Laserfiche WebLink
8 ATHLETIC FIELDS STUDY <br />City of Elk River, Minnesota <br />TIME COMMITMENTS <br />Talk with many parents and one will realize the amount of time that is dedicated <br />to supporting their children in youth athletics. Driving to and from practices, <br />watching games, and volunteering is taking up more and more of a parent’s time. <br />When you introduce weekend tournaments, that commitment is even more <br />prominent. As families spend more time at fi elds, ballparks, and other sports <br />facilities, the demand for support facilities also grows. This may include things <br />such as wi-fi , concessions/food, and playgrounds/splash pads for siblings. <br />HIGHER EXPECTATIONS <br />Between the fi nancial and time commitments that many families make for youth <br />athletics, it is not surprising that expectations about facilities and competition <br />have risen. Families and athletic associations are requesting more of the park <br />organizations that support them. This includes the quality of fi elds, the times that <br />are available for practice, the support facilities, and the overall user experience. <br />SAFETY <br />Safety has always been an important consideration for youth athletics, but recent <br />developments have shone a light on it even more. As we learn more about <br />concussions and their long lasting impacts, there is a growing push to change <br />and improve games to reduce the risk of head injuries. While football is the most <br />cited sport, changes have also come to other sports as well. Heading in soccer <br />and hitting at the younger levels in hockey and lacrosse have both been subject <br />to recent rule changes and shifts in how sports are played and practiced. This has <br />also led to increased requirements for the training of coaches and in some cases, <br />the introduction of baseline testing for athletes. <br />As specialization increases, so does the potential for specifi c use injuries. The <br />University of Wisconsin has led the research on specialization and the relationship <br />to injuries. One of their key fi ndings is that youth athletes that only participate in a <br />single sport for a larger portion of the year are more likely to suff er repetitive use/ <br />overuse injuries and a higher prevalence of lower body injuries in general. This <br />has the potential to change training practices for athletes, particularly in sports <br />that have multiple seasons. <br />Since 2020, the impact of COVID-19 has been felt in athletics. The need for social <br />distancing has changed the way dugouts and sidelines are designed and operate. <br />Moving forward, new facilities may expand these areas to accommodate the <br />requirement for more room. Indoor facilities will need to pay more attention to air <br />circulation and fi ltration. Players are also being tested and it is not uncommon for <br />athletes to have to miss competitions and training if they are exposed or infected. <br />The impacts of this time off and the potential cardiac impacts necessitate an <br />informed approach to bringing players back into game shape. <br />Facilities are also improving with regard to safety. While some older folks may <br />brag about playing on the sandlot with rocks and packed dirt, playing surfaces <br />are much improved and players and parents are demanding safer fi elds. Fields <br />are more closely managed to ensure a more consistent and safer surface. This <br />can include the use of sand based fi elds, new ag-lime technologies, irrigation, <br />improved drainage, warning tracks, and artifi cial turf.