How to Help Kids Help Kids

Each year, we anchor the Summit in the voice of youth – their lived experience. This year, we ask student leaders what they need to help more peers develop as people through sports.

• Arden Pala, 2024 Sports Illustrated SportsKid of the Year

• Maegha Ramanathan, Founder and CEO, Girls4Sports

• Ayanna Shah, Founder, Second Serve

• Moderator: Kaya Henderson, Executive Director of the Center for Rising Generations and EVP, Aspen Institute

Joy of Sport for All

ESPN and the greatest shooter in basketball history share a common goal: They want all kids to play sports — and play with joy. They announce major new efforts that aim to achieve those objectives.

• Stephen and Ayesha Curry, Co-founders, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation (pre-recorded)

• Chris Helfrich, CEO, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation

• Kevin Martinez, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, ESPN

• Freddy Rolón, Head of Global Sports & Talent Office, ESPN

• Moderator: Malika Andrews, NBA Host, NBA Today & NBA Countdown, ESPN

COMPANION CONTENT

• How Oakland is mobilizing for kids

• State of Play Oakland report

• ESPN Take Back Sports campaign

• Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation

Project Play’s Theory of Change for sport in America

Developed by the Aspen Institute based on a decade of convening leaders, studying the world’s leading sport systems, and with input from stakeholders, the framework offers a set of opportunities to collaborate across a disjointed ecosystem.

• Tom Farrey, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

• Dan Porterfield, President and CEO, Aspen Institute

COMPANION CONTENT

• Project Play’s Theory of Change for Sport in America

• UC Berkeley white paper on Targeted Universalism

Rallying Around a Time-Bound Goal: 63X30

Leaders from our industry roundtable unveil plans on how they aim to contribute, starting this year. Learn about opportunities to plug into and build on these commitments in your communities and sectors.

• Pete Frintzilas, CEO, TeamSnap

• Kristine Stratton, President and CEO, National Recreation and Park Association

• Patrick Wilson, President and CEO, Little League International

• Moderator: Ashleigh Huffman, PhD,  Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

COMPANION CONTENT

• 63X30

• NRPA’s Youth Sports Framework

• How to Coach Kids

• Share ways to make Non-Member Contributions

Operationalizing the Right to Play

500+ organizations, World Cup host committees, athletes, mayors and governors have now endorsed the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports. Learn about the various ways that they are now catalyzing for action.

• Flynn Burch, Director, Global Philanthropy, Under Armour

• Lex Chalat, Executive Director, Soccer Forward

• Atuya Cornwell, Director of Parks and Recreation, Town of Chapel Hill (N.C.)

• José Massó, Chief of Human Services, City of Boston

• Moderator: Zaileen Janmohamed, President & CEO, Bay Area Host Committee

COMPANION CONTENT

• Boston news release on Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports

Coopertition: When Athletes are Mathletes

A conversation on what high school sports and robotics can learn from each other, and how to break down school culture walls to encourage students to participate in both science and athletics.

• Cody Burkhart, Neuroscientist, Mechanical/Aerospace Engineer

• Chris Moore, CEO, FIRST

• Lexi Muraco, Student, Pioneer High School, President, Robotics team, Varsity Water Polo

• Moderator: Ward Bullard, Director, Design for America

• Announcement: Brian Finegan, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Anthropy Partners

COMPANION CONTENT

• How Jocks and Mathletes Are Alike (Pocket)

• USA BMX Foundation curriculum

HOW CALIFORNIA CAN LEAD

The Golden State is the land of big ideas. What does California have in mind when it comes to youth and school sports?

• Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Co-Chair, Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being, First Partner of California

• In conversation with Malika Andrews, NBA Host, NBA Today & NBA Countdown, ESPN

How tech could rewire Youth Sports

Artificial Intelligence, streaming, virtual and augmented reality, and other powerful technologies will reshape the games kids play – but how? Can these forces be harnessed for good?

