Project Play
Dates of Project: March 2012 to June 2015
Description: The Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society program created Project Play to ensure that all children can participate in sports and develop health and fitness habits that last into adulthood. The project focuses on community sports rather than school sports, and the needs of children through age 12—especially those in underserved groups and communities.
“The goal is to create ‘sport for all, play for life’ communities where sports are accessible to all, not just kids who are good at it or kids in upper-income homes that can afford it.”—Tom Farrey, Director, Project Play
Key Results
Sports & Society staff convened a kick-off summit in 2013 to explore barriers to universal participation in youth sports, and create a model for physical activity that reaches all children and communities. Some 80 leaders from sports, health care, academia, government, business, and philanthropy attended.
Summit participants came to consensus on core principles for a culture of sport that welcomes all children.
Project Play adopted “participation” as the cross-cutting rationale for its work: focusing on children who are being left behind.
Key organizations in sports and health are supporting Project Play, and some are revising their policies to encourage wider participation in youth sports.
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Related
- Reducing Traumatic Brain Injuries in Youth Sports May 16, 2013
- The Impact of Competitive Youth Sports on Children October 25, 2013
- Reducing Traumatic Youth Sports Injuries: Q&A with Hosea Harvey May 23, 2013
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Announces Finalists for 2014 Steve Patterson Award for Excellence in Sports Philanthropy May 21, 2014
- About this grant
#ProjectPlay sees a #cultureofhealth where all children participate in youth sports; develop healthy habits