Ikigai Summit 2024 Purpose & Play: Empowering Youth & Connecting Community Through Sport
Victor Johnson(CJHS), Dr. Julie McCleery (UW Center for Leadership in Athletics), and Mari Horita (Seattle Kraken) discuss sports as a transformational force for good. The current landscape of youth sports reveals significant inequities, with access and participation heavily influenced by socioeconomic status. This is a problem because sports can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. When done right, sports offers opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of crucial life skills. However, the prevalent pay-to-play system often prioritizes competition and extrinsic rewards, undermining the intrinsic joy and developmental benefits of sports. This model creates a situation where many children are denied the chance to experience the transformative power of sports.
Sports, at their best, are about connection, movement, and manageable stress, all of which contribute to healing and resilience5. They provide a space for children to learn about teamwork, perseverance, and self-discovery. When we shift the focus away from winning and towards intrinsic motivation, sports can truly become a vehicle for personal growth and community building. Organizations like the Seattle Kraken's One Roof Foundation are demonstrating this by creating programs that prioritize access and community engagement. These initiatives show that a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors can ensure that all children can experience the power of sports.
Key Takeaways:
●Sports as a Catalyst for Transformation: Sports have the potential to be a transformational force for good, offering opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of critical life skills.
●Shifting the Focus: The current emphasis on competition and extrinsic rewards often overshadows the inherent value of sports, underscoring the need to prioritize intrinsic motivation and community building.
●Equity is Key: Ensuring that all children have access to sports is essential to unlocking their potential and building a stronger, more equitable society.
Action Steps:
●Champion equitable access: Advocate for policies and programs that remove barriers to sports participation, especially for underserved communities. Support organizations focused on play equity.
●Reimagine the adult role: Parents and coaches can foster a healing-centered environment that prioritizes skill development, intrinsic motivation, and the joy of movement, while modeling positive behaviors.
●Promote unstructured play: Encourage opportunities for children to engage in free play, and provide opportunities for diverse sports experiences that foster enjoyment and discovery.
www.ikigaistories.com
All content for Ikigai Stories is the property of Ikigai Stories and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Ikigai Summit 2024 Purpose & Play: Empowering Youth & Connecting Community Through Sport
Victor Johnson(CJHS), Dr. Julie McCleery (UW Center for Leadership in Athletics), and Mari Horita (Seattle Kraken) discuss sports as a transformational force for good. The current landscape of youth sports reveals significant inequities, with access and participation heavily influenced by socioeconomic status. This is a problem because sports can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. When done right, sports offers opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of crucial life skills. However, the prevalent pay-to-play system often prioritizes competition and extrinsic rewards, undermining the intrinsic joy and developmental benefits of sports. This model creates a situation where many children are denied the chance to experience the transformative power of sports.
Sports, at their best, are about connection, movement, and manageable stress, all of which contribute to healing and resilience5. They provide a space for children to learn about teamwork, perseverance, and self-discovery. When we shift the focus away from winning and towards intrinsic motivation, sports can truly become a vehicle for personal growth and community building. Organizations like the Seattle Kraken's One Roof Foundation are demonstrating this by creating programs that prioritize access and community engagement. These initiatives show that a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors can ensure that all children can experience the power of sports.
Key Takeaways:
●Sports as a Catalyst for Transformation: Sports have the potential to be a transformational force for good, offering opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of critical life skills.
●Shifting the Focus: The current emphasis on competition and extrinsic rewards often overshadows the inherent value of sports, underscoring the need to prioritize intrinsic motivation and community building.
●Equity is Key: Ensuring that all children have access to sports is essential to unlocking their potential and building a stronger, more equitable society.
Action Steps:
●Champion equitable access: Advocate for policies and programs that remove barriers to sports participation, especially for underserved communities. Support organizations focused on play equity.
●Reimagine the adult role: Parents and coaches can foster a healing-centered environment that prioritizes skill development, intrinsic motivation, and the joy of movement, while modeling positive behaviors.
