Parks and recreation enhance quality community sports: Sportstowns USA

Parks & Recreation, August, 2003

Through its partnership with Sports Illustrated, the National Recreation and Park Association will over the next year recognize outstanding communities that are the epitome of what's good about sports in America. Starting with this issue, Parks & Recreation will profile four or five Sportstowns--that is, the top sports town from each state.

What makes a community a Sportstown? A common thread is providing education, training and facilities so that everyone can participate to the best of their abilities. Scholarships make sure that everyone can play. Codes of conduct make sure everyone behaves. And parks and recreation partnerships make sure there are places to play.

NEWPORT, R.I.

Unification Through Sports

Inclusion and opportunities are the trademarks of sports in this coastal town. If the parks and recreation department doesn't have the facilities, funding or staff to effectively manage a sports activity, it finds them and make it happen. Whether it's with the International Tennis Hall of Fame, YMCA, Major League Soccer, Sail Newport or the school down the street, sports happen in Newport because people care.

When the public middle school was cutting three-quarters of those who wanted to play for its basketball teams, the parks and recreation department instituted a "no-cut" middle school after-school league for the public students to play against private schools.

More than 20 percent or Newport's youth qualify for flee or reduced lunch. (Newport is the state's 4th-poorest community.) Many of the youth in the recreation sports programs are referrals from Family Court, Juvenile Hearing Board, and Social Service or Community Mental Health agencies. No child is refused an opportunity to play a recreational sport owing to financial hardship.

Opportunities are available for teens and young adults to participate as volunteer youth coaches, paid officials or scorekeepers. They can transition into an adult sports league such as softball (coed, men's or women's), men's baseball, co-ed volleyball, tennis lessons and tournaments, and over-30-basketball.

Newport's sports organizations are closely aligned. The fall baseball program is sponsored by the parks and recreation department, not a league, but most of the best coaches from Little league and Babe Ruth assist so that they can spend more time on learning and teaching skill-development drills organized by the stale Sail Newport provides an introductory level program through the parks and recreation department in the summer that augments the more expensive camp. The Tennis Hall for Fame has provided one-day clinics for the parks and recreation department's summer tennis students, and financial support for the city's youth lessons.

The Hall of Fame has also provided the site for the finals of a community tennis tournament that raises funds for the public program. The YMCA hosts the youth water polo program jointly run by the parks and recreation department.

More examples of cooperation: The private Tai Kwon Do studios has an introductory program field at the recreation center several times a year. The RI Surfriders Association holds a surfing clinic for girls called "Chicks on Sticks" at the municipal beach each summer that's co-sponsored by these parks and recreation department. The parks and recreation department sponsored Major League Soccer camp is widely attended by members of the neighboring communities' youth clubs. The Girl's Babe Ruth softball league is sponsored by the parks and recreation department and supported by Little League, which directs its players into it as they get older and graduate from the co-ed minor leagues. The summer cheerleading camp run by the parks and recreation department provides training for many of the Pop Warner teams.

Newport's public schools rely on the parks and recreation department to provide them with safe and correctly prepared athletic facilities. In return, the varsity teams often provide youth leagues officials, volunteer coaches and clinics. The middle school coaches the players who are cut from their programs to join the recreation leagues to improve their skills and to keep them active and interested. The high school provides its gym to help run the men's over-30 basketball league.

Salve Regina University is an important contributor to the community's sports. In addition to paying to use the municipal athletic fields, it has entered into a financial agreement to provide fertilization, weed control and seeding to a number of athletic fields throughout the community and not just ones used by the university. The university provides players and coaches for clinics in youth sports.

As the city's population has grown more diverse, so have the variety and scope athletic programs offered. New sports opportunities are being introduced each season, and support is available to make sure each child is able to become involved. Whether the assistance is financial, facility- or equipment-based, or simply a ride to the site, the community comes together to help out.