August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 72

Member Spotlight: Patricia Polzin, CPRP
By Vitisia Paynich

D

uring her childhood, Patricia Polzin didn't mind being called a
tomboy. The Illinois native grew up the youngest of eight children
in a neighborhood where she and her siblings would head outside
in the morning and would not return home until their mom called them inside for dinner. After the meal, they would, often, go back outside to catch
fireflies or play a variety of games.
" We spent our days playing in
local parks, neighboring fields and
our yards. I fell in love with the
outdoors, a variety of sports and
nature at a very early age, " recalls
Polzin. " I actively played volleyball and softball, but basketball
was my real love - and I played it
every day I could. "
Parks & Recreation magazine recently spoke with Polzin, executive

70

Parks & Recreation

director of Crete Park District in
Illinois, to learn what drives her
passion for parks and recreation,
how her agency uses partnerships
to offer indoor fitness programs,
and what she does to stay fit.

Parks & Recreation: How
did you come to choose
parks and recreation as
your career path?

| AU G U ST 2 0 1 8 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

Patricia Polzin: In 1984, when I
entered Western Illinois University, I said, 'Parks and recreation:
that's where I want to go.' So, I
declared it as my major; however,
I switched after the first semester
to physical education, with an emphasis in athletic training. I felt at
the time, athletic training would
be my career.
After graduating with a Bachelor
of Science in Physical Education in
1988, I taught for four years in the
private school system in the south
suburbs of Chicago. I soon realized that I wanted to do more than
teach physical education; it was my
desire to provide recreation activities to all ages, including adults and
seniors. In parks and recreation,
people are signing up for the programs because they want to participate, want to learn new things and
want to experience everything that
parks and rec has to offer.
In 1992, I was hired as a recreation superintendent for Dolton
Park District in Dolton, Illinois.
This launched my career in parks
and recreation, and in 1993, I became executive director of Dolton
Park District. I relied on many
mentors in the field to help me
with this transition to executive
director. In July of 1998, I became
the executive director of Crete Park
District in Crete, Illinois, a village
that my husband and I would call
home and raise our sons for many
years. I am blessed to have a fantastic board of commissioners and
wonderful, hardworking staff.
One of the wonderful aspects of
this field is that others love to share



August 2018 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2018 - Parks & Recreation

August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 1
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 2
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 3
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 4
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 5
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 6
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 7
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 8
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 9
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 10
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 11
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 12
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 13
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 14
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 15
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 16
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 17
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 18
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 19
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 20
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 21
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 22
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 23
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 24
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 25
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 26
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 27
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 28
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 29
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 30
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 31
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 32
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 33
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 34
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 35
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 36
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 37
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 38
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 39
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 40
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 41
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 42
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 43
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 44
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 45
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 46
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 47
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 48
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 49
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 50
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 51
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 52
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 53
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 54
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 55
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 56
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 57
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 58
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 59
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 60
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 61
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 62
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 63
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 64
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 65
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 66
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 67
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 68
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 69
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 70
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 71
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 72
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 73
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 74
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 75
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 76
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 77
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 78
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 79
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 80
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 81
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 82
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 83
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 84
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 85
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 86
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 87
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 88
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 89
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 90
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 91
August 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 92
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com