CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2025
PROJECT PLAY CHAMPIONS!

Each year, the Project Play Champions program recognizes local and regional organizations that are taking new and meaningful actions consistent with the Project Play framework. As of 2025, there are over 160 organizations in the Champions network. View our past Champions.

What is youth agency?

Youth agency is the desire and ability of young people to make decisions and drive change—in their own lives, in their communities, and in their larger spheres of influence. For kids, developing agency requires opportunities for them to build confidence in themselves and their decision making. When kids decide what they want to play, they’re exercising their individual agency. When they work with others to start a new club or build their own programming, they are exercising their collective agency.

Learn more: International Youth Foundation, What is youth agency?

2025 Project Play Champions

Adaptive sports Northwest

Adaptive Sports Northwest (ASNW) provides fitness, recreation and competitive sports opportunities for youth and adults with physical or visual disabilities in Oregon and Southwest Washington. ASNW aims to introduce frame running and frame soccer – adapted versions of these activities – to kids with physical disabilities through programming. These sports, made possible by lightweight running frames, are changing the game for kids who haven’t always had a place on the court, field or track. A running frame offers balance and support, allowing a child who may use a walker or crutches to move using their legs.

arlington soccer

Arlington Soccer provides quality soccer programs and experiences for youth of all abilities, backgrounds and financial means. The Community Kickers program is a partnership between Arlington Soccer and local nonprofits True Ground Housing Partners and AHC Inc. to provide free soccer programming to families living in the organizations’ affordable housing units. In 2024, Arlington launched an expansion of Community Kickers to all children in the True Ground apartments, extending access to the weekly program to more than 3,000 families living in local affordable housing. The programs are offered during the fall and spring seasons at local parks and elementary schools.

aspen family connections

Aspen Family Connections (AFC), a school-based family resource center in the Aspen (Colorado) School District, focuses on collaborative prevention and intervention services and activities to support child and family success in the upper Roaring Fork Valley. AFC is supporting Aspen High School’s Latino Student Affinity Group to create its own tennis/pickleball program to learn and play during school summer vacation. Because many students have jobs after school, they can play tennis/pickleball on a flexible schedule with inexpensive equipment, court rentals and a teacher.

baseball beyond borders

Baseball Beyond Borders (BBB) empowers youth of color in King and Pierce County, Washington, by providing access to competitive baseball and softball opportunities, fostering academic excellence and developing life skills. BBB is launching "Empowerment Through Baseball and Softball," an initiative to provide equitable access to these sports for underserved youth. BBB partners with local schools and community centers to establish in-town baseball and softball leagues, making it easier for children to participate without the need for extensive travel. In-town leagues help build local connections and create a sense of belonging among participants by fostering community engagement and providing a supportive environment for young athletes.

bethany children’s health center

Bethany Children’s Health Center is an innovative leader in the field of pediatric rehabilitation and 24-hour complex care in the Oklahoma City metro area. In September 2025, Bethany Children's will launch ParaSports Oklahoma to offer competitive, adaptive sports to children with physical challenges. Bethany Children's plans to participate in multiple community events from May-August to raise awareness about adaptive sports and the launch of ParaSports Oklahoma. Bethany Children's will host bi-monthly clinics introducing various adaptive sports including esports, wheelchair basketball, adaptive track and field, adaptive pickleball and adaptive swimming. The health center recognizes that there is a need in Oklahoma for competitive, youth adaptive sports to serve children with physical challenges.

boston scores

The mission of Boston Scores is to inspire youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world. In August 2024, Boston Scores achieved a long-standing vision with the opening of its multi-field soccer park, coach-mentor training institute, and headquarters in East Boston. Boston Scores realized a long-standing vision with the opening of its multi-field soccer complex and office headquarters in East Boston, which houses the organization's new Coach Mentor Training Institute. Boston Scores’ Coach-mentors receive targeted training from Scores staff and recognized experts in youth development, mentoring, coaching practices, social-emotional learning and trauma-informed care. The goal is to provide a framework of continuous learning to help coach-mentors promote the development of the whole child.

casper ice arena

The Casper Ice Arena, part of the City of Casper (Wyoming) Recreation Division, focuses on providing opportunities to people who are engaged or interested in ice-related activities. Launching summer 2025, the All Summer Hockey Program promotes the physical, mental and social well-being of children ages 7-12. Throughout the summer, kids develop their hockey skills, participate in educational workshops, create art and sample alternative physical activity outside the rink to build confidence in their abilities, stay active and learn life skills. Participants continuously play and work in groups beyond hockey programming to develop social self-assurance and creative smarts.

