Project Play Western New York is driven and funded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s Youth Sports & Recreation focus area in partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program.
Project Play Western New York envisions a community in which all children have the opportunity to be active through sports.
Every child—regardless of location, income or ability—should have access to fun and fulfilling physical activities that build confidence and set them on a path for lifelong success.
Project Play Western New York is modeled after Project Play’s “Eight Plays.” These are eight strategies identified by the Aspen Institute to help children become—and stay—physically active through sports.
Nine out of ten kids say “fun” is the main reason they want to play sports. So, there’s really only one question: “What sounds like fun?”
Children who spend more time in less structured activities are generally better equipped to set their own goals and take action on them. Those children also display higher levels of academic creativity as college students.
By providing more athletic opportunities to children, we can increase the probability they will find a sport they enjoy. That improves the chances they will continue to play sports throughout their lives.
Travel teams often add complexity and cost to sports. That doesn’t translate to success or satisfaction for the children who participate in them. The answer? In-town leagues.
Sprawling mega-sports complexes are all the rage in suburbia, but for most kids, a quality play space can also be a simple, cost-effective one. In urban areas, this could mean finding modest spaces to develop into mini-fields. These locations are easier to find and can be developed for as little as $15,000. A full-sized turf field can cost as much as $1 million.
We need to accept that kids are not miniature adults. They deserve an experience that recognizes their mental, emotional and physical stages of development, and builds on them. The goal should be to improve, not to win. Games and drills with small teams lead to more individual chances to touch the ball and build key skills. This allows children to develop in their sports as they develop in their bodies.
A coach can develop a lifelong athlete – or destroy a child’s love for sports.
We must increase the number of credentialed coaches in the U.S. At minimum, they should be trained in:
Nine out of ten parents have safety concerns, especially regarding concussions. Youth sports should produce positive health outcomes. Therefore, policies and rule changes that eliminate or greatly reduce head contact for kids 12 & under should be introduced.
We want to empower you to make the biggest difference for our children. Below, you will find materials and resources to aid you in helping to improve the state of youth sports in Western New York.
To better understand the state of youth sports in our communities, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation commissioned three regional studies by the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society Program. Out of that research, Project Play was born.
Read The Report
The research that came out of State of Play was eye-opening. It gave us tremendous insight into how we can shift the state of youth sports in Western New York and Southeast Michigan and help shape the futures of our children and our communities.
Watch The Video
In addition to its own grantmaking, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation established Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo to support localized projects across the eight counties of Western New York. Interested in applying for a grant to improve youth sports in your community? Visit the Community Foundation’s website for grant guidelines and the current timeline.
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The Women’s Sports Foundation is dedicated to creating leaders by ensuring that all women have access to sports programs and opportunities. Together, we can strengthen young women through programs that help shape healthy bodies, sound minds and aspirations for success.
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Playworks helps kids stay active while they build valuable social and emotional skills through play. Learn how you can create opportunities for play in your schools and youth programs.
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Through Good Sports, you can give children the gift and lifelong benefits of sports and physical activity by providing them with the equipment, apparel and footwear needed to get in the game.
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Please join us for the Project Play Western New York Free Play Challenge Event. Building off the success of the Project Play Western New York Community Conversations, this free event will take place on Sunday, May 5, 2019, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the ADPRO Fieldhouse, One Bills Drive in Orchard Park.
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As Project Play WNY reaches its one year milestone, we feel fortunate to partner with so many longstanding youth sport organizations in Western New York, and would like to share the good work of these organizations. Up first are the Buffalo City Swim Racers.
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We are organizing events to bring together individuals and organizations throughout our region to address the calls for action in the State of Play WNY report.
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As 2019 moves into full swing, all of us at Project Play WNY are excited for what we will be launching and how it will serve as a reset on youth sports in our region.
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Building upon the initial Built to Play Initiative, another $1 million is now available across Western New York and Southeast Michigan for creative ideas that incorporate play into everyday life in unexpected places
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For those of you who know me, to say that sports are in my blood is an understatement, and I was excited to hit the ground running in my new role as Director for Project Play WNY.
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Did you hear? Oct. 17, 2018, was an incredible day for Western New Yorkers of all ages who want to get outside and play. In honor of what would have been Ralph C. Wilson, Jr.’s 100th birthday, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation announced a $100 million investment in Western New York’s parks and recreation…
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Project Play WNY had a strong showing of participants and honored guests at the national Project Play Summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. Hosted by the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program, the annual Summit is the nation’s premier gathering of leaders in youth, sport and health.
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Tom Farrey is executive director of the Sports & Society program at The Aspen Institute. Tom speaks during the presentation of State of Play: Western New York, a study on youth sports participation at the Holiday Valley Lodge in Ellicottville.
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Former pro football player Thurman Thomas and other experts explain why early sports specialization may not be a good idea for our youth. They tell how a multi-sport background and the availability of safe, high-quality play spaces can greatly benefit the development of young athletes.
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As part of their Built to Play initiative, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation will be funding the development of nine innovative new play spaces. Made possible by KaBOOM! and their Play Everywhere Challenge, communities were given the opportunity to reimagine their public spaces to encourage play.
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To give kids more opportunities to engage in active play, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation teamed up with the Tony Hawk Foundation to build skateparks in underserved communities of Western New York. Up to five new skateparks will be built with the first round of funding.
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Project Play WNY is a Collective Impact Initiative jointly funded by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo with support from the Aspen Sports & Society Program. The work of Project Play is driven by a 24-member Advisory Council who are committed to creating more youth sport opportunities in the eight-county region of Western New York.
To ensure progress in all eight counties, the Advisory Council appoints Working Groups whose members are from various communities in our region and who have first-hand experience in launching quality programs. Below is the listing of the 2018-19 Project Play WNY Advisory Council.
Director
Project Play WNY, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Vice President, Programs and Communications
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
Program Officer
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
Executive Director
Aspen Institute Sports and Society Program
Program Manager
Aspen Institute Sports and Society Program
Project Coordinator
Aspen Institute Sports and Society Program
Bisons General Manager
Bison Baseball Inc.
President/CEO
Buffalo-Niagara YMCA
Executive Director
Population Health Collaborative
Executive Director
Niagara Police Athletic League
President & CEO
People Inc.
VP of Community Relations
Buffalo Bills
Associate Professor of Sport Management
Niagara University
Buffalo Promise Neighborhood
M&T Bank
President
Buffalo Sabres Foundation
President & CEO
Visit Buffalo Niagara
Executive Director
Police Athletic League
Director of Athletics
Buffalo Public Schools
Executive Director
Native American Community Services of Erie and Niagara Counties
Consumer Affairs Manager
Wegmans Food Markets
Board Member
Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Principal - West Hertel Academy
Buffalo Public Schools
Paralympics - Gold Medal Winner
The Sled Hockey Foundation Inc.
Deputy Commissioner - Division of Parks & Recreation
City of Buffalo
Scholar Mentoring Supervisor
Say Yes Buffalo
Executive Director
Section VI Sports
Assistant Superintendent
Buffalo Public Schools
Executive Director
Niagara River Greenway Commission
Director of Athletics
Alfred University
President & CEO
United Way of Buffalo & Erie County
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We want to hear from you. Email us at projectplaywny@cfgb.org or call us at 716-852-2857 ext. 240.