●Promote unstructured play: Encourage opportunities for children to engage in free play, and provide opportunities for diverse sports experiences that foster enjoyment and discovery.
www.ikigaistories.com
Ikigai Summit 2024 - Building Bridges: US Chamber of Connection
Ikigai Stories
48 minutes 34 seconds
11 months ago
Ikigai Summit 2024 - Building Bridges: US Chamber of Connection
Aaron Hurst and Katie Mooney discussed the US Chamber of Connection, a national initiative focused on building infrastructure to address the growing crisis of disconnection and distrust in society. This organization emphasizes that connection is not merely a social nicety, but a fundamental human need with significant implications for individual health, community well-being, and economic prosperity. The Chamber of Connection is currently piloting a program in Seattle to support new residents in building strong social bonds during their first year in the city.
Three Key Takeaways
●The decline in connection is a major societal issue that is harming individuals, communities, organizations, and the country as a whole.
*26 million American adults report having no friends.
*44 million American adults are experiencing significant loneliness.
*Loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
*United States ranks LAST among 24 countries in the percentage of people who feel connected.
●Connection is not just a "nice to have," but an economic imperative. Lonely employees are less productive and more expensive, while socially connected people contribute to the economy and are better brand ambassadors. Loneliness contributes an estimated $466 per person to our annual healthcare costs. Loneliness costs employers $4,200 per employee due to drops in productivity.
●The six points of connection provide a framework for understanding and building healthy social connections: neighbor for emergency contact, a community with shared identity, two meaningful interactions per week, a third place for casual interactions, a community around a shared interest, and service to others.
Three Steps to Take Action
1)Assess your own level of connection based on the six points. Identify areas where you can improve and take intentional steps to strengthen your connections.
2)Become a "Welcome Committee Ambassador." Look for newcomers in your community and encourage them to get involved in the Chamber of Connection's programs. You can also become a welcome facilitator or neighborhood lead with the US Chamber of Connection.
3.)Spread the word and change the conversation. Talk to others about the importance of connection and help them realize that it is a critical issue. Help build the political will to create change.
www.ikigaistories.com
Ikigai Stories
Ikigai Summit 2024 Purpose & Play: Empowering Youth & Connecting Community Through Sport
Victor Johnson(CJHS), Dr. Julie McCleery (UW Center for Leadership in Athletics), and Mari Horita (Seattle Kraken) discuss sports as a transformational force for good. The current landscape of youth sports reveals significant inequities, with access and participation heavily influenced by socioeconomic status. This is a problem because sports can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. When done right, sports offers opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of crucial life skills. However, the prevalent pay-to-play system often prioritizes competition and extrinsic rewards, undermining the intrinsic joy and developmental benefits of sports. This model creates a situation where many children are denied the chance to experience the transformative power of sports.
Sports, at their best, are about connection, movement, and manageable stress, all of which contribute to healing and resilience5. They provide a space for children to learn about teamwork, perseverance, and self-discovery. When we shift the focus away from winning and towards intrinsic motivation, sports can truly become a vehicle for personal growth and community building. Organizations like the Seattle Kraken's One Roof Foundation are demonstrating this by creating programs that prioritize access and community engagement. These initiatives show that a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors can ensure that all children can experience the power of sports.
Key Takeaways:
●Sports as a Catalyst for Transformation: Sports have the potential to be a transformational force for good, offering opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of critical life skills.
●Shifting the Focus: The current emphasis on competition and extrinsic rewards often overshadows the inherent value of sports, underscoring the need to prioritize intrinsic motivation and community building.
●Equity is Key: Ensuring that all children have access to sports is essential to unlocking their potential and building a stronger, more equitable society.
Action Steps:
●Champion equitable access: Advocate for policies and programs that remove barriers to sports participation, especially for underserved communities. Support organizations focused on play equity.
●Reimagine the adult role: Parents and coaches can foster a healing-centered environment that prioritizes skill development, intrinsic motivation, and the joy of movement, while modeling positive behaviors.
●Promote unstructured play: Encourage opportunities for children to engage in free play, and provide opportunities for diverse sports experiences that foster enjoyment and discovery.
www.ikigaistories.com
