From inception, Project Play has highlighted the need to build child-centric programs -- which starts with knowing what young people want. These insights are more important than ever, given their mental and physical health needs. In this session, and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, we ask girls what good looks like in a sports experience.

Maxeen Claure, 5th Grade Student, Girls on the Run
Yasra Hofyani, 8th Grade Student, Alexandria Boxing Club
Na’eemah Sarwar, 7th Grade Student, Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy
Moderator: Sebastian Salazar, Host, Analyst, Reporter, ESPN

Companion Resources:
Teamwork Toolkit
Alexandria Boxing Club
Girls on the Run DC
Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy (DC)
Fight For Children

More than 100 organizations from across sectors have endorsed the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports. Learn how three of them – the fourth-largest city in America, a national governing body, and a leader in software for youth sports teams and parents – are developing resources or opportunities that align with features of the Aspen Institute-supported framework.

Megan Moulton-Levy, U.S. Tennis Association Board Member and General Manager, Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC)
Minal Patel Davis, Director of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, Mayor’s Office of Houston, Texas
Moderator: Dave DuPont, Founder, TeamSnap

Companion Resources:
Houston press release on endorsement of Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports
U.S. Tennis Association Playbook

In the era of early-forming club teams and “youth sports tourism,” traditional community-based leagues can feel like a yesterday idea. But they serve kids at scale. So how to bring them back? Learn from leaders innovating in three sports, including the head of a youth soccer league in Cambridge, Mass., that has doubled its registrations over the past few years by transforming the in-city rec league with a series of bold interventions that slowed the flight to travel teams.

Jean Lee Batrus, Executive Director, MLB/MLBPA Youth Development Foundation
Candice Haynes, Senior Manager of Youth Basketball Development, NBA
Jason Targoff, President, Cambridge Youth Soccer Association
Moderator: Sebastian Salazar, Host, Analyst, Reporter, ESPN

Companion Resources:
Stack Sports on Cambridge Youth Soccer
Soccer America on North Carolina coach who developed rec-plus option, broke pay-to-play barrier
Call for Leadership in Project Play Platform for Action to rebuild community-based play
Project Play 2024 strategic priority to Revitalize In-Town Leagues

Soccer is among the most ethnically and geographically diverse in sports. Yet, in the United States access to the sport for underrepresented populations is still seen as a barrier to growing participation across all levels, from grassroots to the elite. With the 2022 Men’s World Cup and 2023 Women’s World Cup both capturing the attention of the country within the next year and a half, there’s no bigger opportunity than now to start closing those gaps so that children from all communities can develop their human and athletic potential through the beautiful game. Top soccer leaders share thoughts on what’s possible and what actions their organizations can take to help improve the youth sports ecosystem.

Cindy Parlow Cone, President, U.S. Soccer Federation
Gregg Berhalter, Head Coach, U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team
Jessica Berman, Commissioner, National Women’s Soccer League
Moderator: Ed Foster-Simeon, CEO & President, U.S. Soccer Foundation

Companion Resources:
Sportico on how Red Bulls, MLS youth programs are finding success
Soccer America on chaotic youth soccer landscape
Soccer America on how Germany revamped its youth soccer model
USSoccerPlayers.com Coverage: US Soccer Leaders Return to the Access Question
US Soccer Foundation announcement of new neighborhood leagues program

The pandemic has left many children and communities hurting, less active and less healthy. The good news: billions of dollars were unleashed by the federal government to help them recover, creating unprecedented opportunities for recreation, sports and youth advocates - if you know where to look and who to partner with. Our experts show you how to work with other community organizations to find support for programming, parks and infrastructure, and transportation.

Ronda Jackson, VP of Policy, Advocacy, and Impact, KaBOOM!
Kyle Simpson, Director of Government Affairs, National Recreation and Park Association

Companion Resources:
Summit presentation deck

Ted gets the best from his players. So can coaches of children and adolescents who are believed in and empowered. Get inspired by exemplary youth coaches, in conversation with leaders of strategic partners of Project Play in youth coaching.