• Sameer Ahuja, President, GameChanger/SVP, DICK'S Sporting Goods

• Arjun Gupta, President of Telesoft Partners, Chair of Aspen Institute’s Artificial Intelligence Steering Committee

• Dan Reed, Chief Operating Officer, Reality Labs, Meta

• Moderator: Malika Andrews, NBA Host, NBA Today & NBA Countdown, ESPN

COMPANION CONTENT

• CES session on AI and sports

Playing with Fire: How to Rebuild with Resilience

New Project Play research shows the average youth athlete lost seven days annually to extreme weather – and that was before the fires in Los Angeles consumed neighborhoods, parks, pools and schools. What can be done to protect play in a warming world?

• Gary Hall Jr., U.S. Olympic swimmer, former resident of Pacific Palisades

• Matt Libber, Executive Director, Maryland SoccerPlex

• Jessica Murfree, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina

• Moderator: Jon Solomon, Community Impact Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

COMPANION CONTENT

• Baton Rouge State of Play report

• Climate Impact Lab on climate change’s impact on football

Why We Play: How Sports Changed Parenting

A best-selling author reflects on the ways that today’s youth sports model shaped his approach to raising children, how much has changed over the generations, and how the opportunities and pressures have formed the young people who move into adulthood.

• Michael Lewis, author of The Blind Side, Moneyball and Playing to Win

• Moderator: Tom Farrey, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

• Introduction and announcement: Britt Salvesen, Curator, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

COMPANION CONTENT

• Playing to Win (audiobook)

Project Play Summit 2026 ANNOUNCEMENT

State of Play 2025: Who’s Playing, Who’s Not

Dive deep on recent Project Play survey results and the latest sport participation trends with the help of our research council members, sports parenting experts, and international partners.

Presentation by:

• Jordan Blazo, PhD, Associate Professor, Louisiana Tech University

• Nicole Bolter, PhD, Professor, Kinesiology, San Francisco State University

• Travis Dorsch, PhD, Associate Professor, Human Development & Family Studies, Utah State University

• Moderator: Jon Solomon, Community Impact Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

Respondents:

• Ian Goldberg, iSport360

• Melissa Jacobs, Good Game

• Asia Mape, I Love To Watch You Play

School Sports at a Crossroads: What’s Our Purpose?

NIL, school-hopping and other trends are challenging the traditional model for high school sports. How can we ensure that the values of health and education are in place as we go forward?

• Ari Manrique, Student Assistant Coach, Cal Women’s Soccer 

• Franky Navarro, Commissioner, Oakland Athletic League

• Karissa Niehoff, EdD, CEO, National Federation State High School Associations

• Ron Nocetti, Executive Director, California Interscholastic Federation

• Moderator: Vince Minjares, PhD, Program Manager, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

COMPANION CONTENT

• ACL field guide

• Forbes: Sports betting on high school games, Pop Warner

Learnings on the Road to 1M Coaches Trained

Over the past four years, the organizations of the Million Coaches Challenge have introduced new coach education programs. What have we learned? Explore implications for the field.

• Suzu Cornella, Manager of Coaching Education, US Olympic & Paralympic Committee

• Brian McFadden, Program Manager, National Recreation and Park Association

• Kelsey Moore, Director, Future of Youth Sport Americas, Nike

• Jessy Newman, PhD, Senior Researcher, American Institutes of Research

• Moderator: Kevin Connors, Managing Director, Susan Crown Exchange

Mapping Sport Deserts: New Tools to Assess Need

Learn how city governments, NGBs and nonprofits are using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify gaps in availability and barriers to access in youth sports.

• Tim Gable, Chief Product Officer, US Soccer Federation

• Matt Kelley, PhD, Director, The Action Mapping Project

• Jeff Lambart, Director of Analytics, City of Boston

• Mal Mizen, Managing Director for North America, Kinetica 

• Moderators: Martin Fox, Program Manager and Ruby Avila, Program Associate, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

COMPANION CONTENT

• Boston Sports Facilities map

• Boston Youth Sports Hub

Get Latinas in the Game

Hispanic girls are among the largest underrepresented populations in sports and represent one of the greatest opportunities to lift participation to 63% nationally. Explore strategies to get and keep them playing, recognizing the unique challenges they face.

