The Olympic legacy and parks and recreation

Parks & Recreation, June, 1996 by Jayne Turpin Deluce, Joe Deluce

Olympic Spirit at Home

With the Centennial Olympic Games beginning next month, now is the time to become involved in the Olympic movement. Planning short- or long-term sports and Olympic activities will generate and build on enthusiasm for the Games. Here are some ideas:

* Host an Olympic Day road race, perhaps in conjunction with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), who may co-sponsor the event and split the profits.

* Become involved with the U. S. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for specific sports to create youth development programs and to work together on grant sponsorships. Call the USOC and ask for the directory that identifies the appropriate contact from each NGB. Find out what services they can provide including equipment, curriculums, coaching certification, facility specifications, and other valuable resources.

* Support a sport by volunteering as a timekeeper, club leader or official. Ask the national governing body about committees that promote or develop the sport on a local, regional, national, or international level.

* Create a mountain bike racing course in one of your parks; mountains are not necessary for this outdoor sport. NORBA, and the United States Cycling Federation (USCF) can provide course design assistance and ideas on "how to start" programs while keeping in mind the environmental impact concerns.

* Develop a clinic on mountain bike racing to teach youth about bike maintenance, riding techniques, and training programs. * Contact ACOG for information on the Olympic Day in the Schools program--for students in Kindergarten through eighth grade--which includes curriculum guides and sports training manuals for teacher and classroom use. This could be used in after-school or year-round school programs, as well as being adapted to community recreation programs.

* Be ahead of the game and start a synchronized swimming club program. United States Synchronized Swimming (USSS), can provide guidance and provide a list of existing programs in nearby areas. Although your local pool may not have the exact depth specifications, you can still start a development program.

* Support your State Games, who need a strong volunteer base. Most State Games have district or regional competitions, which may not work unless the community is large enough to support them.

* Work with private organizations or clubs to offer Olympic-style events that you may not be able to offer at your facilities alone, e.g., gymnastics, weight lifting, judo, etc. Several cities have worked with local, private gymnastics clubs in the area to co-host events since the necessary equipment would otherwise not have been available.

* Take a proactive approach to creating a local sports commission that would facilitate the scheduling of area resources and create the necessary funding and volunteer network to attract major sporting events to your area. This organization could then apply for community grants that may be available for youth development programs.

* Contact the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) to obtain a list of over 1,100 annual events that have open bids. The NASC can also assist with starting a sports commission and give guidance on event bids and appropriate contacts.