Fall 2013

Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • fall 2013 In This Issue Cherokee County Invites ...

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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • fall 2013

In This Issue

Cherokee County Invites Its Citizens to Take the Plunge! www.grpa.org

Cooperation Through Competition

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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org

Recreation & Parks in Georgia is published for Georgia Recreation and Park Association.

In This Issue Departments 1285 Parker Road Conyers, GA 30094 770-760-1403 Fax: 770-760-1550 www.grpa.org

From the President.........................................................................4 Detrick Stanford, CPRP

An affiliate of the National Recreation & Parks Association

GRPA Corporate Members............................................................. 7

From the Executive Director.......................................................... 5 Jimmy Gisi, CPRP

Features Cherokee County Invites Its Citizens to Take the Plunge!......... 10 Georgia Return to Play Act of 2013..............................................11 Cooperation Through Competition............................................. 12

Advertisers Index Recreation & Parks in Georgia is published by Innovative Publishing Ink. Innovative Publishing Ink specializes in creating custom magazines for associations and businesses. Please direct all inquiries to Aran Jackson at 502.423.7272 or [email protected]. 10629 Henning Way, Ste. 8 Louisville, KY 40241 502.423.7272

AMEC............................................................................................ 14 Anaconda Sports............................................................................11 Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon, Inc.................................... 15 BCI Burke Company, LLC..............................................................6 Ewing............................................................................................. 14 John Deere......................................................................................9 Innovative Fitness......................................................................... 15 Most Dependable Fountains, Inc...................................................2 Musco Lighting............................................................................. 16 RJ Thomas Mfg. Co., Inc.............................................................. 13 Sports Turf Company, Inc............................................................ 15 Wood+Partners Inc....................................................................... 15

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published September 2013 • 2013/2

www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia

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From the President

Creatures of Habit or Not Excerpt reprinted with permission from The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work, by Shawn Achor

Detrick Stanford, CPRP

“Would you be surprised if I told you beer is not a great source of vitamin D? Or that watching hours of reality television will not dramatically raise our IQ? Probably not. Similarly, we all know that we should exercise, sleep eight hours, eat healthier and be kind to others. But does common knowledge make doing these things easier? Of course not, because, in life, knowledge is only part of the battle. Without action, knowledge is often meaningless. As Aristotle put it, to be excellent, we cannot simply think or feel excellent; we must act excellent. Yet the action or habit required to follow through on what we know to be true is often the hardest part.

“Given our natural tendency to act out of habit, noted American philosopher and psychologist William James surmised, couldn’t the key to sustaining positive change be to turn each desired action into a habit so that it would come automatic, without much effort, thought, or choice? You see, habits are like developing financial capital: Forming one today is an investment that will automatically pay returns for years to come (unless you’re in a recession).” Continue to DREAM, BELIEVE, DARE, DO, but, most importantly ... DO!

Time

“Why — even though park and recreation professionals possess the requisite knowledge of being the lead agents of social change in our communities — do we often convey our value or worth only as it relates to the resources we have in hand and not necessarily those available to us? We work with countless professionals who complain that, every Monday they make the same resolutions: to develop new programs or maintenance standards, to be the inventor of community change; or to spend more time with staff members. Yet, every Friday, they find themselves wondering where the week went and what got in their way.

“The fact of the matter is that positive habits are hard to maintain, no matter how much common sense is involved. Like most people, I wage some resolution “to do better” in some area every January 1, and then, by January 15, I’m right back to where I started. All too often our pledges go unfulfilled and today’s dream becomes tomorrow’s afterthought. If our brains have the capacity to change, as we know they do, why is changing our behaviors so hard, and how can we make it easier?

