An Article written for Parks and Rec Business magazine by Heather Davis and Tim Pagano, published in Summer in 2011 about the importance of P.L.A.Y.

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parks + playgrounds
> BY TIMOTHY J. PAGANO AND HEATHER K. DAVIS
Encourage the team to
P.L.A.Y. this summer
S
ummer provides countless opportunities to plan out-
door activities and exciting excursions to new places as
well as the ability to infuse creativity, leadership and
enthusiasm into scheduling. Industry leaders also can deliver
outstanding programs and perform at an exceptional level by
encouraging team members to keep P.L.A.Y. at the forefront
of their minds.
AND EVALUATION
Job Performance

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PERCEPTION is an important
component of programs involv-
ing youth participants. Whether
it’s a pre-kindergarten class, summer day
camp, youth sport team or teen program,
it is important to remember participants
and parents don’t measure quality by
what you say, but rather what you do.
Since the newest and inexperienced team
members are often on the front lines, and
make the most significant impressions on
participants and their parents, attempt
to incorporate the “do as I do” mentality,
and lead by example.
Although everything might run
smoothly 99.5 percent of the time, it is
always that one incident that can be the
most damaging to a program’s reputa-
tion. Whether it is a negative word-of-
mouth campaign or a vocal participant
who has had a bad experience, it may take
weeks—if not years—to repair the dam-
age. Perception is reality for both partici-
pants and parents, so it is imperative to
choose your reality wisely.
LEADERSHIP is and always
has been the cornerstone of
top-notch summer programs.
A universal truth within the recreation
field is that one does not have to have a
title to be a leader. Since entry-level
positions often have the most meaningful
and immediate impact on customers,
leaders must consider multiple levels in
the department hierarchy to effectively
deliver programs.
To do this, it is important to recog-
nize that vision and direction are essential
ingredients in teamwork. Many people
think of a leader as a captain or general,
someone telling people what to do and
how to do it. Instead, think of yourself as
P
L
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Job Performance And Evaluation
a navigator, who must detail the various
routes in attaining the team’s goal.
Understand that everyone has a
different leadership style in approaching
various situations and personalities more
efficiently and effectively. Adjusting your
style to match or complement the style of
the individuals you are working with will
allow the flow of information to be sent
and received successfully.
The goals of every youth program
include providing strong leadership and
acting as role models to participants;
this is accomplished by detailing clear
expectations and defining boundaries—
all while engaging and challenging
participants.
ATTITUDE is the one indefin-
able action that makes or breaks
a program. When arriving for
work every day, you will set the tone.
Being positive and enthusiastic affects
everyone, from participants to team
members. Conversely, being negative
and apathetic spreads like a disease
and can sabotage a day, week or entire
summer. Attitude also has the ability to
create a greater level of ownership
among participants and team members.
Imagine trying to get older and “way-
too-cool-for-this-activity” sixth graders
to be a part of an arts-and-crafts project.
By delivering the “I know you guys don’t
want to do this, but …” line, it increases
the chances they won’t want to, and will
let you know it. On the other hand,
starting with “Have I got a great oppor-
tunity for you guys to take charge and
lead this project” might provide a chance
to change their attitude about their role,
and create a more positive atmosphere.
Since attitude can change the overall
environment of a program, ask yourself,
“What kind of program do I want to
work in and be a part of?”
YOU are the best resource of
any organization. Only you can
make the key decisions to help
A
Y
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4. a program thrive or become stagnant.
This starts with arriving to work on
time, being courteous, and delivering
exceptional customer service; being
enthusiastic and engaged; operating in
an honest and trustworthy manner; and
showing true professionalism on a daily
basis. Remember that you can be a
leader from wherever you are on the
organizational flow chart. You will be
the reason whether a participant decides
to come back tomorrow, next week or
next year. You are the reason organiza-
tions and programs can continue to
provide youth the opportunity to
explore, discover, and enjoy what com-
munities have to offer. You are who
they remember many years from now—
a caring adult who made a huge impact
in their lives.
So, when the checklist for this
year’s summer programs comes out,
remember the most important thing
you can do is to get out there and
P.L.A.Y.! PRB
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Timothy J. Pagano is a community services specialist for the city of Brea and is on the board
of directors for the Southern California Teen Coalition. He can be reached via e-mail at
tim@socalteencoaliton.org.
Heather K. Davis is a community-services supervisor for the city of Rancho Cucamonga, and is
on the board of directors for the Southern California Teen Coalition. She can be reached via
e-mail at heather@socalteencoalition.org.
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