Mid-West City makes recreation fun for all.

Cedar Rapids, a city of 120,000 nestled in eastern Iowa, has a long-standing tradition of recognized excellence in the realm of community sports and recreation. The city of Cedar Rapids Recreation Department (CRRD), recipient of the 2001 Governor's Award for Sports and Physical Fitness, is funded largely by taxpayers; in turn, the organization's structure and orientation reflects the continually growing and shifting recreation needs of the citizenry it serves. Such reciprocal reinforcement is one of the hallmarks of a Sportstown.

The CRRD's primary aims are to improve the quality of sports in the community, provide programs that meet the changing needs of the residents, offer opportunities that allow individuals to progress to different levels, and seek improvement in facilities. By keeping a trained eye on citizens' needs as well as on nationwide trends and maintaining a flexible outlook, the department has consistently remained at the forefront of sports and leisure nationwide. Recently, the CRRD has offered the first roller hockey leagues in the city, worked to get new outdoor basketball courts built and existing ones renovated, and partnered with citizens to build a skate park. The department's view of sports and recreation as a wholly dynamic environment has remained a key philosophical underpinning--the chief contributor to its success and to locals' enjoyment of its programs and hence a marked boost in their overall quality of life.

CRRD takes pride in the environment it provides. The standards of conduct for parents, coaches and participants are based on information collected through partnerships with national sports organizations, such as the NBA and the NFL. This information is provided to parents at the outset of all programs and helps them to understand the pressures on young athletes, relationships with coaches, sportsmanship, parental do's and don'ts, dealing with other parents, and health, safety and fitness topics. Adult programs follow the American Sports Association conduct rules for profanity and abuse of umpires.

Department volunteers and coaches are trained prior to the start of each program. Together, supervisors, coaches and volunteers review skills, practice plans and expectations, and also receive three days of classroom-based training in the summer. Parents are informed at the start of each sport what the program is about and are apprised of the department's philosophy, the expectations of participants, and their own responsibilities. Parents are given tips on how to assist their children in learning their chosen sport at home. Youth programs use coaches with proven knowledge of relevant rules as officials.

Skill development is the focus and mission of programs. Prior to any competitions, several sessions are held in which drills and skills instruction are the only components. CRRD programs offer "small-sided" games for competition, which maximizes the potential for skills development even in competitive settings.

Programs embrace an "everyone plays, everyone wins" philosophy. This approach builds self-esteem, self-worth and value. In addition, through the department's focus on inclusion of individuals with disabilities (a wide range of Special Olympics programs is supplied), different economic backgrounds and different skill levels, people with very different backgrounds meet and develop lasting friendships. In this way, the CRRD's contribution to community spirit greatly transcends sheer involvement in sport.

The scope of the CRRD's program offerings is immense--more than 100 sports programs were offered in 2002, with nearly 12,000 people participating. In addition to a full slate of competitive leagues, there are numerous non-league opportunities available, including archery lessons, cross-country ski clinics, learn-to-skate classes, middle-school ski trips, basketball and football contests, open gyms, ice-rink open skates, and skate-park clinics and events.

Pro Ball Player for a Day (a program that allows kids access to the minor league ballpark for a tour and to play on the field) and Sports for Tiny Tots (introduces sports to three- and four-year-olds) are among the more popular non-league programs.

The Cedar Rapids Recreation Department owes much of its success to its fostering of a small-town feel among program participants. Many parents of current participants are themselves past players and want their children to be introduced to sports in the same sort of environment that encouraged their own love of recreation. Through the CRRD's cooperation with schools, staff members know which school that participants attend, and work to maintain relationships with their teachers, enabling them to communicate with kids about multiple aspects of their lives.

The CRRD strives to respect the differences in lifestyles and choices among all residents of Cedar Rapids. Whether approaching "extreme-sports" aficionados or baseball enthusiasts, the recreation department works cooperatively with independent organizations to provide something of interest to everyone. By remaining flexible and staying in touch with the public, the department is able to provide opportunities that encourage a love of sports--and of life--for all involved.

For more information, visit CRRD's Web site, www.cedar-rapids.org/recreation/index.asp.