Do 4

Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org

From the Executive Director

Are You Promoting a CustomerService Culture in Your Agency? Ask the employees of any parks and recreation department why their department exists, and most of them are likely to say, “We’re here to serve the residents of our community.” That is a predictable, safe response, and, in the case of exceptional departments, it is also true. Exceptional parks and recreation departments do not pay lip service to the idea of serving their residents. Conversely, they display their commitment to the residents in everything they do from answering the phone to responding to emails to developing quality recreation programs and facilities. “This would be a great job if it weren’t for the parents,” is the joking comment often passed around among recreation employees. Realizing that these parents are the invaluable customers we are hired to serve is what contributes to the exceptional department. Having a customer-service culture goes way beyond the individual encounters with your program participants. Exceptional departments build their processes, policies, structures and interactions around evaluating and fulfilling the needs and expectations of their customers. This philosophy is blatantly obvious at all levels of the organizational chart, with everyone marching to the beat of the same drum. Executives, managers and staff members know whom the department serves and keep the program participants in the spotlight and at center stage.

should instead be a diligent effort to make sure the right solution is found. Customer service is contagious. Once the ball starts rolling down the hill, it picks up speed. Extending compassion and courtesy and being committed to and professional in the workplace carries over to co-workers. The department has your back. Employees thrive in work environments where there is trust and mutual respect. When provided opportunities to grow and the necessary tools for the job, employees do great things. Customer-service training for all. Oftentimes overlooked in the busy new-hire process, a training course that explains what the department expects of its employees when it comes to customer service is imperative.

Jimmy Gisi, CPRP

There is one thing for sure. Without your program participants, there would be no need for your job or your department. A customerservice culture that is displayed by all employees ensures that accurate, courteous and timely responses are provided. Accomplishing these things should ensure your participants keep coming back even when you can’t tell them what they want to hear.

This customer-service culture does not equate into doing anything and everything requested. It does, however, translate into the department making every effort to understand its participants’ needs and doing its very best to meet them, as long as they are within the mission and budget of the department. Many great program ideas have come from listening intently to the opportunities and possibilities presented by the participants of a program. There are a few bright rays of sunlight that shine through when your agency has a customerservice culture. Everyone takes pride in his or her work. Completing tasks for the participants should not be a race to see who finishes first but www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia

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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org

GRPA Corporate Members Allstar Mounds Mike Morgan 706-278-7090 www.allstarmounds.com AllStar Mounds manufactures Fiberglass pitching mounds in Dalton, Georgia. AllStar Mounds will last many seasons and will make a big difference to your Baseball Program!

Breedlove Land Planning, Inc. Chip Brown 770-483-1173 www.landplanning.net Complete landscape architecture, site planning, and consulting engineering services for your recreation design needs.

AMEC Ron Huffman, ASLA, AICP 770-421-3400 www.amec.com Parks design, master planning, landscape architecture and engineering

Champion Recreation Kathi Hamby 615-217-3334 www.championrec.com Commercial playground equipment includes: Playcraft Systems, Earthscapes Structures Recycled Plastic, Berliner Net Climbing & Urban Play, Climbing Walls & Rocks; Skate parks; Waterslides & Spray Pads; Safety Surfacing; Site Amenities; Shade Structures; and Shelters. We’re also Licensed General Contractors installing everything we sell.

Architectual Design Specialties Ken Erdoes 404-367-0400 www.adsreps.com ADS offers design services, installation and maintenance for playground equipment, site furniture, safety surfacing, shade structures and splash pads. Authorized Landscape Structures Representative. Barker Specialty Adrienne Barker 888-227-5372 www.barkerorlando.com Barker Specialty Company your Promotional Product Supplier offers logoed products from bags to water bottles along with wearables, trophies and awards for your marketing needs. BCI Burke Company, LLC Luke Tautges 920-921-9220 www.bciburke.com BCI Burke is committed to designing, building and servicing the highest-quality playground, park and recreation products backed by the best warranty in the industry.

Fitco Fitness Center Outfitters Lance Gauntt 770-331-1050 www.fitcofitness.com Fitness equipment, roomdesign consultation, all related products and services Gametime/Dominica Recreation Products Rob Dominica 800-432-0162 www.drpinc.com Commercial Park & Playground Equipment, site amenities, shelters, bleachers, safety surfacing, GTShade, and GTH2O Spray Parks Georgia Power Company Dave Smolinski 770-621-2421 www.georgiapower.com/ business/outdoor-lighting/ Sports Lighting Design, installation and maintenance of outdoor sports lighting systems for venues of any type or size. Cleaning and re-lamping, free lighting analysis, purchase, lease and financing options.