chandler park conservancy

The Chandler Park Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming Chandler Park into a vibrant, safe and accessible hub for recreation, education and environmental sustainability on Detroit’s Eastside (Michigan). The Chandler Park Conservancy has launched a program to increase access to skateboarding for underrepresented youth ages 7-17. The program provides introductory skate clinics, safety workshops and community skate days primarily during the summer. Equipment is provided to students that don't have their own skateboarding gear, that they can keep if they attend session on a consistent basis. The initiative will be expanded to run from May through September after school and on weekends. The six-month skateboarding program will provide structured lessons, mentorship and open skate sessions. The Conservancy is collaborating with local skaters, schools and youth organizations to recruit diverse participants and ensure the program is youth-centered and culturally responsive.

chicago run

Chicago Run annually empowers 7,000 youth from pre-K through high school with equitable access to inclusive running and physical activity programs. Chicago Run parents with more than 30 schools and community organizations. Recently, Chicago Run expanded engagement through its Junior Coach Program, which offers youth the opportunity to take on emerging leadership roles in programming. The program is designed for Chicago Run alumni in high school students with paid opportunities in coaching, mentoring and more. As junior coaches, participants collaborate with site-based coaches to deliver curriculum, engage in professional development workshops and gain hands-on experience.

city schools sports association

City Schools Sports Association (CSSA) supports New York City schools by providing a comprehensive extracurricular program focused on interscholastic athletics that serves more than 4,000 students ages 6-19. In September 2024, CSSA began serving the Lexington School for the Deaf in New York City by providing three seasons of sports–cheer, track and basketball. The goal is to develop and implement a sports program at the school that fully integrates certified ASL interpreters into every aspect of athletic participation.

family leadership experience at middletown ymca

The Middletown (New York) Y is a community-based organization committed to nurturing the potential of every child and teen, promoting healthy living and fostering a deep sense of social responsibility. The Y is launching a program in collaboration with the Family Leadership Experience called Let's Talk Sports, which will engage parents and their children (ages 6-10) in discussions about sports using game-based dynamics. The program will provide structured opportunities for parents to hear from their children, understand what excites them about sports, and explore different options. Over four guided sessions, the program helps parents connect deeply with their children through shared conversations about their sports – what they enjoy, their strengths and interests, peer conversations, and ultimately, where they go afterward in sport. By allowing kids to elevate their voices, the Middletown Y hopes to inspire kids to keep playing.

flag star football foundation

The Flag Star Football Foundation began 10 years ago, with a core program of coed weekend youth flag football leagues in the Washington, D.C. metro area. In 2025, Flag Star kicked off a partnership with DC Prep, a public charter school serving pre-k through eighth grade high at-risk. Flag Star and DC Prep developed a plan for league play, forming three coed teams of DC Prep kids by combined grades and one all-girls team. Because many students were new to flag football, the league intentionally started the season a month early for practices, sending Flag Star coaches after school. The extra month allowed Flag Star to work with DC Prep staff as they “coached the coaches.” Flag Star initially led practices, but simultaneously passed on coaching techniques, productive drills, simple plays and rules knowledge. The program was designed for sustainability and succeeded in creating a positive team culture at DC Prep.

Irving elementary school & girl Scouts Troop #3402

Girl Scouts Troop #3402, comprised of girls ages 9-12, plans to use this award in partnership with Irving Elementary School in Kewanee, IL to play Gaga Ball by building a gaga pit. The troop played Gaga Ball for the first time at camp and wanted to bring it to their community, where there are no pits locally or in neighboring towns. They plan to have the court funded and installed before the start of school in August 2025. This court is an opportunity for the students to be physically active during recess and P.E. classes within a fun and safe environment. The troop will also include an ADA-compliant door or gate and ADA-compliant pathways to be accessible for students with disabilities.

great lakes regional field hockey

Great Lakes Regional Field Hockey (GLRFH) was created in 2019 to serve the Southeast Michigan community through inclusive field hockey programs and activities. GLRFH recently launched an initiative called Gym Class Takeovers to introduce field hockey to students through in-school sport sampling and active, exploratory play. During Gym Class Takeovers, GLRFH coaches lead 50-minute sessions that emphasize fun, free play and skill discovery, allowing students to learn the sport in a low-pressure environment in school. This initiative also includes professional development for physical education teachers. GLRFH coaches provide on-the-ground instruction, modeling effective teaching strategies and equipping P.E. teachers with the knowledge and confidence to incorporate field hockey into their long-term curriculum. They also assist schools in applying for grants to purchase field hockey equipment at discounted rates.

