News - Project Play

Jon Solomon

USA Gymnastics adopts Athlete Bill of Rights amid turmoil

“It’s a north star as to how we feel athletes should be treated by all of our community members,” USA Gymnastics CEO Li Li Leung said at the Aspen Institute’s Project Play Summit, noting that gymnasts were a vital voice in creating the document. “It’s about the right to participate in an environment that’s safe for them.”

Jeremy Lin: Here’s how youth sports can tackle racial bias and mental health

Basketball star Jeremy Lin’s message to kids: Every athlete faces fears. “Courage is what allows people to fight through their fear,” he said. “It’s not that you don’t feel fear at all. You’re going to feel fear and that’s OK. It’s whether that fear cripples you and doesn’t allow you to move forward.”

Health, education leaders: It’s time to vaccinate all athletes 12 and up

All athletes ages 12 and older should be vaccinated in order to stay safe, preserve in-school learning and prevent youth sports teams from shutting down, according to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials, and other leading health experts.

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How park and recreation agencies can empower coaches in the return to play

When local conditions allow for a safe return to play, we must prioritize kids’ gradual return to physical activity during and after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic — which requires knowledgeable coaches focused on health and safety as kids resume youth sports.

Ohio State AD: Eliminate tackle football for kids until age 13

Tackle football becomes embedded culturally with many children in the Central Ohio region at young ages. They practice and play during the week – it’s not hard to find tackle leagues as young as kindergarten – and then join their parents to watch the pageantry of major college football on fall Saturdays at Ohio State University.

But if Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith had his way, football would dramatically shift to flag as the only option until age 13, in order to protect children from brain injuries.

What will youth sports restrictions look like in 2021?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, many parents are trying to navigate on their own what this means for their child playing sports. Project Play is here to help. While some questions are best answered by public health experts based on local conditions, there are guidelines and best practices that are very useful. We will periodically answer youth sports parents’ questions in this Project Play Parent Mailbag.

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Race in America: Can cops as coaches in youth sports offer some healing?

What if as a society we more intentionally found a way for White police officers to connect with Black and Latino youth and their families positively? What if more cops actually know the names of people who they serve and become familiar with who they are? Could barriers come down to regain some level of trust by police and communities if they see each other in a new light through sports?

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Should kids play indoor sports now, and if so, how?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, many parents are trying to navigate on their own what this means for their child playing sports. Project Play is here to help. While some questions are best answered by public health experts based on local conditions, there are guidelines and best practices that are very useful. We will periodically answer youth sports parents’ questions in this Project Play Parent Mailbag.

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