Grasshopper Company Connie Estep 620-345-8621 www.grasshoppermower.com Grasshopper true zeroturn radius riding rotary mowers and quik-converter attachment system for year round implements. Greenville Turf & Tractor Susan Carter 864-527-1050 www.greenvilleturf.com Greenville Turf and Tractor is a supplier of John Deere golf and sports turf equipment, as well as, provide parts and service support Hasley Recreation & Design, Inc. Norvel Hasley 706-453-7908 www.hasley-recreation.com Playground equipment, skate parks, waterslides, aquatic playgrounds, pavilions, bridges Hat World, Inc/ Anaconda Sports Greg Cherny 888-914-6319 www.anacondasports.com Sporting goods Hayes James & Associates, Inc. Mark Bond 770-923-1600 www.hayesjames.com Planning, design and landscape architecture services for park and recreation projects. Hunter Knepshield Co. Tom Knepshield, Sr. 800-626-6530 www.hunterknepshield.com Commercial playground equipment, sports lighting and modular restrooms/ shower/concession buildings and park supplies

Innova Disc Golf Russell Schwarz 800-476-3968 www.innovadiscgolf.com The most complete line of discs & disc golf equipment and course design services Innovative Fitness Chris Conti 770-218-9390 www.innovativefit.com New and Used Fitness Equipment Rubber and Wood Athletic Flooring Fitness Facility Design Fitness Equipment Repairs jb+a park design studio Steve Provost 678-247-0730 www.jbplusa.com Park planning, design and landscape architecture KORKAT Kimberly Rickard 770-214-9322 www.korkat.com We provide Playgrounds, Metal Shelters, Safety Surfacing, Shades, PVC Umbrellas, Skate parks, Water Parks, Water Slides, Indoor Playgrounds, Pic Nic Tables, Benches, Trashcans, Outdoor Exercise Equipment, Dog Parks and Sports Equipment. We are a company of individuals who still value relationships with customers regardless of project size. Leisure Lines Inc. Claudia Mertl 770-968-4000 www.leisurelines.com Leisure Lines, Inc. Playground & Recreation Equipment Company is a Georgia corporation, founded in 1982. Since then we’ve maintained the same ownership and management. Our staff combines decades of recreation experience and we offer our expertise, exceptional products and services throughout Georgia.

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GRPA Corporate Members Lose & Associates, Inc. Whit Alexander 770-338-0017 www.loseassoc.com Park and recreation design, planning, landscape architecture, engineering and architecture Macon, Georgia Convention & Visitors Bureau Pauline Le 478-743-1074 www.visitmacon.org Macon is the best hidden and affordable tourist location. Stop by Downtown Macon Visitors Center for information on attractions, entertainment, hotels, and restaurants, and bring home locally made souvenirs. Contact us to plan your group’s visit to Macon. Musco Sports Lighting, LLC Rob Staples 800-756-1205 www.musco.com Musco Lighting specializes in design and manufacture of sports-lighting systems — offering major enhancements in energy efficiency, environmental light control and cost effectiveness. Musco offers solutions for indoor or outdoor, permanent or temporary lighting, with unique technology to address the needs of players, spectators, neighbors, and television broadcast. National Alliance for Youth Sports John Engh 561-684-1141 www.nays.org Adding value to existing youth programs (call us to offer NYSCA, PAYS or to earn CYSA credential) National Center for Sports Safety Jenna Beach 205-329-7528 www.sportssafety.org The National Center for Sports Safety promotes the importance of injury prevention and safety on all levels of youth sports through educational programs, research and analytics. 8