Tom Arnett, Chief Customer Officer, MOJO
Eleanor Jones, McLean Youth Soccer
Janet Carter, CEO, Positive Coaching Alliance
Jasmine Ward, Coach, PCA
Ben Schornack, Chicago Program Officer, Laureus USA
Susan Klumpner, Executive Director, The ACE Project

Companion Resources:
MOJO
Positive Coach Alliance
Laureus USA
How to Coach Kids
GoGosqueeZ Playbook
Calls for Coaches
National Coach Survey

The line between tough love and emotional abuse in youth coaching has always been murky. But lines are starting to be drawn through U.S. Center for SafeSport standards, insurance provisions, and anti-bullying laws. How can coaches and sport providers determine what's appropriate and what's not, and who decides? What are the opportunities and challenges to creating behavior standards for youth coaches?

Tyrre Burks, CEO & Founder, Players Health
Ju’Riese Colon, CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport
DaLawn Parrish, Head Football Coach, Wise High School (MD)
Moderator: Kent Babb, Reporter, Washington Post, Author, “Across the River: Life, Death and Football in an American City”

Companion Resources:
MAAP Abuse Policy
Washington Post notes that the new lines between verbal abuse and tough love can be hard to define
SafeSport End Abuse in Sport

What if more police officers coached youth sports? Could barriers be reduced to regain some level of trust between police and communities of color if they see each other in a new light through sports? Learn about the challenges and emerging opportunities for governments to fund community policing through cops as coaches.

Sgt. Jermaine Harris, Co-Founder, Chicago Westside Sports, Chicago Police Department
Nekia Kemp, Executive Director, Buffalo Police Athletic League
Moderator: Jon Solomon, Editorial Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

Companion Resources:
The Aspen Institute on cops as coaches in communities
New York Times on Minnesota cops coaching kids
HBO/Vox documentary Midnight Basketball
Washington Post on police funding highlighting American Rescue Plan opportunity

Elite athletes are looked after by teams of medical professionals including orthopedists, neurologists, and injury prevention specialists. Almost one-third of public high schools and nearly half of private schools don’t have an athletic trainer. What responsibility do schools and private programs have to offer health and safety protections for the minors in their care, given the growing rates of ACL and other injuries? How can the gaps be filled? The top doctor at one of the world’s top sports medicine providers explores the possibilities with an NFL Pro Bowler who’s now a sports parent.

Greg Olsen, Former NFL Pro Bowl Player, Host of Youth Inc. Podcast, FOX Sports Broadcaster
Dr. Andrew Pearle, Chief of Sports Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery

Companion Resources:
HSS Move Better, Play Better
Cincinnati TV on School Sports Playbook strategy of health and safety
Youth Inc. podcast at the Project Play Summit

Title IX is both a law and an idea, creating a movement that has reshaped both sports and society over the past half-century. In the first part of this two-part conversation, we explore the law with Catherine Lhamon, the lead official implementing and enforcing Title IX policy for the federal government.

Catherine Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education
Moderator: Dan Porterfield, President and CEO, The Aspen Institute

Companion Resources:
Call for Leadership: Tap the Power of Non-Discrimination
University of Maryland report on lack of awareness and enforcement of Title IX in schools

Title IX is both a law and an idea, creating a movement that has reshaped both sports and society over the past half-century. In this second-part of the conversation, we explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for girls and women with the top official in high school sports, a leading female owner in professional sports, and a WNBA star.

Ariel Atkins, Pro Basketball Player, Washington Mystics and Olympic Gold Medalist
Sheila Johnson, Vice Chairman, Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Karissa Niehoff, CEO, National Federation of State High School Associations
Moderator: Louise Radnofsky, Reporter, The Wall Street

Companion Resources:
Call for Leadership: Tap the Power of Non-Discrimination
University of Maryland report on lack of awareness and enforcement of Title IX in schools

The unfinished business of Title IX is that girls from low-income homes have not benefited as much as other girls. That’s because in any one school, equity means a comparable participation rate to that of boys – and that rate is often low, too. In New York City, a lawsuit based on racial equity across schools is being used to address those gaps. A recent settlement requires the city to create 200 new sports teams by 2024 in schools that mostly serve Black and Latino students. Could other cities and school districts do the same? Is this how to level the playing field in school sports?

Matt Diaz, Student & Founding Member, Fair Play Coalition
Caroline Soussloff, Associate, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Jenny Veloz, Community Organizer, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
Moderator: Tom Farrey, Founder and Executive Director, Sports & Society Program, Aspen Institute

Companion Resources:
Preliminary settlement of New York City lawsuit
Coverage of settlement
To be released in 2023: School Sports Equity Toolkit, by the Aspen Institute