation of girls in programs, the community of practice will also promote strategies together to increase the representation of trainers. Read more about the awards here.
In January 2025, the NRPA started a new strategy plan that will lead the work to 2029 in the next five years. These grants promote the goals within the plan and the nuclear sports goals from NRPA:
- Develop, distribute and primarily the youth sports frames from NRPA to achieve A by 2029 to achieve A 10 percent increase in the most important youth sports strategies Reduce barriers and expand the reach and effects of youth sports programs in parks and relaxation.
- By 2029, Offer 150 agencies direct support from financing and training and train 45,000 trainers Improvement of the results in understream communities through the power of sport.
- Increase the percentage of Young people who take part in organized youth sports in parks and relaxation and are involved in 10 percent nationally organized youth sports opportunities.
Further information on the youth sports initiative of NRPA, Click here.
For more information about NRPA, Visit nrpa.org.
For more information on the strategic plan, Click here.
About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading non -profit organization, which is devoted to the structure of strong, lively and resilient communities through the power of parks and relaxation. With more than 60,000 members, the NRPA promotes this mission by investing in the work of parking and leisure experts and providers and using catalysts for a positive change in the service of equity, climate speech as well as general health and well-being. You can find more information under Viewing nrpa.org. For digital access to the flagship publication of NRPA ,, Parks & relaxationvisit ParksandRecreation.org.
Danielle Doll National Recreation and Park Association 571-223-2420 ddoll@nrpa.org