Play Struction Greg Taylor 704-487-7774 www.playstruction.com Woman-Owned Business Serving the Southeast Commercial Turnkey Playground Services SingleSource Accountability Certified and Fully Insured Playground Equipment, Installations, Surfacing, Audits, Inspections and Repairs Pond & Company Matt Wilder 404-221-1900 www.pondco.com Full Service park and recreation design firm providing Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering and Planning Services. Quillian Powell Construction Co. Greg Powell 229-245-0838 www.quillianpowell.com Quillian Powell Construction is a licensed general contractor with 25 years of experience in all types of construction, including gymnasiums and other recreation facilities. Raindance Media Solutions LLC Susan Riley 770-337-9634 We understand the special challenges and needs of Park and Recreation Departments and as your GRPA Media Specialist, we are here to help. You can count on us for all of your print, graphic design, online interactive publications, marketing and promotional products and advertising requirements. Meeting your unique and individual needs is our #1 priority. Simply put, we care. Richard Wittschiebe Hand Tanya Richard 404-688-2200 www.rwhdesign.com Recreational and Community Facility Master Planning and Programming, Architectural and Interior Design

SealMaster Atlanta Michael Wiemann 404-505-8888 www.sealmaster.net Tennis court coatings and asphalt pavement sealers Smith Garden Products Jenny Wu 800-242-7425 www.garick.com Southern Playgrounds, Inc. Warren Schlender 770-218-1912 www.southernplaygrounds.com Playground equipment Sports Turf Company, Inc. Dan Wright 770-832-8691 www.sportsturf.net Sports field construction SportSentry Systems Mike Rochester 205-304-6000 www.sportsentrysystems.com If tackling a new park, sports complex, skate park or refurbishing existing sports facilities or parks, SportSentry Systems can help! Trimax Mowing Systems Inc. Karl Stevenson 800-523-1167 www.trimaxmowers.com Trimax designs and manufactures a wide range of robust, easily maintained, tractor mounted mowers to suit a variety of applications. Trimax mowers deliver a clean cut and professional finish every time. Turfplaner of Georgia Clarence Mayes 404-374-3012 www.turfplaningservices.com Our patent pending Turfplaner is used for the precision removal of surface irregularities in all types of athletic surfaces/field renovation at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.

Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org

Water Technology, Inc. Brad Mallon 920-887-7375 www.watertechnologyinc.com Water Technology is a premier aquatic planning, design and engineering firm. Our portfolio includes waterparks, resort/ hotel pools, family aquatic centers, leisure and competitive venues, YMCA/YWCA pools, clubs and community developments, and therapy/ wellness pools. Wild Adventures Theme Park Sarah Pitts 229-219-7080 www.wildadventures.com Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Georgia, features one of the largest ride collections in the South, hundreds of exotic animals, Splash Island Water Park, and numerous all-star concerts. Wood + Partners Inc. Mark Baker 843-681-6618 www.woodandpartners.com Park, recreation and open space master planning, recreation needs assessments, preliminary site planning and analysis, public workshops. XGrass Andy Erler 678-878-8649 www.xgrass.com Playground safety surfacing

www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia

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Cherokee County Invites Its Citizens to Take the Plunge! by Bryan Reynolds, Director, Cherokee Recreation & Parks Agency Cherokee County families have a new place to BEAT THE HEAT! On May 9, Cherokee Recreation & Parks Agency celebrated the ribbon-cutting and grand opening of the new Cherokee County Aquatic Center (CCAC). More than 150 local leaders and citizens were on hand to christen the facility, which includes a 50-meter-by25-yard indoor competition pool; a fourlane, 25-yard indoor program pool; and a 9,000-square-foot outdoor leisure pool. General obligation bonds approved by the Cherokee County voters in 2008 for recreation and park projects funded the construction of the center, which is centrally and conveniently located within the county just west of Interstate 575. The facility was designed by Atlanta architects Cooper Carry and constructed by New South Construction. The 48,000-squarefoot facility and 18,000-square-foot outdoor pool area took 16 months to build and cost approximately $16 million. The leisure pool includes a zero-depthentry area, an aquatic playground, a 250-foot-long current channel and two 25-foot-tall water slides. It is open daily throughout the summer, and patrons can choose from daily admissions or season passes. Two pavilions are available to rent for birthday parties or other special

