Recreation Leagues vs. Travel Ball: The Battle Continues

9/1/2022

The struggle for field space is an ongoing challenge in many communities, as recreation leaders search for solutions for meeting the needs of recreational and competitive sports programs.

At our upcoming 21^st annual Youth Sports Congress in Orlando, Fla., on Nov. 16-19, Aileen Henderson and Dave Ramirez will be presenting a session on Recreation Leagues vs. Travel Ball: The Battle Continues.  

They will be sharing tools that have been used to eliminate the battle for field time and space among the recreational programs and travel teams using facilities at Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation in Tampa, Fla., a past recipient of the Excellence in Youth Sports Award presented by NAYS and Athletic Business. 

At this informative session, attendees will learn how to: 

•Evaluate your own challenges that may exist when a variety of youth sports providers are competing for participants and fields. 

•Discover and outline new ways to approach the challenges of balancing recreational and competitive programs. 

•Develop and execute programming plans specific to the needs of the youth sports environment in your community. 

Aileen Henderson, a passionate and driven sports administrator, has worked with Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation for the past 25 years. During this time, she successfully managed 50-plus sports organizations servicing a combined 30,000 participants and volunteers. As a former athlete, she also understands the need for competitive and recreational opportunities for every skill level. Her production of successful programs is owed to the experience she gained as a player, coach, instructor, parent and administrator.

Dave Ramirez has been with the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department for 31 years. He oversees 51 sports complexes involving 59 youth athletic programs, including baseball, softball, football, cheerleading, soccer, lacrosse, and cricket. He has several mottos he uses to help maintain motivation and focus, but his favorite is simply --- Look Forward, Move Ahead. 

The Youth Sports Congress is a comprehensive educational experience designed specifically for youth sports administrators. Early bird registration is open! Get registered here. You can also check out the full Youth Sport Congress Schedule. Registration includes attending the NAYS Youth Sports Congress and the AB Show, plus general registration includes earning (or updating) the Certified Youth Sports Administrator (CYSA) credential via the Academy for Youth Sports Administrators.

Reach out to us at yscongress@nays.org.

Congress Hillsborough Recreation Travel Teams Field Space Leadership

Search