22 Members Of Recreation Staff Certified For Youth Sports On January 22, 2021 In Phoenix

Phoenix AZ

23 January, 2021

2:19 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Phoenix: January 22, 2021 Despite the unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department staff have remained focused on providing essential service to the community. This includes ongoing professional development and certification for youth sports programming. Twenty-two recreation professionals from the department recently participated in the first-ever Virtual Youth Sports Congress conducted by the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS). The signature event of NAYS, the Congress has been held for the past 18 years at a variety of venues nationwide. This year's event was canceled due to the pandemic and a three-day virtual event was held in its place. The Virtual Congress format en abled attendees to still take part in sessions and learn all-important information, communicate with speakers and presenters, and engage with their peers. "I am so proud of our department and the incredible dedication and love our staff has for the youth of our community," said Georgeanne Soberay, Recreation Coordinator III for the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department and a Certified Youth Sports Administrator. "It is an honor to be associated with an amazing group of people who are committed to impacting young lives through the power of sports and who relish the opportunity to gain knowledge and insight on important youth sports issues to further enhance our programs." Four members of the department staff - Jason Capriolo, Robert Estfan, Karina Rodriguez and Scott Williams - earned their Certified Youth Sports Administrator (CYSA) credential , joining more than 5,500 worldwide who have that designation, while 18 others in the department maintained their CYSA designation. The following department staff members maintained their CYSA credential: Dave Adams Bexxy Aguilera Daniel Ayala Melissa Boyle Cody Cites Monyea Gandy Martin Gonzales Darvis Hodge Joey Jewell Eric Martinez Marcus McGuire Frank Montano Joe Ortiz Allyson Pacini Chris Parks Raymond Retiz Denise Romero Georgeanne Soberay "The Virtual Youth Sports Congress provided a great opportunity to continue the department's goal of working as one team, with one goal and one voice, to provide the best recreational opportunities to our youth athletes," said Dave Adams, Recreation Coordinator III for the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department and a Certified Youth Sports Administrator. "The virtual format not only allowed some who are normally unable to attend a conference the chance to learn and participate, but surprisingly, was able to nearly deliver the same level of content and interaction as an in-person event. Kudos to the NAYS staff for their hard work and dedication in making this a success." The three-day Congress line-up included informative sessions on important youth sports issues that addressed gender equity, inclusion, bullying, physical literacy, facility allocation, recognizing staff and volunteers, and specialization and injuries. This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author's own.