nooksack valley school district

Everson Elementary School is a rural school that serves a diverse population of Washington State students including youth in the Nooksack Indian Tribe. The school’s P.E. teacher asked his students what they would like added to recess. Many answered they love to run but did not have a place at school or near their houses in rural areas without sidewalks. In fall 2024, they decided to implement a recess running club on a gravel track that was formerly closed to students at recess. Every student has a running pass with a unique QR code so they can track how far they run, jog or walk with their friends by scanning passes with the teacher’s iPad. The iPad keeps track of their mileage throughout the year with weekly log updates posted by the teacher. Students have been setting a wide range of goals for themselves. Because this program has been so popular, they plan to continue it next school year and bring more recognition to student accomplishments.

p1440 Foundation

p1440 Foundation is a nationwide nonprofit organization committed to expanding youth access to sports, mentorship and personal development. The foundation expanded its p1440 Gives Back program in summer 2024 in Thousand Oaks, California. p1440 Gives Back is a school- and community-based initiative that delivers beach volleyball instruction alongside integrated social-emotional learning programming. By partnering directly with school districts, parks departments and youth-serving organizations, p1440 brings the full experience directly to students. Each site hosts the program one to two days each week over eight weeks, blending fun, fundamentals-based volleyball instruction that’s centered around helping students connect with their inner voice and advocating for themselves.

Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation

The mission of Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation (PBRF) is to support the work of Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which aims to discover the triggers of chronic diseases through innovative research that improves human health across the lifespan. The Behavior Technology Laboratory: Health, Performance, and Resilience, at PBRF works closely with athletes, researching population specific needs and implementing those findings to optimize performance and wellness. This organization aims to expand upon this work by creating a handbook of best practices for coaches to foster mental resilience in young athletes. The primary goal is to provide a tool to enhance coaches’ confidence in training and communicating effectively with their players on mental health and performance optimization. This handbook will include educational content and practice scenarios to help coaches and staff translate the information into actionable behaviors. PBRF plans to partner with local Baton Rouge programs and schools to implement this resource.

Santa barbara youth Ultimate

Founded in 2014, Santa Barbara Youth Ultimate has existed to build, grow and sustain a happy, healthy and thriving community for people in Santa Barbara County through Ultimate frisbee. Four Girls Ultimate Clinics, set for September and October 2025, aims to introduce young girls ages 10-12 to Ultimate. The primary purpose of the clinic is to provide an inclusive, fun and educational environment for girls to explore Ultimate. By focusing on skill development, teamwork and Spirit of the Game, the clinic allows participants to experience the sport in a pressure-free setting to hopefully encourage long-term participation in physical activity.

St. William Athletics Association

The St. William Athletic Association serves the students of St. William School and children of St. William Parish, an urban Catholic community in Cincinnati, Ohio. To ensure the program had enough baseball players, coaches and resources to field recreational teams at every age group, St. William and St. Teresa of Avila elementary schools combined for the 2025 season. St. William already welcomed students from two neighboring schools that did not offer baseball (St. Lawrence and Romero Academy – Resurrection), so the combined program now represents all four schools in its regional family of parishes. Sports fees are intentionally kept low (a maximum of $50 per season) with financial support from alumni and community partners. The combined program, known as Westside Catholic baseball, is also establishing a blueprint for how four schools and parishes can work together to create new opportunities or maintain existing access for kids at a time when resources are dwindling.

Sporting Brookside

Sporting Brookside’s mission is to provide affordable, quality youth soccer programs that build positive character through participation in a fun, family-oriented environment. Sporting Brookside is implementing the Soccer Parenting Resource Center and The Sideline Project to support parents and coaches on and off the field. The Soccer Parenting Resource Center supports parents throughout grassroots soccer by providing expert advice and reading materials before, during and after the season. The goal of the Sideline Project code of conduct is to provide support to their in-house referee pool, volunteer coaches and staff to create a positive community and league culture and mitigate unacceptable behavior.

A Project Play Champion applicant must highlight a new action that will launch or take place between May 2024 and December 2025. This action should demonstrate alignment with at least one of the Youth Sports’ 8 Plays or School Sports’ 8 Plays, create more opportunity to expand or improve program offerings to youth, and show alignment with the program’s or school’s mission and values. Areas of action could include: