Celebratng 50 years of community with Sports Illustrated and NRPA.

Here are this month's Sportstowns! These towns jave been chosen by NRPA and Sports Illustrated as some of th best in the U.S.at enhancing the quality of sport through parks and recreation. Keep reading to learn how these Sportstowns improve community through sport. And keep reading Parks & Recreation every month to find out about other winning Sportstowns. For a list of winners to date, see www.nrpa.org.

The National Recreation and Park Association congratulates this month's featured America's Sportstown winners.

ARLINGTON COUNTY, VA

Teaming Up to Win

Nothing is left to guesswork, wishful thinking or pie-in-the-sky plans for the Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Resources (DRPRC). Staff and policies apply an unusual degree of mindfulness and commitment to the needs of its roughly 190,000 residents, who live in a 25.7-square-mile mix of urban and suburban community in the heart of the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. This high-density population of a highly diverse mix of races, religions, languages and ethnic groups, as well as a large aging population, requires all innovative approach to both program needs and the use of limited land space for recreation.

The emphasis Arlington County places on recreation and sport reflects the central importance of its philosophy: "The pursuit of leisure, including sports activities and programs, is a condition necessary for human dignity and well-being, and sports are a part of a healthy lifestyle and productive life." Sport and recreation is not merely one way to fill spare time, but is essential to living well. As a result, Arlington has amassed an array of programs and facilities, partnerships and inclusiveness that mirror this philosophy. Examples include the following:

* Arlington County has launched the NRPA Hearts N' Parks initiative. This program is a collaboration between NRPA and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to encourage people to engage in regular activity, aim for a healthy weight and follow a heart-healthy eating plan. The community-based programs are aimed at stemming the rising tide of obesity and heart disease in the U.S.

* Arlington County was chosen as one of four communities (including Houston, Minneapolis, and San Diego) to participate in a study conducted by the University of Delaware and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to investigate the relationship between health and local park and recreation use in adults ages 50 and over.

* Arlington County has adopted the Asset Development model as the cornerstone of its programs for youth. Youth programs are specifically designed to nurture developmental assets using adult role models, giving kids an opportunity to use time and energy in constructive ways, allowing young people to participate in planning programs, having high expectations and fostering competence of youth on many levels.

* The DRPRC partners with numerous other agencies and nonprofit organizations, including the police department, public and private schools, local YMCAs, league and club sports across all ages, as well as local universities.

* Arlington youth sports leagues have had a guaranteed play rule in effect since the early 1980s. The DRPRC contributes to a culture in which participants enjoy playing, emphasize fun and skill development, and yet are challenged to perform at their highest potential.

* Good sportsmanship is demanded of all coaches, parents, players and officials. All participants in area sports agree to a specific code of conduct created to place the emotional well-being of players ahead of any personal desire to win. Fun, safety, respect and good sportsmanship are paramount values emphasized throughout all sports programs.

Arlington County has used its resources wisely and, despite dense development of its small amount of space, it has facilities rivaling any larger community. These include 36 miles of trails, petanque courts, frisbee golf courses, synthetic fields, 111 natural and alternative surface athletic fields, a state-of-the-art gymnastics center. youth boxing, 13 neighborhood recreation centers each with indoor gymnasiums and weight and fitness equipment and trainers, 95 tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds and athletic tracks.

Plans for the future include new field complexes, an award-winning skatepark design, new basketball and tennis courts, handball walls and new outdoor lighting for existing facilities. The community shows its support with bond issues totaling nearly $8 million to cover the costs for these projects. Plans are in progress for a new 26-acre park site, and the redesign of existing park and high school complexes including the upgrade of an aquatic facility. The Washington Capitols professional ice hockey team and the Virginia Baseball Authority are working with Arlington to create an indoor ice hockey practice facility and a Major League Baseball stadium.

Arlington residents are truly fortunate to live in a community that recognizes the importance of sports and recreation lot all its residents and teams up with all possible players to win.

BARTLETT, TENN.

Little City, Big Heart for Sports

Nestled in the southwest corner of Tennessee, Bartlett is a small suburban town of only 10,500 in the greater metropolitan area of Memphis. There's no chance, however, that Bartlett will be overshadowed by its bigger sister-city, at least not in its distinction as Sportstown, USA. In an area of less than 20 square miles, Bartlett is a well-planned city of parks, trees and greenways. There are 25 city parks, scattered within walking distance of every neighborhood in Bartlett, including more than 16 miles of walking trails, creating a green, fitness-friendly town.

It would be hard to find a small town that has focused more attention and resources on fitness recreation and sports than Bartlett has. For proof, look no further than the $5.5 million, 55,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Bartlett Recreation Center, which opened three years ago. Nothing has been overlooked in an effort to provide every Bartlett resident access to every imaginable fitness and sports resource, with an aerobics studio, weight room, racquetball and wallyball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, an eight-lane lap pool, treadmills, elliptical trainers, recumbent and upright bikes, and spin cycles. Residents can't use small children as an excuse not to get involved--there's an on-site childcare facility available for parents with young children. Plans are already in place to add an outdoor pool and several tennis courts.

Bartlett hasn't stopped there. The city has renovated both its Singleton Community Center, which is home to the arts including the physical arts such as dance and martial arts, and its Senior Center, catering to the needs of Bartlett's growing retirement population. For the icing on the cake, Bartlett has just opened a new $1.2 million, four-field, multi-use ball complex, concession area and conference center.

Recreation classes start kids early for a fit life with programs designed for children as young as three years old, with a huge array of activities for ages six to adult. There are challenge ladders and both league and non-league play to satisfy every competitor from youth to adult. Bartlett Recreation Center just hosted its second annual Kids Triathlon for children seven to 15, featuring age-appropriate competition in the traditional swim/ bike/run event.

Don't know how to play? Need a personal trainer? Want to study a martial art or yoga? Certified coaches, trainers and teachers are on hand for each activity. Every Bartlett coach has been trained and certified by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association, and knows the importance of fair play, team spirit and good sportsmanship. In addition, every personal trainer and teacher is certified in his or her specialty. Continuing education is required of all coaches and teachers so that each staff member remains informed and professional.

In Bartlett, no one is a bench warmer. Every player gets a minimum playing time, including a full quarter in basketball, a defensive inning and one at-bat in baseball, and at least eight points in a volleyball game. This inclusiveness demonstrates just one aspect of a deeply committed philosophy of sportsmanship, respect and understanding apparent in all of Bartlett's recreational programs and teams.

Despite the tremendous resources that have already been devoted to sports and recreation in Bartlett, city planners want to make sure that this focus is preserved in the future. The importance of sports and recreation has been emphasized prominently in its "Bartlett Vision 2020" assuring that it will remain a Sportstown, USA, for future generations.

HONOLULU, HAWAII 

Most Valuable Player--The Pacific Ocean

The most important player on the Hawaiian sports scene is, of course, the ocean. What better setting for a sports enthusiast--year-round tropical weather, perfect water, perfect waves and a community of residents who have thrived on outdoor activities for generations? Hawaii is, without a doubt, a sports paradise, and Honolulu is its thriving center.

Hawaii's cultural heritage is bound to the water; and today, the same traditional water sports that were played by the indigenous kanaka maoli people are played by Hawaii's now-diverse population. Surfing competitions on the area's notorious large waves, foot races through lava terrain and swimming races along the coastline are common events. For traditionalists, though, paddling is not only an immensely popular activity--it's the official state sport and is practiced throughout the year with races of distances from a quarter-mile to 10 miles, by all ages of competitors Clubs and schools keep the competition stiff, with whole communities cheering on their teams.

Honolulu attracts competitors from all over the globe with its exquisite weather and scenery and its open and embracing populace. The Honolulu Marathon capitalizes on these unique qualities and has become the largest international foot race in the U.S. Korean professional baseball teams hold spring training in Central Oahu Regional Park every year. In February 2003, Honolulu's Tennis Center complex was the site of the United States Tennis Association National Open Championships for juniors.

The Eden-like setting doesn't tell the whole story, though: Honolulu has made the most of its resources, both natural and human, and has created a system of parks and services that are truly spectacular. The city of Honolulu is responsible for all the parks on the island of Oahu, home to 900,000 of Hawaii's 1.2 million residents. There are more than 1,000 playing fields and courts serving every conceivable sport, plus public skateparks, shooting ranges, pools, gymnasiums and the world-class Waipio Soccer Complex (drawing competition from all over the world). The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation serves more than 100,000 residents, from toddlers to senior citizens, with nearly 900 sports programs.

