AGENDA
Tuesday, May 14 | UA House at fayette
2:30-3:30pm - REGISTRATION, NETWORKING & NONprofit showcase
Our nonprofit showcase will feature local organizations doing exciting and innovative work to improve access and equity in youth sports.
featured organizations:
3:30PM - WELCOME REMARKS
Tom Farrey, Founder and Executive Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
Tiffany Johnson, Under Armour
3:40-4:10pm - HOW TO PROTECT A HOUSE: JUST SHOW UP
Baltimore's Iron Man shares lessons on how to deliver community impact through youth sports.
speakers:
Cal Ripken Jr., MLB Hall of Famer; Co-Founder and Partner, Ripken Baseball; Co-Founder, Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation
Moderated by Rob Long, radio and TV host, The Fan and MASN
4:10-4:30pm - HOW TO PROTECT A HOUSE: CREATE SAFE SPACES
Part II of our conversations with Baltimore-area legends on delivering community impact through youth sports. Former Ravens wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl Champion Torrey Smith shares insights on the importance of providing safe places for kids to play.
speakers:
Torrey Smith, two-time Super Bowl Champion; Founder, LEVEL82
Moderated by Rob Long, radio and TV host, The Fan and MASN
4:30-5:00pm - listen then lead
In every community State of Play report, Aspen starts by asking kids what they want. How do their lives change when leaders respond? Learn from local youth athletes who have thrived.
speakers:
Aliyah Carroll, Athlete, Forest Park High School
Will Fullerton (she/her), Athlete, Marriotts Ridge High School
Marcus Keene, Athlete, National Academy Foundation
Moderated by Jon Solomon, Community Impact Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
5:00pm - shuttle buses to reception
5:30-6:30pm - Bullpen party reception: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
6:35pm - baltimore orioles vs. toronto blue jays
Shuttle buses to hotels provided after the game.
Wednesday, May 15 | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
8:00-9:15am - Breakfast and Networking on Decker Quad
9:30AM - welcome remarks - Morning plenary session (shriver auditorium)
Greg Olsen, Fox Sports Broadcaster and former NFL Pro Bowler
9:40-10:00am - baltimore as beacon - Livestream
Football’s a team sport. So is rebuilding a proud but challenged city. The Under Armour founder shares lessons learned since his pledge to revitalize Baltimore with the help of sports programs.
speakers:
Kevin Plank, Founder/CEO, Under Armour
Moderated by Greg Olsen, Fox Sports Broadcaster and former NFL Pro Bowler
10:00-10:30am - Health Equity in Youth Sports - Livestream
The Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports recognizes the need for safe and healthy environments. How to address health disparities facing underserved populations of students? How to get more schools, programs and coaches to adopt basic protections?
speakers:
Mike Locksley, Head Football Coach, University of Maryland; Founder, National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches
Mayrena Hernandez, PhD, Director, Healthy Activity Toward Promoting Injury Reduction (HAPIR) Lab
Tyrre Burks, CEO/Founder, Players Health
Marci Goolsby, MD, Medical Director of Women's Sports Medicine, HSS
Moderated by Vincent Minjares, PhD, Program Manager, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
10:30-11:00am - the key to 63 - Livestream
Just 54% of youth in the U.S. play sports. Project Play is challenging our network to embrace the goal of 63% by 2030 – an outcome that would unlock $80 billion in societal benefits, minimum. How to get there? How can Project Play leaders help?
speakers:
Christina Hixson, Director, Partnerships, UCHealth
Kim Hegardt, President, Names Family Foundation
Kevin Martinez, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship, ESPN
Moderated by Tom Farrey, Founder and Executive Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
11:00am - Remarks from Mayor Brandon Scott - Livestream
11:05am - Meet the Champions - Livestream
11:15-11:30am - Break and Refreshment on Decker Quad
11:30am - 12:30pm Breakout Session I (Hodson hall and Shriver Hall)
Choose from sessions in four tracks: School Sports, Healthy Communities, Coaching and Governance
School Sports: Middle School Sports: Filling the Gap
Around age 10, kids start dropping out of sports in droves. Middle school sports are key to keeping them involved. Learn from two trailblazing cities that are leading with strategic plans.
Speakers:
Lamont Robinson, Assistant Commissioner, Oakland Athletic League; Manager of Middle School Athletics & Activities, Oakland Unified School District
Sonya Goodwyn, Executive Director, Whole Child Services & Supports, Baltimore City Public Schools
Moderated by Flynn Burch, UA Global Community Impact and Executive Director, UA Foundation
Healthy Communities: How to Partner with Philanthropy
Learn what foundations are looking for in support of youth sports.
Speakers:
Cara James, CEO, Grantmakers in Health
Talib Horne, Director, Baltimore Civic Site, Annie E. Casey Foundation
Luke Ragland, SVP of Grants, Daniels Fund
Moderated by Kevin Loeb, Managing Director of Strategy, Learning, and Evaluation, The Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation
Coaching: Building a National Coaching Strategy
Help Project Play develop a framework to organize a fragmented system and get most youth coaches trained in key competencies. Why is such a strategy needed – and what goes in there?
Speakers:
Kristen Dieffenbach, PhD, Executive Director, US Center for Coaching Excellence
Moderated by Vince Minjares, PhD, Program Manager, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
GovernancE: a World Cup for children
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will be the largest sporting event ever, 48 teams playing 104 games across North America. Only one team can win. But all kids can win. Learn how host cities aim to use the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports to drive a meaningful legacy.