occasions. A full-service concession stand serves both the outdoor and indoor portions of the facility. Prior to the opening of the facility, local elementary and middle school students participated in a contest to name the leisure pool and create a mascot for the facility. The selection committee reviewed several wonderful and creative submissions before settling on the winner, submitted by the Mountain Road Elementary student council: The Oasis and Paradise the Pelican respectively. The Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in March declaring The Oasis to be the name of the outdoor pool and Paradise to be the mascot. The Oasis has been a very popular destination through the first two months, reaching maximum capacity nearly every day. Moving indoors, the Olympic-sized competition pool has a bulkhead that allows for multiple course configurations from 25 yards to 50 meters. Three local USA Swimming swim teams have rented lane space at the facility and began practicing there in May. Additionally, all six Cherokee County high school teams will hold their home meets at CCAC, which has seating for more than 700 overlooking the competition pool from the upper level. For the first time in its history, the countywide swim meet will actually be

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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org

held in Cherokee County. Through next May, CCAC is already scheduled to host 18 swim meets, including a USA Swimming IMX meet in January plus a couple of water polo events. The temperature of the 25-yard program pool is kept at 86 degrees and ranges in depth from 3 feet to 5.5 feet. With an ADAaccessible ramp, it is well suited for a wide range of aquatic programs. The center offers a full line of programs, including American Red Cross swim lessons, aqua aerobics, lifeguarding classes and more. In the first few months, the public has shown an increasing interest in programs, swim lessons being the most popular. Many of the classes are full, and the majority of the preschool classes have waiting lists. Water aerobics also became very popular, water Zumba and water boot camp having the highest participation rates. Employing a full-time staff of five and dozens more part-time and seasonal staff members, the Cherokee County Aquatic Center offers a full slate of recreational, competitive and instructional programming in a safe and well-maintained facility throughout the year. As the first public swimming pool in the county, CCAC is providing a new element of recreation never before experienced by Cherokee County citizens without leaving the confines of the county.

Georgia Return to Play Act of 2013 by Jeff Crowder, CPRP, Athletics Manager, Cobb County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs The Georgia Legislature has approved House Bill 48, which shall be known as the “Georgia Return to Play Act of 2013.” Effective January 1, 2014, all schools and organizations that offer youth athletic programs will be required to educate youth athletes and their parents to understand the dangers of concussions in sports competitions and to better recognize when an athlete may have sustained a concussion. This bill will impact parks and recreation agencies throughout the state that offer youth sports through their departments. To better define the requirements of this law, each agency must make preparations to be in compliance of this bill to include: 1. Concussion educational information must be provided to all coaches and officials. 2. Concussion educational information must be provided to all the athletes and their parents. The parent/legal guardian must sign an acknowledgment of receipt, and the organization must keep this on file throughout the season. 3. Steps 1 and 2 must be completed prior to the athlete beginning any athletic activity in your program. 4. It is strongly encouraged that all coaches and officials of a youth activity complete an annual concussion-recognition education course. The Georgia Department of Public Health is referring everyone to the “Heads Up – Concussion in Youth Sports” program offered by the CDC. On this site, you will find the following information: 1. Parent/athlete information sheets in English and Spanish 2. Program posters to have at your facilities 3. Online training program for coaches/officials 4. Coach’s clipboard sheets The CDC site has the option to order these items for your program; however, some of the items are out of stock and may not be resupplied any time soon. Department staff members may need to print them for distribution from the PDFs on the CDC site. The educational material that the parent/legal guardian must sign is a two-page document, so you may want to print it front and back. Departments should also put the forms as well as the link for the online training program on their agencies’ websites to allow the participants and their parents easier access to the program. Remember, the signed acknowledgment form must be collected and kept on file for the entire playing season, beginning with the first time the participant begins any activity that is covered by his or her registration fee. The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many as 3.9 million sports-related and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year. Concussions in sports are a serious issue with longterm risks and complications if not treated properly. Always remember, “When in doubt, sit them out!” Recognizing the signs and symptoms of a concussion is the key factor as to whether a child should return to play, and the training program provides valuable information to ensure the athlete is ready to get back into the game safely.