The city of Honolulu has demonstrated its commitment to maintaining and improving existing facilities, and to developing new venues. During the past live years, Honolulu has invested more than $410 million in its parks and recreation facilities.

To be a Sportstown, USA means that an essential standard of inclusion has been met, and Honolulu is no exception. The city has assured that the recreational needs of all its residents will be met with a promise to provide modifications to enable participation for those with disabilities. Therapeutic recreation staff will train personnel, reduce the staff-to-participant ratio, and modify equipment or activities to accommodate the needs of all. Every publication from the Department of Parks and Recreation includes a written statement of its commitment to serve everyone regardless of ability or disability, specifically inviting requests for therapeutic accommodations.

The welcoming "aloha" spirit is alive and well in this Sportstown, USA, with a paradisiacal setting and the Pacific Ocean the perfect back drop.

SALT LAKE COUNTY, UTAH 

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

It's certainly no wonder that Salt Lake City was home to the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Salt Lake Valley is overflowing with great natural beauty; perfect weather for both summer and winter sports; access to five national parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyon-lands, Capitol Reef and Zion); and some of the greatest siding in the world. The Salt Lake Valley is home to a community of sport and outdoor enthusiasts that enjoy one of the country's greatest systems of local parks and recreation facilities. Just like a perfect 10, it just doesn't get any better than this.

Salt Lake Comity Parks and Recreation was established in 1946 to help provide organized sports for a growing population of 250,000. Now it serves close to a million people--more than 40 percent of the entire state's population--with 69 parks, 15 recreation centers, 19 swimming pools (including eight indoor facilities), six golf courses, four Olympic-sized ice sheets, two world-class four-diamond softball complexes and a bicycle motocross facility.

For 30 years, Salt Lake County Equestrian Park and Event Center has provided horse lovers with a space to ride, board, show, race and play polo. This premier facility is home to rodeos, horse races, trade shows and concerts throughout the year.

The Historic Wheeler Farm was a 75-acre dairy farm in 1886 that was purchased by Salt Lake County in 1969 and entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Today it operates as a restored educational institution to demonstrate the best of rural farming at the turn of the century.

The Jordan River Parkway is a partially completed trailway running north to south through the Salt Lake Valley, passing through cattail-spiked wetlands with gracefully arching willows, and abundant wildlife and birds. Seven miles of trail have been paved for bicycles and pedestrians. The trail includes amenities such as parking areas, restroom facilities at trailheads, and pedestrian underpasses and overpasses for crossing roadways.

Recreation programs are available for all ages and abilities, and for every conceivable sport and leisure activity. A full offering of adaptive programs and services, designed to be broadly inclusive, is open to everyone. Programs include leagues, clinics, lessons and social opportunities such as Saturday Night Dances and summer teen socializing. Most facilities and parks throughout the park system are accessible and negotiable via wheelchair, while the older, less accessible parks are being converted as quickly as possible. A park accessibility brochure is in the works to provide a guide to residents with disabilities.

Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation knows that one of its most important responsibilities is to the county's youth, and it places tremendous importance on training and certification for its volunteer coaches, professional staff and game officials. Training includes coaching and communication, safety and emergency procedures, and standards of conduct. Mindful attention is given to sportsmanship, the importance of friendly competition and an inclusive philosophy of "everyone plays, everyone wins." With more than 8,000 volunteers annually who attend mandatory training sessions, Parks and Recreation ensures that everyone involved knows more than just the game rules and has the necessary skills to advocate for every one.

Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation is continually sensitive and responsive to the changing needs of its residents, looking forward to the future. Innovative funding initiatives such as the Z.A.P tax (Zoo, Arts and Parks), passed in 1996, provided Parks and Recreation with about $50 million to build 12 major parks projects to answer those needs. In addition, the county allocates roughly $10 million a year for Parks and Recreation, and along with other sources, funding provides for maintenance and continual improvement of its amazing system of parks. Salt Lake County has clearly earned its gold medal status as Sportstown, USA.