December 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 46

CONFERENCE
2023
ANNUAL
* Class
II
(population
Plano, Texas
* Class III (population 75,001150,000):
Champaign Park District,
Champaign, Illinois
(population
* Class
IV
* Class V (population less than
30,000): Cullman Parks, Recreation
and Sports Tourism, Cullman,
Alabama
* Armed Forces Recreation: Naval
Air Facility Atsugi, Kanagawa,
Japan
* State Parks: Texas State Parks,
Austin, Texas
Stratton congratulated the winners
and introduced tennis legend
Billie Jean King, who shared a
special video message with attendees.
" The park and recreation profession's
commitment to building
vibrant communities and health
and well-being is more critical than
ever, " said King. " As you embark
on your activities today, remember
the vision and purpose that brings
us together. It is a vision of inclusivity
where parks and recreation
serve as equalizers bridging gaps in
society and bringing people of all
backgrounds and abilities together. "
Aguirre addressed
attendees
and remarked on the power and
breadth of the conference before
introducing keynote speaker Katrina
Adams. " One thing
that's
clear as I go around this gigantic
conference center is that the power
of parks and recreation is real..., "
he said. Aguirre welcomed Adams
to the stage and shared that she is
the first African American to lead
the United States Tennis Association,
the first two-term chairman
and president, and the first former
player to hold that honor.
Adams shared her story of growing
up in Chicago's West Side and
playing a variety of sports in her
local parks. There, she developed
athletic skills that would support
her professional tennis career years
later. " This is what the parks offer
to communities - opportunities for
kids to be active and develop and
own their athletic skills at an early
age, " Adams said. What's more,
she found a powerful mentor in her
coach once she discovered her interest
in tennis. Adams emphasized
the importance of youth sports in
developing important
life,
social
and emotional skills, like discipline,
time management, and handling
both wins and losses. She praised
park and recreation professionals
for diligently serving their communities
and facilitating youth sports.
" The work you are doing in your
local communities - it is so important.
If you didn't do what you
do, serving your local community
in rec centers and parks, I probably
wouldn't be standing here today. "
The session wrapped up with
an informative and wide-ranging
panel discussion, titled " The Ball
Is in Our Court: Leveraging the
Power of Parks and Recreation to
Advance Youth
Sports
Equity, "
featuring Anthony Paul " AP " Diaz
as the moderator and Cal Dobbs,
Kari Miller, Jason Sacks and Lily
Sunarjardi as speakers. The panel
discussed the immense benefits
of youth sports, what children are
looking for when it comes to park
development, and what park and
recreation professionals can do to
create more inclusive programs
and spaces for young people.
The conversation featured some
great lines from Sunarjardi, a youth
athlete who emphasized the importance
of youth sports and their ability
to help young people escape the drama
and stress of childhood. Dobbs,
a queer transgender ultramarathoner
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | DECEMBER 2 0 2 3
| Parks & Recreation
47
150,001
-400,000): City of Plano Parks
and Recreation
Department,
The National Gold
Medal Awards
recognize some of the
best in the park and
recreation field.
30,001
-75,000): Hoffman Estates Park
District, Hoffman Estates, Illinois
December 2023 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2023 - Parks & Recreation