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GreG Cherny

E-mail: [email protected]

www.anacondasports.com

1-888-914-6319 x186 Fax: 845-336-5381

STRENGTH 

IN NUMBERS To be successful in any organization, you need the right kind of help. Let us help you create a magazine that your association can be proud of. To find out how your association can have its own magazine, contact Aran Jackson at 502.423.7272 or [email protected].

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Cooperation Through C mpetition GRPA Agencies Band Together to Keep Score and Keep Kids Safe and Educated by Colton S. Green, Director, Jefferson Parks & Recreation Department On July 29, somewhere between Blue Ridge and Lexington, a young boy will slip on a football helmet for the first time this season. Smiling from jaw pad to jaw pad, he won’t have any idea just how fortunate he is to be suiting up for one of the 26 high school feeder clubs that comprise the North Georgia Youth Football Association (www.ngyfa.org). While the league was informally founded in the early ’90s, the past eight years have brought explosive, yet controlled, growth. That growth, in combination with forward-thinking leadership provided by its member agencies, has allowed the NGYFA to provide services for its athletes and coaches on par with any recreational league in the country. Officially established in 2006 with 501(c)(3) status, the NGYFA operates with a clear mission statement to provide youth, through fair competition, the opportunity to participate in competitive recreational football. Member agencies emphasize teaching fundamentals, player development, safety, fun and sportsmanship for their players, coaches and parents. While the league is nearly three hours of drive-time wide, that does little to inhibit the ability of the leadership to unify to offer services that have a direct impact on the ability of coaches to ensure the safety and education of their players. After the 2011 season, the NGYFA affiliated with USA Football (www.usafootball.com) to offer NFL-funded and -endorsed coaches training and safety guidelines for league coaches. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, after moderate participation on the part of coaches and increased public awareness regarding concussions, the NGYFA elected to fund 100 percent of all membership for coaches in the league (the NFL funds 100 percent of all membership for NGYFA players). With the financial support of the NGYFA, every coach for all 26 feeder programs will have access to the resources, coaches education, drills and Heads Up Football training made possible through the research of NFL doctors and coaching specialists. “The NGYFA is a league that is consistently ahead of the pack. The initiative shown by their leadership is remarkable in terms of their desire to ensure that their coaches and players are receiving the best training available,” said Ed Passino, East Region director for USA Football. While coaching X’s and O’s — and doing it safely — is certainly important, the NGYFA understands that the responsibility held by youth football coaches expands far beyond the scope of putting their players in the position to win. In light of some of the more recent abuse stories in the news, recreation professionals must be mindful of the most common ways to ensure that child sex abuse does not occur within their programs. Having said that, identifying and reporting abuse has typically never been inside the realm of a recreation professional’s job, much less a volunteer coach’s. That paradigm officially shifted July 1, 2012, when Gov. Nathan Deal signed House Bill 1176 into law. By now, most know the bill 12

as the “Mandatory Reporter Law” that requires any volunteer working directly with youth to report any suspected abuse. While there is still some apprehension regarding how the law will affect volunteer coaches in a court case, the NGYFA has made a step to be proactive in 2013. Working directly with Tiffany Sawyer of the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, the NGYFA has made a commitment with Darkness to Light (www.D2L.org) to certify more than 1,000 youth football and cheer coaches prior to kickoff of the 2013 season. The training covers the statistics related to the problem of child sexual abuse, types of situations in which abuse occurs, strategies for combating abuse, the importance of discussing potential abuse with children and other adults, and identifying signs of abuse so that coaches and staff members may be able to intervene and act responsibly. While the training is available through facilitator-led classes, the NGYFA has elected to set a goal of 100 percent participation through convenience and no extra burden on their coaches. All NGYFA board members took part in the live, two-hour training, and the coaching community will experience the training through the online format. “While we understand that live training possesses more gravity for attendees, our goal is 100 percent participation. Reaching that goal is infinitely more attainable when allowing the training to be taken online instead of requiring every coach to attend preset two-hour trainings … especially over a geographic area as vast as the NGYFA,” NGYFA Commissioner Colton Green said. “Statistically, there are hundreds of children who have been abused, are being abused or will be abused in our service area. In our field, we are morally and professionally obligated to join the efforts to reduce and eliminate child sexual abuse in north Georgia.” Member agencies understand that cooperation through competition allows them and their coaches, players and parents to benefit in ways simply not possible if they attempted to do so alone.

Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org

“When the league was officially founded, Brad Ballard [former Meeks Park director for Union County] and Sammy Long [former director for White County] set the per team membership fee at $75. Everyone agreed that was sufficient to provide trophies and handle administrative costs such as league ID badges and a small website,” Green said. “Since then, we have added USA membership, Level 1 Coaching Certifications, Darkness to Light training, upgraded our website, upgraded our Super Bowl trophies, added cheerleading competitions, and provided leadership opportunities for parks and recreation professionals and volunteers in the area. I don’t think that any of us would have ever envisioned this eight years ago, but we’ve certainly been blessed to have had such an impact in our area of the state. None of it is possible without a hard-working Executive Board and their calculated support of expansion of the league. Bigger isn’t always better, but, with these opportunities, it’s certainly proven to be the case.” Recently, the NGYFA has negotiated with both HUDL (www. hudl.com) and Nike to offer deals that will further improve the quality of product on the field. While the HUDL deal is in its infancy, every NGYFA-affiliated team is afforded a discount on youth packages. “We’ve been asked to be a part of some of their beta testing for their youth product. It’s still in the early stages, but we hope, by this time next year, to have a contract with HUDL that will allow 175 youth football teams unfiltered access to HUDL’s products without coaches investing a dime of their money. We want the league to be as progressive as possible, and, if investing in film break study and encouraging our coaches to be efficient in their coaching efforts and game preparation is how we do it, then so be it,” Green said. “Removing financial and logistical obstacles is a great way to improve a child’s experience.” Identifying and securing alternative sources of revenue has been a successful venture as well. Although a relatively small portion of operating revenue, agreements with Teams-N-Action, advertisers on www.ngyfa. org and fees generated from the annual NGYFA Vendor Trade Show work to ensure that membership fees remain stable in the face of rising costs elsewhere. “Parks are faced with increasing costs in helmets, shoulder pads, insurance and many other facets of the business. The least we can do is work to maintain a predictable membership fee,” Green noted. “The NGYFA has never recruited a member park. We have always felt big enough but never so big that we can’t help a recreation department or association if they want to stabilize their football and cheer programs,” Green said. “Knowing that our consistent collaboration has produced the opportunities that exist today makes all of the sweat equity worth it. Football as the real American pastime is facing attacks as being unsafe and unhealthy — and rightfully so. However, if coached and played properly, the benefits afforded to players, coaches and their families go a long way in helping young boys grow into men ready to lead and succeed. We want to ensure the game remains healthy but, more importantly, that the athletes we are entrusted with receive the best.” www.grpa.org • Recreation & Parks in Georgia

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Official Publication of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association • www.grpa.org

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Georgia Recreation and Park Association 1285 Parker Road Conyers, GA 30094

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

OF THE GEORGIA

RECREATION AND

PARK ASSOCIATION

WAITING FOR THE ECONOMY TO CHANGE?

• FALL 2013

While you’re waiting, your competitors are changing their economy. They’re targeting Georgia Recreation and Park Association members who make purchasing decisions in this multi-million-dollar industry. And these members actively read this publication like you’re doing right now. In This Issue

y Cherokee Count ns to Invites Its Citize e! Take the Plung Throug Cooperation

h Competition

www.grpa.org

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WANT TO INFLUENCE THEIR BUYING DECISIONS?

Then contact Bob Sales at 502.423.7272 or [email protected] immediately!