The document summarizes the CPRS Youth Sports Initiative which aims to improve youth sports programs and experiences. It recommends adopting a vision of positive youth sports, appointing a youth sports administrator, and increasing accountability. Resources from the National Alliance for Youth Sports like standards, ethics codes, and training programs are available to help communities implement the recommendations. The goal is for all California youth to participate in organized sports that develop healthy lifestyles and fitness.

1. CPRS Youth Sports Initiative We create positive sports experiences-better sports for kids better kids for life Presented by: Jane Adams, Executive Director, CPRS Ellen O’Sullovan, Ph.D, Leisure Lifestyle Consulting Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi, City of Manhattan Beach Mark Leyman, City of Manhattan Beach Keith Fulthorp, Redondo Beach Unified Emanuel Escobar, LA County Parks

2. How to use this presentation CPRS developed this presentation for use of members interested in changing the climate of youth sports in their community. It serves as an overview of the Initiative, a call to action, and a list of available resources and tools to help implement the Initiative This presentation is useful for viewing by All staff, commissions, councils and stakeholders involved in providing youth sports

3. Acknowledgements Many thanks to all the people who provided information, research, program examples, photos, and support for this initiative. National Alliance for Youth Sports- Lisa Licata Recommendations for Communities National Standards for Youth Sports NAYS Program descriptions Leisure Lifestyle Consulting- Ellen O’Sullivan, Ph.D. Trends in Youth Sports Oregon Recreation and Parks Association Minimum standards for youth sports

4. Purpose of this Presentation Review the CPRS Youth Sports Initiative Framework Review CPRS goals for youth sports in California Identify the National Standards for Youth Sports

5. Purpose of this Presentation Identify the three recommendations to improve the culture of youth sports in your community Identify an organization that can help your community implement the recommendations and National Standards

6. Youth Sports and Fitness Initiative The philosophy of the CPRS & NAYS Youth Sports and Fitness Collaborative is to: Partner and collaborate with statewide cities and youth sports organizations to provide a positive, self-esteem character building youth sports environment.

7. Youth Sports and Fitness Initiative To create a culture where honoring the game, respecting one’s self, teammates, coaches, officials, opponents, parents and fans is the norm, not the exception. Our goal is to implement our collaborative Vision Statement: "We Create Positive Youth Sports Experiences, Better Sports for Kids, Better Kids for Life"

8. CPRS Youth Sports and Fitness Initiative Goals 1. California's youth participate in organized sports activities that embody the standards for youth sports as articulated in Recommendations for Raising Community Standards . 2. California's youth are encouraged to develop a lifetime association with physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and individual fitness .

9. CPRS Youth Sports and Fitness Initiative Goals 3. California's youth sports programs supported by local tax dollars are planned so that they are open to all children, regardless of race, creed, sex, economic status or ability; and that financial assistance shall be found for those unable to afford to participate.

10. CPRS Youth Sports Initiative Framework

11. Framework Overview Core Values The Core Values are the National Standards for Youth Sports, developed by Forty-eight of the nation’s leading experts representing a vast variety of disciplines affecting youth sports organizations who assembled in Washington D.C.

12. Proper Sports Environment Parents must consider and carefully choose the proper environment for their child, appropriate age and development for participation, the type of sport, the rules of the sport, the age range of the participants and the proper level of physical and emotional stress.

13. Programs based on the well being of children Parents must select youth sports programs that are developed and organized to enhance the emotional, physical, social and educational well being of children. Youth sports programs should be based on maximum participation

14. Drug, Tobacco, Alcohol Free Environment Parents must encourage a drug, tobacco and alcohol-free environment for their children. Leagues will provide coaches and parents educational information on identifying signs and symptoms for substance use by children.

15. Part of a Child’s Life Parents must recognize that youth sports are only a small part of a child’s life. Leagues will adopt a policy that allows for and encourages participation in a variety of youth activities in addition to the child’s particular sport.

16. Training Parents must insist that coaches be trained and certified Leagues will require that coaches be annually trained and certified in the areas of the emotional needs of children, safety and first aid, conditioning and nutrition, teaching proper sport techniques and drug and tobacco education.

17. Parent’s Active Role Parents must make a serious effort to take an active role in the youth sports experience of their child providing positive support as a spectator, coach, league administrator and/or caring parent.

18. Positive Role Models Parents must be a positive role model exhibiting sportsmanlike behavior at games, practices, and home while giving positive reinforcement to their child and support to their child’s coaches Leagues will develop a sportsmanship/conduct code including unacceptable behavior

19. Parental Commitment Parents must demonstrate their commitment to their child’s youth sports experience by annually signing a parental code of ethics. Participation will not be allowed for parents or guardians who refuse to sign the parental code of ethics.

