What if the next great athlete in Washington, DC, is simply waiting for an opportunity to try something new?
Maybe it’s a child picking up a tennis racket for the first time. A young person lacing up ice skates. One discovers that they belong on a basketball court, in a gymnastics gym or on a cheer mat. Or a young person looking for a place to go after school where they can be active, make friends and feel like they are part of something.
For me, that sense of belonging is one of the most powerful things recreation can provide.
Sports should be available to every young person who wants to play, learn and grow. That is why the DC Department of Parks and Recreation is continuing to build developmental sports programs that do more than teach the fundamentals of a game. We want young people to develop skills, confidence, discipline and friendships while discovering a lifelong love of being active.
And importantly, you don’t have to be a star to be in our show.
Our goal is to create pathways for everyone—from the child with special needs or the child who has never played a sport to the young athlete who is ready to compete at competitive travel play.
This fall, those pathways stretch across the District.
Our youth football program is serving 941 young athletes across 42 teams, supported by 121 coaches. And with DPR’s citywide football season now underway, families can catch games on Saturdays and cheer on their neighborhood teams. Our tennis and pickleball programs are also growing, giving young people opportunities to learn the game, build their skills and experience competition.
At the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, our partnership with DC Public Schools is introducing approximately 525 fourth-grade students from 21 schools to tennis this month. That’s more than an afternoon on the court. For many of these students, it could be their first introduction to a sport they may continue playing for years.
We’re also investing in our youngest athletes through programs like Tiny Tots tennis, while creating opportunities for experienced young players through tournaments, leagues and other competitive experiences.
And we’re not stopping with the traditional sports.
At Fort Dupont Ice Arena, DPR is expanding opportunities for young people to discover hockey, including new affordable programs starting at age 7. Our partnership with DC Public Schools will also bring Learn to Skate programming to as many as 3,500 fifth-grade students this winter.
For me, one of the most exciting parts of this job is making sure young people see themselves in sport and have a pathway to stay there.
We’ve seen tremendous interest in girls’ programming, from gymnastics and cheer to basketball. Our gymnastics program became so popular that we implemented a lottery because demand exceeded available space. Our Citywide Cheer program continues to grow, and our competitive cheer teams travel the country, bringing home championships and experiences that stay with them long after the competition ends.
We’re also looking ahead to opportunities like an all-girls hockey program because every girl deserves the chance to discover a sport, find her people and see where her talent can take her.
That is what developmental sports are really about.
Yes, we want young people to learn how to pass, shoot, skate, swing, dive, run and compete. But we also want them to learn how to work with a team, overcome challenges, celebrate someone else’s success and believe in what they can do.
Sometimes a recreation center becomes more than a building. A coach becomes more than a coach. A team becomes more than a team.
It becomes your place!
I hear young people refer to recreation centers as “my rec” all the time. It’s their safe space and they take pride in it being theirs. That is the kind of experience we want to create for our young people across the District.
And if your child doesn’t find the right fit this fall, there is no need to worry. Winter program registration opens November 4, bringing another opportunity to find something new.
Start with what’s available in your neighborhood.
Encourage your child to try a class. Join a team. Pick up the racket. Get on the court. Step onto the ice. Step into the gym.
They may discover a new talent. They may make a new friend. They may find a coach who sees something in them that they haven’t seen in themselves yet.
Because developmental sports are about much more than developing athletes.
They’re about developing confidence, creating connections and giving our young people room to play, belong and thrive.
We are not just here to fill program slots. We’re opening doors for young people to grow, connect and find their place.
So as fall registration continues, I encourage DC families to explore what’s happening at your neighborhood recreation center and across DPR.
Come play with us.
