About
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County is the only six-time national Gold Medal winner for excellence in parks and recreation management in the nation.
The mission of the Department of Parks and Recreation in partnership with our residents is to provide comprehensive park and recreation programs, facilities, and services, which respond to changing needs within our communities. We strive to preserve, enhance, and protect our open spaces to enrich the quality of life for present and future generations in a safe and secure environment. The Department of Parks and Recreation’s youth sports vision is to deliver to County residents a seamless, easy access, one-stop experience for youth sports. This includes program registration, athletic permitting, coaches registry, access to information on public and private programs, camps and clinics, and access to public facilities for youth sports teams.
Youth sports programming is central to the Department’s mission, and programs are widely offered through multiple divisions within. Additionally, the Department of Parks and Recreation works with Boys & Girls Clubs, the Board of Education / Prince George’s County Public Schools System, and other independent sports organizations to implement current programs.
GAME ON: YOUTH SPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN FOR PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
Game On is a 12-month comprehensive assessment of youth sports opportunities in the County that will lead to the development and delivery of a multi-year strategic plan. This plan will build upon our rich tradition of participation in youth sports programs.
Led by the consulting firm BerryDunn, Game On is being developed in close collaboration between the M-NCPPC, Prince George’s County Government, partnered and independent youth sports organizations, and the community. At the end of the planning process, the Youth Sports Strategic Plan will be shared with the M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County for approval.
ELEMENTS OF THE YOUTH SPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN
The Department facilitates classes, clinics, leagues, and tournaments for various ages in the following sports: aquatics, baseball and softball, basketball, boxing, cross country, figure skating, football, golf, gymnastics, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. We have a long-standing relationship with the Prince George’s County Boys & Girls Club, providing administrative support for its athletic programs, including cheerleading. We also partner with regional professional sports organizations, colleges, and universities to provide enhanced sports programming.
We understand we need to grow our offerings and their delivery. Through the Game On planning process, we want to hear your ideas on what more we can provide to our residents.
Prince George’s County dedication to development of youth sports runs deep and is an important part of its prolific history. The strategic planning process considers this as one of the foundations of planning. We will ensure that we demonstrate a strong presence in the areas of youth development through sports in the County (for both participants and non-participants), and commit to creating a plan that weaves a thread of equity of access for families. Connecting recreational sports to school sports, collegiate and professional sports is part of our work. Team consultant Guy Troupe of Troupe 21 & Associates, is providing subject matter expertise through workshops and meetings with stakeholders and community members to provide the Department with a set of recommendations that will be implemented as part of the final plan.
The Department coordinates facility bookings and permitting of nearly 350 rectangle and diamond outdoor athletic fields, and tennis courts throughout the County for recreation, training and local, regional, and state outdoor athletic events. We also partner with Prince George’s County Board of Education on the shared use locations at designated public school locations. Additional facilities managed by the Department include the Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing Center and the Prince George’s County Stadium, home of the Bowie Baysox.
We are proud of our sports facilities and want to continually strive for world-class facilities for youth sports. Through the Game On planning process, we want to hear your ideas for how our fields and facilities can be improved.
Internationally renowned for their work in facility assessment, planning, design and development, Stantec Inc. is conducting an analysis of the properties that are currently in use for youth sports programming, and will provide information about gaps in facility needs to drive conversation about expansion and development of sports and recreational spaces.
Registration for programming for Spring, Summer, Fall, and/or Winter seasons is available 24 hours a day via Parks Direct. Residents and non-residents may sign up for classes, activities, trips and ticketed events, book rentals, make a payment, and more. An interactive online Guide features a comprehensive listing of classes, programs and activities coming up for the next seasonal session. Through the Game On planning process, we want you to tell us how the process to find out about programming and to register could be more efficient and user-friendly.
The Department recruits, evaluates, and provides training to volunteer coaches throughout the year. In addition, we have our own certified career and seasonal instructors who deliver sports programming at an exceptional level. Coaching youth sports is one of the most important ways adults influence the positive development of young people. Our youth coaches are committed and qualified, making participants' experiences enjoyable while ensuring safety and quality. Through increased partnerships with national and state governing bodies of sports in which coaches training is a benefit, this commitment and qualification will only be furthered.
The Department is committed to ensuring all residents of Prince George’s County are aware of our programming, including our youth sports offerings. Currently, we share information via our website, social media, email newsletters, and Your Guide to Parks and Recreation which is published four times per year. Please follow us on social media (links at the bottom of this page) and sign up for the Game On newsletter. We are also developing partnerships with media outlets to increase awareness. Through the Game On planning process, we want to hear your suggestions for further improving the marketing of our youth sports opportunities in Prince George’s County.
Project Timeline
The strategic planning process is organized in four phases, beginning in 2020 and continuing through 2021.
PHASE 1: Discovery
Our public engagement process uses a mixed methods approach including surveys, meetings, workshops, and interviews to create an inclusive process for the diverse population of the County. We are personally engaging members of the community through interactive online focus groups and through virtual Town Hall meetings. Stakeholders and community members are encouraged to stay updated on our process through this website and social media channels. We are also engaging a broad audience through an online interactive community input platform, Social Pinpoint.
PHASE 2: Assessment & Analysis
We are assessing the internal and external youth sports program offerings that exist throughout the County and any gaps identified in service delivery. We will assess whether the gaps can be filled using existing athletic infrastructure. Additionally, we will prioritize the need for any potentially new infrastructure that would be needed and/or expansion of current facilities to fill programmatic gaps.
We will also review existing partnership agreements for terms, consistency, and corresponding space usage and/or program provision and provide recommendations.
PHASE 3: Development of Strategic Plan
We will conduct visioning sessions with the staff and stakeholders to formalize the elements of the strategic plan. An outcome of these workshops will be the development of strategic goals, objectives, and initiatives included as action plans. A formal presentation will be made to the Executive team for approval after the final draft has been completed.
PHASE 4: Implementation
After the final plan has been approved, we will host implementation workshops with staff to formalize a process that will ensure that the strategic plan is operationalized. This session will also include a discussion of the organizational culture that is needed in support of effective implementation. This includes areas such as the leadership system, performance measurement tracking, and techniques to ensure ongoing employee engagement in the process.
- How do I find out more about previous Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County master plan efforts?
- Are you engaging with the County Executive’s Office and other local municipalities?
- How are you ensuring you are engaging with a diverse audience in the planning process?
- Will this plan eliminate any of my favorite sports or providers of those sports?