August 2020 - Parks & Recreation - 27

serve them. To assist stakeholders
across the region, the Play Equity
Coalition created a Return to Play
resource
(tinyurl.com/ydalplnf)
with guiding questions to support
equitable access to physical activity
through sports and outdoor recreation. These questions include:
* With limited space and resources, how do we determine who
participates and who is left out?
* How are we communicating reopening fields and facilities?
* Are we reaching communities that
have had the most limited access
to physical activity during the pandemic due to proximity to parks
and playfields or disproportionate
impact on their community?
* As we navigate this pandemic,
how can we use this as an opportunity to challenge and reshape
systems and processes that created inequitable access to physical
activity?
* Are there partners and collaborations that can help broaden our
scope and serve youth furthest
from access?
As phased reopenings of facilities and youth-serving programs
take shape, we are concerned about
the need for an equity-focused approach to service provision and
the ability of stressed and underresourced nonprofits and program
providers to navigate the demands
of restarting. Recognizing the
pre-existing inequities in youth
access to physical activity, we encourage park agencies to consider
the following recommendations to
address these challenges:
Ensure local, aﬀordable, quality
sports options are available to all
kids. Partner with local organizations and school districts to innovate
to meet the needs of families in your

area. Municipal park and recreation
departments can play a critical role
in supporting families by offering a
trusted space for information and
access. Families need childcare and
children need safe places to play
now more than ever. We encourage coordination with local school
districts so providers can easily and
affordably use fields and indoor facilities to provide physical activity
programming to youth. According
to the Aspen Institute's Tom Farrey,
park and recreation departments
also " hold the power of the permit
to set the conditions under which
outside organizations access fields,
gyms, pools and other venues. Often, cities just ask for proof of insurance. They can expand the checklist
to include coach training and safety
protections. They also can add filters prioritizing programs that are
inclusive or abide by best practices
in athletics and child development, "
(tinyurl.com/y97taeqy).
Prioritize youth sports organizations that focus on the whole child.
With physical distancing guidelines
and stay-at-home orders, programs
that intentionally support developmentally appropriate social-emotional
learning practices through sports and
recreation can help young people
thrive. When coaches focus on the social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs of the whole child, they help
youth athletes feel safe and supported,
foster important traits such as responsibility and perseverance, guide them
in building an emotional foundation
for success, and teach teammates
to respect and listen to one another
(tinyurl.com/yatfrw69). COVID-19
has impacted not only our families, but also the organizations that
serve them. Prioritizing local, highquality, youth-serving organizations

helps ensure these programs survive
and contribute to rebuilding a stronger community.
Prioritize input from communities most vulnerable and most
impacted by COVID-19. Incorporate community voices into planning procedures and making decisions related to reopening through
routine engagement with nonprofit
organizations and school districts in
your service area. Commit to examining pre-COVID policies around
use of space, field reservations and
permits to ensure equitable access
for underrepresented communities.
Events in 2020 have highlighted
and exacerbated the gross inequities in our society - intentional
shifts in our policies and procedures
can help pave the way for systemic
change. If you are unsure how to
get started, the Center for Community Health and Development and
the University of Kansas have partnered to provide The Community
Tool Box (tinyurl.com/y4kygso8),
a robust resource for taking action.
The King County Play Equity
Coalition envisions a space where
all youth are active to a healthy
level, and where access to sports
and outdoor recreation are not determined by zip code, language or
race. We view youth physical activity as a regional policy priority and
seek to elevate our work as a national model for inclusive, healthy,
youth sports and recreation. We are
energized and hopeful to continue
to work together to move this vision
forward.
Ka'ohe Wong is Program Quality Division Director, Schools
Out Washington (kwong@schoolsoutwashington.org). Bookie
Gates is Founder and Director, Baseball Beyond Borders
(bookie@baseballbeyond.org). Sarah Margeson is Program
Manager, Youth Sports Grants, King County Parks
(smargeson@kingcounty.gov).

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August 2020 - Parks & Recreation

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