20. Safe Playing Situations Parents must insist on safe playing facilities, healthful playing situations and proper first aid applications, should the need arise. Leagues will be required to develop procedures for continual safety inspections of all playing equipment, fields, and facilities utilized within their programs

21. Equal Play Opportunity Parents, coaches, and league administrators must provide equal sports play opportunity for all youth regardless of race, creed, sex, economic status or ability. Leagues will make provisions so that all youngsters may be able to participate regardless of their financial ability to pay.

22. Drug and Alcohol Free Adults Parents as coaches, fans, and league administrators must be drug, tobacco and alcohol-free at youth sports activities. Because of the influence they exert, parents involved in youth sports should understand that they must refrain from substance use, including smoking, alcohol consumption, chewing tobacco and illegal drugs at games, practices and other youth sports events

23. Initiative Vision Adopting this vision, and communicating it to participants, parents, coaches, and key community stakeholders helps professionalize youth sports organizations

24. Youth Sports Initiative Mission Target these 8 mission areas and communicate how programs and services are accomplishing the mission, vision, and standards.

25. Provide Recreational Youth Sports opportunities

26. Increase youth sports participation

27. Teach fair play and good sportsmanship

28. Facilitate coach/parent training and development

29. Improve youth fitness and nutrition

30. Reduce obesity in youth

31. Strengthen youth sports image and values to the community

32. Support professional growth in youth sports leadership

33. Key Trends Childhood just isn’t the same anymore How children live, who they live with, where they go to school, and what they do after school is SO different

34. BIG Picture Facts and Stats 4 million young adults are “disconnected” having a tough transition to successful adulthood (Source: KidsCOUNT)

35. Shouldn’t be a surprise 5,000 preschoolers annually (7 out of every 10,000 preschoolers in the United States) are EXPELLED it is a rate 3 times higher than expulsion rates for public school students in K through 12 (Yale University Child Study Center)

36. 9 % of teens or 2.2 million, were depressed, with older teens more at risk than their younger peers (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ) are 957,000 adolescents in California getting insufficient activity placing them at greater risk for serious, chronic medical conditions

37. Being in School is so Great 1.6 million children are bullied at least once a week and 1.7 million children bully others frequently begins in elementary school; peaks in grades 6 through 8; and continues into high school (Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)

38. It gets better Bullying is linked to vandalism, shoplifting, skipping and dropping out of school, fighting, and use of drugs and alcohol Both the children bullying and bullied tend to be at greater risk for loneliness, trouble making friends, lack of school success, and problem behaviors such as smoking and drinking.

39. After School Kaiser Family Foundation survey youth between the ages of 8 and 18 years included: Youth spend about 6 ½ hours per day in front of or plugged into something Youth are spending about the same time watching TV as they did 5 years ago but they’ve added newer technology to their daily patterns

40. After School They spend relatively little time reading or doing homework When multitasking is added to the mix, children are involved with media for about 8 ½ hours a day; almost an hour increase from five years ago 68% of those surveyed had TVs in their rooms

41. Daily Averages … TV watching averaged 3 hours, 51 minutes Listening to music, 1 hour, 44 minutes Using a computer, 1 hour, 2 minutes Playing video games, 49 minutes Reading, 43 minutes Watching movies, 25 minutes

42. Quality of Life – Quantity of Tax Dollars 1 of every 3 children born in the United States in 2000 will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime; the rate is higher for African-American and Hispanic youth who have a 50% chance of developing diabetes in his or her lifetime. (Centers for Disease Control) In 2002, the estimated cost for treating diabetes was $132 billion ; that is the equivalent of $1 out of every $10 spent on health care. The cost of health care for people with diabetes averaged $13,243 in contrast to health care costs of $2,560 for people without diabetes. (Centers for Disease Control)

43. And if that isn’t bad enough news If current patterns continue, the number of Americans in prison or having served prison time would reach 7.7 million or 3.4% of all adults . Continuation of current patterns would mean that a black male would have a 1 in 3 chance of going to prison during his lifetime; a Hispanic male would have a 1 in 6 chance , and a white male would have a 1 in 17 chance (Source: Christian Science Monitor)

44. There is trouble right here in River City 1 of every 5 Los Angeles youths, ages 16-24, are not in school and are not working creating "social dynamite," according to David Crippens, chairman of UNITE LA and member of Workforce Investment Board. High school dropout rates exceed 30% nationally and approach 50-70% in Los Angeles public high (11th Annual Public Policy Breakfast speech)

45. ??Bright Future?? youth who do not learn work skills by age 19 face a lifetime of unemployment and sporadic employment. (11th Annual Public Policy Breakfast speech) Est. Lifetime Earnings: High School Drop Out: $1.1 million High School Graduate: $1.5 million B.S. Degree: $2.6 million (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas)