Speakers:
Marco Di Buono, President, Jumpstart Canadian Tire Charities
Margarita Safdie, PhD, Director, Project Play México
Brianna Keys, Director of Human Rights and Sustainability, FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey
Adam Lewis, Executive Fellow, Human Rights and Sustainability, FIFA World Cup 2026 Kansas City
Moderated by Minal Davis, CEO, HeneKom
12:30 - 1:30pm Lunch and Play on Decker Quad with RCX Sports
Grab lunch in the tent on Decker Quad, then participate in the “play” at the Project Play Summit via the sport sampling activation presented by RCX Sports.
1:30 - 2:30pm Breakout Session II (Hodson hall and Shriver Hall)
Choose from sessions in four tracks: School Sports, Healthy Communities, Coaching and Governance
School Sports: How to Partner with Schools
By leveraging federal dollars for schools serving high-poverty youth, among other resources, the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association has found success in bringing soccer to new neighborhoods. What’s their model?
Speakers:
Nathean Meadows, Director of Outreach and Grassroots, Maryland State Youth Soccer Association
Amy Beal, Montgomery County Public Schools Coordinator, Blueprint for Maryland's Future
Moderated by Jon Solomon, Community Impact Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
Companion Content:
Healthy Communities: Beyond Baltimore: Learnings from Project Play Communities
Baltimore was the first – but many communities have leveraged the Project Play frameworks to mobilize communities to ensure equitable access to quality sport and physical activities. What have they learned about leveraging key data, insights?
Speakers:
Kari Pardoe, Program Officer, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
Charnon Barnes, Executive Director, Central Ohio Youth Sports Collaborative
Evan Zislis, Founding Director, Hurst Community Initiative
Moderated by Jennifer Brown Lerner, Deputy Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
Coaching: From the Huddle: Understanding the Impact of Coach Training
Coaches are getting trained – but how to know what’s working? Discover new tools that can assess impact on attitudes and practices, and the experiences of youth.
Speakers:
Ryan Graff, Vice President of Programs, PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation
Keely Stern, Vice President of Research, Data, and Strategic Partnerships, Resonant Education
Katlin Okamoto, Director of Coach-Mentor Training, U.S. Soccer Foundation
Moderated by Vincent Minjares, PhD, Program Manager, Aspen Institute Sport & Society Program
Companion Content:
Governance: How to Get Cities and Counties in the Game
The role of government is to balance competing interests. There’s no balancing in youth sports – it’s chaos out there with programs fighting over spaces, athletes and resources. It doesn’t have to be this way. Aspen found cities and counties that are connecting silos, raising safety standards and better supporting kids through sports. Learn from our exclusive research.
Speakers:
Katherine Quinn, Director, Project Play Summit, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program; Member-at-large, Fairfax County Athletic Council
Tom Cove, Chair, Montgomery County Sports Advisory Committee
Jon Stehle, Council Member, City of Fairfax
Moderated by Linda Flanagan, author of Take Back the Game
2:30 - 3:00pm Afternoon Break on Decker Quad
CLOSING PLENARY SESSION - SHRIVER AUDITORIUM
3:00 - 3:20pm Catch Her if You Can - Livestream
Flag football’s Diana Flores is elusive. She offers insights into ways to engage among the most elusive, and underserved, populations of youth in sports: girls from Hispanic families.
Speakers:
Diana Flores, Captain and Quarterback of Mexico’s World Champion National Flag Football Team
Moderated by Christine Brennan, Sports Columnist, USA Today; Commentator, CNN and ABC News
3:20 - 3:40pm Service Learning Through Sports - Livestream
Learn from high school students who are part of a new mentorship program by Aspen and the Allstate Foundation on how to empower youth to drive access to sports for their peers.
Speakers:
Josephine Portell, Athlete, Parkway South High School
Rishan Patel, CEO/ Founder, Alley-Oop Kids
Moderated by Christine Brennan, Sports Columnist, USA Today; Commentator, CNN and ABC News
3:40 - 4:05pm Building a Youth Sports Policy Agenda - Livestream
Project Play is creating the nation’s first-ever policy framework for youth sports. How to create a politically durable agenda to improve safety, access, and governance?
Speakers:
Tatyana McFadden, Paralympic Medalist
Jeremy Goldberg, Founder, PLAY Sports Coalition
Katrina Piercy, Director, Division of Prevention Science, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Moderated by Dr. Ashleigh Huffman, Policy Consultant, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program
4:05 - 4:10pm Remarks from Kansas City (MO) Mayor Quinton Lucas - Livestream
4:10 - 4:40pm State of Play - Livestream
How one leading state is supporting and organizing youth sports to improve lives.
Speakers:
Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland
Moderated by Greg Olsen, Fox Sports Broadcaster and former NFL Pro Bowler
Introduction: Elliot Gerson, Executive Vice President, Aspen Institute
4:40 - 4:50pm CLOSING REMARKS AND SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT - Livestream
Event Emcee
GREG OLSEN
FOX SPORTS BROADCASTER AND FORMER NFL PRO BOWLER
Venues
Tuesday, May 14: UA House (Living Classrooms)
1100 E Fayette St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Wednesday, May 15: Johns Hopkins University, Decker Quad
Wyman Park Dr, Baltimore, MD 21218
