Youth Sports Task Force

The KRPA Youth Sports Task Force was created in 2006 to increase awreness and improve youth sports by providing leadership, materials, and education for your sports administrators and the public. Members of the task force are professionals from park and recreation agencies from throughout Kansas who administer youth sports programs in their local communities and have a strong interest in promoting youth sports and developing initiatives which will improve the way youth sports programs are conducted.

As recreation leaders, the Youth Sports Task Force wants to take a leadership role in ensuring that children are allowed to participate in a healthy environmentand under a set of specific values and that we push for positive reform in youth sports in our respective communities and throughout the state.

The Youth Sports Task Force has developed initiatives designed to push forward its goals of promoting youth sports in a positive fashion throughout Kansas

Youth Sports STAR Award Sponsored by SSCI

The Youth Sports STAR (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Attitude, Respect) is given by the Kansas Recreation and Park Association annually to the youth sports team in the state that best demonstrates the values of sportsmanship as reflected by its players, coaches and parents.  Teams may be nominated by KRPA member agencies who have signed the Our Promise to Kids commitment.

The Youth Sports STAR Award is sponsored by Southeastern Security Consultants, Inc. (SSCI)

To nominate a team for the Youth Sports STAR Award, click on the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award link below and fill out the application.

Outstanding Sportsmanship Award

Previous Winning Communities

2006 - Blue Valley (Blue Valley Royals,  Baseball)

2007 - Dodge City (Pick Chiropractic Boys 5th/6th Grade Basketball)

2008 - Cheney Cardinals (5th Grade Girls Basketball)

2009 - Salina CNB Southeast Trojans (10 and under baseball)

Minimum Standards for Youth Sports in Kansas 

In an effort to give support and direction to communities or organizations who administer youth sports programs, the Youth Sports Task Force has developed "Minimum Standards for Youth Sports in Kansas."

The Minimum Standards for Youth Sports In Kansas outlines the minimum that is needed to assure communities offer children a safe, fun and stress-free sports environment. Professional or volunteer administrators need to have a full understanding of how to ensure every child has a safe and fun experience.

Click here for a copy of the Minimum Stands for Youth Sports in Kansas.

Minimum Standards for Kansas

Our Promise to Kids

Our Promise to Kids is a set of value statements which should serve as the foundation for how programs are administered.  It's designed to provide coaches, parents and participants with the knowledge that their local park and recreation department and youth organizations care about each child involved in youth sports programs and are committed to making youth sports better for children in Kansas.

We are asking that KRPA members who administer youth sprots programs adopt these promises by signing the document (link below) and returning it to the KRPA office.  Then, we suggest that you distribute them to every parent and participant to let them know that we are serious about positive reform in youth sports in our communities.

Those park and recreation agencies which sign the "Our Promise to Kids" document will then be eligible to nominate a team from their community for the Outstanding Sportsmanship (STAR) Award.

Our Promise to Kids

Our Promise to Kids list of values

Youth Sports Task Force

Chair
Brent Peintner (Cheney Recreation Commission)

Committee Members
Rob Arneson (Haysville Recreation)
Brad Clay (Olathe Parks and Recreation)
Nick Garcia (St. John Recreation Commission
Steve Geddes (Valley Center Recreation Commission)
Lee Ice (Lawrence Parks and Recreation)
Tim Kerbs (Salina Parks and Recreation)
Dan Mahanke (Leawood Parks and Recreation)
Tom McEvoy (Emporia Recreation Commission)
Ryan McKee (Manhattan Parks and Recreation)
Bill Meagher (Hays Recreation Commission)
Donna Nelson (Liberal Parks and Recreation)
Daniel Pyle (Ellis Recreation Commission)
David Rains (Coffeyville Recreation Commission)
Chuck Reinert (Lafkin Recreation Commission
Skyler Rorabaugh (Turner Recreation Commission)
Ricci Tucker (Winfield Recreation Commission)
Ralph Rust (Andover Parks and Recreation)
Travis Scheele (Salina Parks and Recreation)
Mike Schmidt (Hays Recreation Commission)
Brock Shafer (Leawood Parks and Recreation)
Nancy Sharples (Topeka Parks and Recreation)
Jason Steadman (Newton Recreation Commission)
Jeff Todd (Blue Valley Recreation Commission)
Marc Trent (Hutchinson Recreation Commission)
Derrick Wilde (Blue Valley Recreation Commission)
Brian Toby (Shawnee County Parks and Recreation)