State of Play Colorado: Aspen to Parachute
State of Play Colorado: Aspen to Parachute was released June 11, 2024, as the Aspen Institute’s 13th community report. The report, in partnership with the Hurst Community Initiative, analyzes youth sports, outdoor recreation and other forms of physical activity within an 80-mile corridor from Aspen to Parachute, Colorado.
State of Play Colorado: Aspen to Parachute identified 40 findings and made recommendations on ways to grow quality access to play based on the unique characteristics of the region. The report was produced through youth surveys, interviews with community members, and publicly available information. More than 1,000 children across the region were surveyed about their experiences with sports and physical activity.
Some Key Findings
Only 22% of surveyed children in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys receive 60 minutes of physical activity daily (slightly below the national average of 24%). Girls are two times less likely to be physically active than boys, and Latino/a children (15%) engage in physical activity less than White youth (27%).
Importantly, the survey shows significant mental health benefits associated with physical activity. For example, active youth (meaning physical activity every day) are three times less likely to feel depressed than non-active youth (zero days with physical activity each week). Active youth also report feeling happier and more motivated than non-active youth.
While skiing is very popular in the region, Aspen’s survey found that White youth are six times more likely to regularly go alpine skiing than Latino/a youth. Aspen School District children listed regularly participating in alpine skiing more than any other sport and at much higher rates than other districts. Parents and rec professionals told us that costs, transportation, equipment, communication barriers and family priorities are reasons fewer Latino/a youth participate in many forms of outdoor recreation.
The report’s recommendations offer promising opportunities that include:
Use the power of soccer to grow educational opportunities and belonging for Latino/a youth. Four in 10 surveyed Latino/a children said they regularly play soccer – far more than any other sport. More affordable soccer opportunities in the region could be offered at younger ages, soccer could help chart academic pathways to college, and organized soccer could return to Colorado Mountain College (the regional higher-education system with 11 campuses).
Create a scholarship portal for underserved children to access sports and recreation more affordably. Although some organizations generously provide scholarships for children to play, many parents struggle to navigate a confusing flood of scholarship applications.
Provide coaching education on positive youth development. Coaches must understand how to make youth sports and recreation safe places physically and emotionally for children while using these activities as tools for developing children’s social, emotional and cognitive skills.
Our youth survey asked young people to share the sports and recreational activities they play, want to try, where they play, their reasons for engaging or not engaging in sports, their physical and mental health tendencies, and their relationships with coaches.
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