• Ruby Avila, Program Associate, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

• Patty Godoy, CEO and Co-Founder, ELLA Sports Foundation

• Hector LaFarga, Jr., CEO, After-School All-Stars

• Joestrid Medina-Rodriguez, Regional Head Coach/Bilingual Coordinator, Indianapolis RBI

• Moderator: Domenika Lynch, Executive Director, Aspen Institute’s Latinos & Society Program

Keep Boys Playing

The gender gap in youth sports is closing – but mostly because the participation rate among boys has plummeted since 2012. Meanwhile, rates of social isolation, drug deaths, and suicides have grown rapidly. How to address an unfolding crisis?

• Antonio Davis, CEO, National Basketball Retired Players Association

• Larry Miller, Author, Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom

• Richard Reeves, Founder, American Institute for Boys and Men

• Moderator: Derek Van Rheenen, PhD, Faculty Director, UC Berkeley School of Education

COMPANION CONTENT

• AIBM report: “Boys Are Falling Behind Girls in School. See How”

Design for the Hardest to Reach

Youth with disabilities often face the greatest barriers to sport participation. We unpack the challenges for the populations falling within this category, with an eye toward solutions that can be scaled.

• David Greig, Co-founder and Development Director, ParaSports Spokane

• Daniel Openden, PhD, CEO of Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center

• Emily Seelenfreund, Executive Director, Bay Area Outreach and Education program (BORP)

• Eric Wilfrid, Chair, Special Olympics Northern California

• In conversation: Marley Alcantara and Jonathan Perez, Unified Athletes

• Moderator: Dawna Callahan, CEO/Founder, All In Sport Consulting

• Introduction: Marimo Berk, Board Member, UNICEF USA

Re-Engineer competition for retention

Competitive Engineering (CE) involves re-designing competition formats, rules, equipment and facilities to both keep sport fun and support long-term athlete development. Hear from leaders putting CE into practice.

• Kyle Albrecht, VP and GM, MLS Next & MLS GO, Major League Soccer

• André Lachance, Senior Director, Casting, Coaching & Performance Medicine, Cirque du Soleil

• Karin Pfeiffer, PhD, Director, Institute for Study of Youth Sports, Michigan State University

• Eloisa Tejero, Board Member, San Francisco Youth Soccer

• Moderator: Vince Minjares, PhD, Program Manager, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

COMPANION CONTENT

• Luka Dončić Foundation report - Inside Youth Basketball

• American Development Model

the Future of Injury & Athlete Health Care

Injuries suffered in youth sports, like ACL tear, have serious, life-long consequences. Leaders discuss innovations aimed at risk reduction, streamlining care, and improved access to athletic trainers. 

• Cindy Chang, MD, Chair Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, CIF, Professor Emerita UCSF Sports Medicine 

• Bert Mandelbaum, MD, Vice Chair, Cedars Sinai Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery

• James Russomano, Assistant Director, Athlete Health, Hospital for Special Surgery

• Holly Silvers-Granneli, PhD, MPT, Physical Therapist and Director of Research, MLS

• Charlie Wund, CEO, Injure Free

• Moderator: Stephania Bell, Senior Writer and Injury Analyst, ESPN

COMPANION CONTENT

• ACL injury field guide

Athlete Safety 101: Blueprint for Safer Sport Communities

Explore the essentials of athlete safety within sports organizations, including policy development, education, training, compliance, and incident response. Learn actionable strategies to prioritize athlete well-being and establish a culture of safety.

• E. Ashley Dean, CEO, Platform 1440 Foundation 

• Joel Dragan, Executive Director, Florida Youth Soccer Association

• Lisa McCoy, Director, Athlete Safety Advisory, Players Health

• Carlos Salazar, Director of Investigations, Players Health 

• Moderator: Stephania Bell, Senior Writer and Injury Analyst, ESPN

• Announcement: Lauren Rhyne, Senior Manager, Mission Delivery, Players Health

States: Building a Department of Youth Sports

Every state has a federation to govern interscholastic school sports. What if there were a body to support and help organize youth sports? We imagine what that could look like, drawing on Project Play governance resources and a nascent proposal in California.

