Project Play recognizes the essential role that schools play in preparing young people for life – and the cognitive, educational and health benefits that flow to students who are physically active. We offer data, research, insights and these eight breakthrough strategies that leaders can use to meet the needs of more students through sports, aligned with the mission of schools.

 

SCHOOL SPORTS PLAYBOOK

Our Playbook to Develop Every Student Through Sports is a framework to help engage the 6 in 10 students who do not play high school sports, while improving the outcomes for those who do. The playbook is the final report in our Reimagining School Sports series. It collects the best ideas to emerge from two years of research and a national search for innovators.

 

HIGH SCHOOL REPORTS

Decisions related to sports are shaped by a school’s size, mission and resources. So, Project Play began its work by exploring the challenges and opportunities faced by eight different types of high schools and the populations they serve. Each report includes a story on a winner of our national search that awarded $160,000 to the most innovative schools, made possible by project partners Adidas/BOKS, The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation and Hospital for Special Surgery.

We studied real, youth-led movements for school sports equity to create a resource that helps emerging youth leaders address concerns about access to sport opportunities, equipment and resources. Through captivating stories and practical strategies, the toolkit supports future leaders by revealing diverse methods, partnerships and pathways to change.

We hope this toolkit helps young leaders everywhere use their voice, passion, and talents in service of students in their community who lack opportunities to play.

Which populations of students play which sports? Why aren’t more of them playing? Our survey of nearly 6,000 students offers original insights.

Read our analysis of the report here.

Download a PDF copy here.

The Healthy Sport Index, developed with Hospital for Special Surgery, is the world's first-ever tool that assesses the relative benefits and risks of participating in each of the most popular sports.

Learn what the data show about physical activity, injury rates and psychosocial outcomes to find the sports that best meet the needs of students here.

We thank the leaders on our Advisory Group for their support of this project. +

Jon Alfuth
National Governors Association
Garland Allen
inCourage
Will Aubin
Harvard School of Education
Sarah Axelson
Women's Sports Foundation
Talmage Bayer
Kreiva Academy Public Charter School
Megan Blanco
National Association of State Boards of Education
Cheri Blauwet
Spaulding / Harvard Medical School
Matt Bowers
University of Texas at Austin
Jamira Burley
Adidas
Dawna Callahan
All In Sports Consulting
Kamal Carter
A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth
Michelle Carter
SHAPE America
Anna Maria Chávez
National School Boards Association
Daycia Clarke
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Jay Coakley
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Caleb Coats
STRIVE Prep Schools
Kelly Cornett
Healthy Schools Branch, Centers for Disease Control
Al Dyer
Camden Health and Athletic Association
Susan Eustis
WinterGreen Research
Linda Flanagan
Writer
Ed Garza
Urban Champions Academy
Brian Gearity
University of Denver
Alana Glass
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Michael Glosserman
JBG Smith
Jayne Greenberg
International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA)
Maria Guadagnino
The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation
David James
Major League Baseball
Joe Janosky
Hospital for Special Surgery
Neeru Jayanthi
Emory Sports Medicine Center
Bill Kellick
United States Association of Blind Athletes
Michele LaBotz
InterMed/Tufts University School of Medicine
Patrick Lawrence
Challenged Athletes Foundation
Brad Lowell
Mobile County (Alabama) Public Schools
Jimmy Lynch
The School District of Philadelphia
Julie McCleery
University of Washington Center for Leadership in Athletics
Deborah McFadden
Competitive Edge Management Associates (CEMA)
Tatyana McFadden
Paralympic gold medalist
Glenn Merry
Move United
Vincent Minjares
Sport Development Officer (New Zealand)
Craig Morris
U.S. Tennis Association
Stephanie Morris
SHAPE America
Wayne Moss
National Council of Youth Sports
Bri Newland
New York University
Jessy Newman
American Institutes for Research
Karissa Niehoff
National Federation of State High School Associations
Bridget Niland
Project Play Western New York
Sheila Ohlsson Walker
Tufts University/Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development
Lisa Perry
Alliance for a Healthier Generation
Elliott Pettit
U.S. Tennis Association
Chris Pulley
Fairfax County Government
Natalie Randolph
Sidwell Friends School
Jennifer Rheeling
National Athletic Trainers' Association Secondary School Athletic Trainers Committee
David Ridpath
Ohio University
Laura Robbins
Hospital for Special Surgery
Andy Rotherham
Bellwether Education Partners
Renata Simril
LA84 Foundation
Caeli Sullivan
BOKS (Build Our Kids' Success)
Isaiah Thompson
Inter Tribal Sports, Inc.
Valerie Truesdale
AASA, The School Superintendents Association
Kathleen Tullie
Reebok International
Nicole Vollebregt
Adidas
Joe Walsh
Adaptive Sports New England
Aimee Watters
The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation
Laurie Whitsel
American Heart Association/Physical Activity Alliance
Kyle Williams
A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth
Eli Wolff
Power of Sport Lab

“The NFHS is excited to work alongside the Aspen Institute in this endeavor. We encourage high schools to examine their sports and activities offerings and take this opportunity to reach as many students as possible in new ways. A reimagined school sports model that keeps high school education-based sports activities at its core is a proven roadmap for success.”

Karissa Niehoff, CEO, National Federation of State High School Associations

“This is the best document on school sports that I've ever read. It was difficult to contain my excitement -- and I'm 77 and seen quite a bit in my lifetime! If Project Play can stimulate and facilitate this form of excitement among physical educators and coaches, it would revolutionize young people's perspectives on physical activity in their lives.”

Jay Coakley, sports sociology professor and author, Sport & Society: Issues and Controversies

 

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MIDDLE SCHOOLS

We found some of the most innovative middle school sports programs in the country as well. Learn what they’re doing in this best practices guide.

SUPPORTED BY

 
 

Find our school sports work valuable? Want to partner with us to reimagine school sports? Send us a note.