Participation. Period.

AKASPORT Summer 2019

I know, I know…… it’s been a while.
We’ve been away building…
for a better tomorrow.

AKA Summer 2019 was incredible. Its never easy to put into words but we grew and we learned a ton. Well at least I did. Side from a short few, I think we covered most sports and MN field trip destinations. AKASPORT’s programming and vision, philosophically and geographically speaking, are expanding. Our numbers are up but of course, the quality can always be improved. Again, we’re building here. To me the most important thing is that we keep kids Active, Safe and Having Fun! Keep Participation going Up!

…..Now back to the lab to Keep it all Moving!

There’s a lot of talk these days about participation rates in segments of youth sports dropping. Club sports costs are skyrocketing, kids are specializing more, access to quality active programming, coaching and mentorship is showing limits and the pressures of life are affecting our kids in more ways than society can understand!

As the Aspen Institute (Project Play) clearly puts it, “The number of kids playing sports keeps decreasing, especially lower-income youth. Only 37 percent of all kids ages 6-12 played team sports on a regular basis in 2017 – down from 45 percent in 2008. This is a public health concern as physical activity declines for youth.”

AspenProjectPlay.org

I like to think that I am a visionary. I look at everything (for better and for worse). Side from my emotional attachment to climate change and violence/bullying in schools, concerns which I don’t have the direct answers to fixing, I do have great concern and think big picture for the absolute need to increase youth sports, recreation and FITNESS participation for our Future! The research is out there (@ckbergland (thanks Chris)), now we (I) just need to act further on making it happen.

15 years into AKASPORT, providing sports camps and afterschool programs, I know we’ve got a few ideas that work. Now its time to act further and take this all to greater scale. (plug for my new Hero, @GretaThunberg and all her young, stoic, work with Climate Change for the Future!)

NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT… YOUTH SPORTS PARTICIPATION NEEDS ATTENTION!! Stay tuned for now… thanks for your support and to all our Staff and Families for an amazing summer!

I’ll be back soon. Reach me anytime, email chris@akasport.org

All the Best in Sport, CS