• Hon. Josh Newman, former Senator and Chair, California Senate’s Education Committee

• Kevin Loeb, Managing Director, Strategy, Learning & Evaluation, Weinberg Foundation

• Sheila Ohlsson Walker, PhD, Senior Advisor, Project Play Colorado

• Fernando Ramirez, Chief Policy & Public Affairs Officer, Play Equity Fund

• Hannah Thompson, PhD, Assistant Research Professor, Community Health Sciences, UC Berkeley

• Moderator: Michele Newman, Senior Advisor to Former State Senator Josh Newman

• Introduction by: Tom Farrey, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

Federal: It’s a Whole New Ballgame

Government spending and staff are being cut, and Congress could pass legislation that reshapes college and Olympic sports. Our panel assesses what’s at risk for youth sports, where wins could be found, and how to navigate the new terrain. 

• Katie Adamson, Vice President, Health Partnerships and Policy, YMCA of USA

• Jared Cooper, Executive Director, FUNDPlay Foundation

• Jennifer Dionne, President, The Dionne Company

• Ramogi Huma, President, National College Players Association

• Moderator: Ashleigh Huffman, PhD, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

• Presentation: Betsy Cooper, Director, Aspen Policy Academy

The Coaching Landscape: Making Sense of Messy Terrain

Aspen is mapping the landscape of youth coaching at all levels – from settings to competencies. How do we meet needs and fill gaps? Dive into resources, hear from leaders building strategies, and help us identify advocacy opportunities.

• Cam O’Riordan, VP Sales & Revenue, etrainu

• Alicia Pelton, Program Director, Coaching HER 

• Anthony Vitale, Director, Coach & Player Development, PGA of America

• Jake Weiss, Director Research & Insights, US Tennis Association

• Moderator: Vince Minjares, PhD, Program Manager, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

MEET the Disruptors

No region develops and scales game-changing ideas more readily than the Bay Area. Local innovators – from product to program – share one out-of-the-box insight or idea that can help unlock new opportunities or expand the reach of your organization.

• Pam Baker, Founder, Women’s Coaching Alliance

• Khalid Cannon, Donor & Development Lead, Put Me In!

• Ashley Hunter, Founder & Executive Director, Fit Kids

• Kevin Kelley, Founder/Executive Director, Oakland Lacrosse

• Laura Medina-Quintanar, Executive Director, Northern California, Playworks

• Colin Schmidt, Executive Director, Bay Area chapter of America SCORES

• Dana Weintraub, MD, CEO, Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative

• Moderator: Clare McSweeney, Founder & CEO, Kuul Play  

Meet the Collaborators

Learn from Bay Area innovators using data to inspire collective action and the embrace of best practices in youth development, cultural proficiency, and health and safety protections.

• Robert Marcus, Chief Community Impact Officer, Positive Coaching Alliance

• Chen Kong-Wick, Program Manager, Department of Expanded Learning, Oakland Unified School District

• Nicholas Williams, Superintendent of Recreation and Community Services, San Francisco Recreation and Parks

• Moderator: Jennifer Brown Lerner, Deputy Director, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program

Meet The Problem-Solvers

We need new tech, ideas and business models for youth sports. Join our friends at Anthropy Partners as they launch a challenge to create them from scratch, with the help of Bay Area innovators in medicine, software, AI, business and engineering.

Panelists:

• Robert Knight, MD, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, UC Berkeley

• Emily Kraus, MD, Professor, Orthopedic Surgery, Stanford University

• Steve Sanders, CEO, Spire Academy

• Brooke Wurst, Managing Partner, RAIS3 Partners

• Moderator: Jon Nordby, Co-Founder, Anthropy Partners

Judges:

• Marques Colston, strategist, entrepreneur, former NFL receiver

• Patty Hubbard, Chief Marketing Officer, Bay Area Host Committee

• Kyle Price, Chief of Staff, Roblox

• Host: Brian Finegan, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Anthropy Partners

In 2013, Project Play was launched as the nation's first cross-sector effort to build healthy communities through sports. Today, with the Aspen Institute serving as field catalyst, it's a movement of thousands of organizations across the U.S. and beyond –- sharing knowledge and developing actions aligned with our strategic frameworks.