State of Play Tacoma–Pierce County

State of Play Tacoma-Pierce County was released Oct. 25, 2023, as the Aspen Institute’s latest community report. The report, in partnership with the Names Family Foundation, assesses the state of youth sports and physical activity in Pierce County, Washington.

State of Play Tacoma-Pierce County is the product of a one-year analysis of Tacoma and Pierce County, guided by an advisory group of 19 community leaders whose work revolves around play, sports, recreation and healthy communities. The Aspen Institute identified 40 findings and made recommendations based on youth surveys; focus-group discussions with young people, coaches, sports administrators and parents; media accounts; and existing public information.

Importantly, the report shows the clear value of physical activity to mental health, which is a growing challenge. Physically active youth in Pierce County reported feeling more excited, happier and motivated. Those who are physically inactive said they felt more nervous, anxious, sad, depressed or hopeless.

Only 19% of Pierce County youth receive 60 minutes of daily physical activity as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, below the national (24%) and state (23%) averages. The State of Play-Pierce County advisory group aspires to increase Pierce County’s physical activity rate to at least the national average, if not higher, through collective and individual actions.

The report outlines three promising opportunities for the community to bring a child’s mental health to the forefront within sports and recreation:

• Train coaches and recreational professionals to promote good mental health.

• Align sports and recreation with state and local mental health efforts.

• Create public awareness about mental health in youth sports.

“We are all concerned about the mental health of our youth today, and the deep connection between physical activity and a healthier attitude is showcased in State of Play Tacoma-Pierce County,” said Patricia Shults, Names Family Foundation executive director. “The fact that only 19% of our youth are self-reporting that they are active for 60 minutes a day is a benchmark that this community can – and should – work to impact. With the recommendations in this report, we have the start of a roadmap to near and long-term solutions that will improve the health of our youth and community. Let’s do this.”

Our youth survey asked young people to share the sports they play, want to play, where they play, their reasons for engaging or not engaging in sports, their physical and mental health tendencies, and their relationships with coaches. More than 3,000 youth across Pierce County were surveyed.

Since the release of the report, the following developments have occurred:

• The Names Family Foundation increased grantmaking for Tacoma-area youth based on report findings and relationships built during the State of Play process. For example, the foundation is supporting the purchase of a new turf field at Sprinker Recreation Center. Turf fields were identified as a local need.

• Pierce County Parks and Recreation’s current development strategy includes a new $16 to $20 million sports complex in partnership with Bethel Schools to open between 2027 and 2029. To determine what will be built with Bethel, a joint concept planning and cost estimating study will occur in 2025. Our report identified the need to invest in new public sports facilities in Bethel.

• In fall 2024, Pierce County Parks and Recreation will launch the South Pierce Active Kids Coalition with Bethel Schools. This will be a collaborative group of providers and advocates who will support and expand active engagement resources (parks, outdoor adventure, sports) to the South Pierce County/Bethel area to promote the benefits of play and exercise. The coalition plans to use State of Play Tacoma-Pierce County findings and recommendations to evaluate progress made.

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