Kansas City youth not getting the recommended levels of physical activity, preliminary research shows

This was discussed on the youth athlete panel, with many of the players advocating for parents to support kids in the way that is best for the child’s needs. One player talked about how she made it an open dialogue and talked to her parents about how they can support her in the way she needs.

Outside of parent involvement, the event also touched on the fact that organized sports aren’t always available to everyone—whether that’s due to financial constraints or physical abilities. For children and youth with disabilities, it can be difficult to find opportunities to play organized sports that are accessible to them.

“How do we bridge the gap and make inclusion really possible? So, we’re bridging the gap having wheelchair basketball players and regular able-bodied basketball players do a scrimmage,” said Wesley Hamilton, executive director of Disabled But Not Really.

This was yet another topic mentioned during the youth sports panel by a player who has a disability. She expressed the importance of offering more adaptive opportunities for youth and children while also giving them the opportunity to play with their able-bodied peers.

One place that helps promote activity for children and youth—despite its inconclusive grade in the report card and varying laws/requirements between Kansas and Missouri—is schools. Schools allow students of all ages and abilities to participate in various physical activities, which students might decide to continue outside of school.

USTA Missouri Valley provides training for physical education teachers to bring tennis into their curriculum in the five-state region covered (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma as well as parts of Illinois). This spring, the PE teacher training was introduced to the Kansas City School District.

Christine Scharenberg, curriculum and instructional coach with the Kansas City, Kan. schools, spoke about the positive impact this training had on the PE teachers in attendance and how kids in the school system will now get to experience tennis as a result.

The Kansas City Physical Activity Plan is being developed as a result of this initial research. The full report will be available later this fall.