46. Not Suggesting… Youth Sports does NOT and can NOT be responsible for the future of every young person Or the future of our society…BUT

47. Key Trends/Opportunities CPRS Youth Sports Issues Survey Reported that: 75% - reported problems with parental misbehavior 62% - reported challenges with conducting background checks on volunteers coaches & recruitment of volunteer coaches

48. CPRS Youth Sports Survey 58% - reported challenges with youth participant misbehavior 56% - reported challenges related to working with community organizations about league management 52% - reported a lack of coaching education

49. Core Competencies Identify those competencies youth sports professionals currently have Identify recommend competency areas in which youth sports professionals can improve

50. Strategies to implement the framework Communicating the vision: Includes marketing the vision statement “ We create positive sports experiences, better sports for kids, better kids for life ,” Adopt the recommended resolution and philosophy for youth sports in your community.

51. Forming Partnerships Contact the National Alliance for Youth Sports, establish a NAYS chapter in your organization; partner with existing sports agencies and programs, and local school districts.

52. Expanding Professional Competencies Attend youth sports conferences, utilize NAYS training opportunities; promote and facilitate clinics for coaches, officials and parents of your programs.

53. Strengthening the Youth Sports and Fitness Ethic Require background checks for coaches and volunteers of your youth sports programs; hire well qualified coaches and officials; involve internal and external stakeholders

54. Documenting Results Develop, distribute, and analyze and interpret participant surveys; Track participation increases/decreases; track facility use requests, maintenance needs, space allocation; injury reports, Document complaints, negative experiences, positive experiences; Generate benefit based data: why and how are participants different because of your programs and services.

55. Impacting Public Policy Policy makers passing the recommended resolution, adopting the recommended youth sports philosophy; changing facility use requirements, permits, and fees.

56. Documenting Best Practices Implement the 3 NAYS recommendations Implement the National Standards for Youth Sports Document and evaluate staff training efforts; facility use requirements, contracts, release forms, safety procedures, staff recruitment and selection, document program results

57. Expanding Resources Collaborating with local agencies and programs that involve youth sports to increase programs offered, facilities utilized, and to target participants for marketing

58. Performance measures- evaluating your success Recommended and potential results based evaluative outcomes for community may include: degree that participants gained skill because of participation in a class (pre and post surveys) extent to which participants benefited because of participation: increased fitness, reporting more positive experiences than before participation; decreases in reported negative incidents or violence

59. Youth Sports Initiative CPRS, in partnership with the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS), created the Youth Sports and Fitness Initiative with the intention of developing a model plan for implementing three key community recommendations identified by NAYS and NRPA in a 2001

60. Community Recommendations 1. Vision: adopt the recommended community philosophy that makes youth sports safe and positive CPRS, in cooperation with the National Alliance for Youth Sports, developed a philosophy that is adaptable for implementation in all communities in California

61. Community Recommendations 2. Appoint a professional youth sports administrator to oversee the entire youth sports program Serves as ultimate authority within community Educate & inform policy makers on program Oversee agency run programs & work closely with each group that uses a facility/field

62. Community Recommendations Develop on-going relationship with youth sports groups & volunteers Encourage or require course for groups to attend program on youth sports in child’s development & behavior expectations

63. Community Recommendations 3. Accountability Hold everyone associated with the program accountable for their behavior Establish facility usage standards

64. CPRS Youth Sports Initiative Available Resources National Standards for Youth Sports Minimum standards for independent leagues utilizing public facilities Recommended youth sports organizational structure Code of ethics for coaches, parents, and participants

65. National Alliance for Youth Sports America’s leading advocate for positive and safe sports for children; used in 3000 communities National Academy for Youth Sports Administrators National Youth Sports Administrators Association (NYSAA) National Youth Sports Coaches Association: (NYSCA) certified 17 million coaches Parents Assoc. for Youth Sports (PAYS): 600+ communities nationwide Start Smart Sports Development Programs

66. So. CA & NAYS Partnerships Burbank Brentwood Carlsbad Coachella Velley Conejo RPD Downey Fountain Valley Hesperia RPD Inglewood La Mirada Merced Manhattan Beach Paso Robles Patterson Rancho Simi RPD Upland Ventura

67. To summarize: Adopt the recommended youth sports philosophy Appoint a youth sports administrator in your community Encourage accountability to the philosophy Use the resources available: www.nays.org and www.cprs.org

68. For more information: Visit www.cprs.org & www.nays.org Recommendations for Communities National Summit on Raising Community Standards in Children’s Sports Idris Jassim Al-Oboudi [email_address]