The Power of Getting Girls in the Game — Episode 175
Open Space Radio
What does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all. We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn’t the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they...
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The Power of Mentorship in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia — Episode 174
Open Space Radio
January is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country. On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics...
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Honoring Native American Heritage Month — Episode 173
Open Space Radio
November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor and celebrate Native people in the United States. On this episode, we are resharing a conversation from 2021 with Stephanie Lozano, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation tribe and a tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Sara Sinclair, an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa and German-Jewish ancestry, Columbia University professor and editor of How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America. While this episode originally aired in 2021, there are still so many relevant pieces, from activating...
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An Open Space Radio Halloween: Spine-Chilling Tales from Parks and Recreation — Episode 172
Open Space Radio
Halloween is here, and Open Space Radio is celebrating with one of our most hauntingly fun episodes yet. In this special episode, we sit around the virtual campfire to share a few eerie tales from park and recreation professionals. From ghostly encounters in historic parks to strange happenings at community events, this episode is packed with stories that remind us how our parks come alive (and sometimes come back to life) after dark. Halloween Celebrations Across the Country Before diving into the stories, we highlight some of the incredible ways communities are celebrating Halloween this...
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The Insider’s Guide to the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference — Episode 171
Open Space Radio
On this very special episode of Open Space Radio, we discuss all things ! It’s hard to believe we’ll be in Orlando with thousands of our friends, colleagues and peers in just a few days. If you’ll be in Orlando, please come say hello to the Open Space team in the exhibit hall. We’ll be posted up in the Open Space Lounge, which is booth #1272, right next to the NRPA Member Area. Come hang out for a few, grab some swag and even get on the mic! On today’s episode, we have some very special guests who play a big role behind-the-scenes to make the NRPA Annual Conference come to life....
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Reflections From the MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit — Episode170
Open Space Radio
This Pride Month, we are proud to spotlight the powerful work happening in Maryland to build more inclusive and welcoming park and recreation spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Way back in September 2024, Christina attended the second annual at the North Laurel Community Center. As the only known state-level summit of its kind in the field of parks and recreation, this gathering is a testament to the intentional and sustained effort to center representation and inclusion across the profession, and we’ve been eager to share the voices and stories that came out of the summit! The summit...
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Centering Community and Connection at Anacostia Park — Episode 169
Open Space Radio
Earlier this spring, we had the chance to attend an incredible event in Washington, D.C., where we caught up with Akiima Price, co-founder and program advisor for Friends of Anacostia Park — an organization with a mission to enrich the lives of D.C. residents by preserving the park and connecting the surrounding communities to its restoration. We met Akiima at NatureFest, a lively week-long celebration during D.C. Public Schools’ Spring Break that provides a safe, engaging space for kids and their families to explore nature, have fun and create lasting memories. From boat rides and...
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Introducing Guardians of Greenspaces — Episode 168
Open Space Radio
Happy Earth Month! On today’s episode, we’re excited to share a collaboration with NRPA’s new podcast, Guardians of Greenspaces. is a podcast focused on conservation from a park and recreation maintenance lens. Hosted by Rukmini Kalamangalam, a program specialist on NRPA’s community and environmental resilience team, Guardians of Greenspaces uplifts voices of experts in the field and will drop weekly for the next 10 weeks. We recently caught up with Rukmini to learn more about this new podcast and how it will bring value to maintenance staff working in the conservation and...
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Celebrating Women’s History Month in Parks and Recreation — Episode 167
Open Space Radio
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re celebrating the incredible women in parks and recreation who are shaping the profession and making a difference in their communities. Women have long played a vital role in parks and recreation – but it has historically been a male-dominated industry. Today, the leadership and presence of women in the profession continue to grow. In fact, within NRPA’s membership of more than 60,000 park and recreation professionals: 47 percent of members identify as women 48 percent of 2023 NRPA Annual Conference attendees identified as women 53 percent of...
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Youth Sports: If She Can See It, She Can Be It — Episode 166
Open Space Radio
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the critical role that parks and recreation plays in advancing sports opportunities for all youth — especially girls. Providing these opportunities is more than just fairness; it’s about giving girls the opportunities and support they need to succeed, both on and off the field. Participation in sports is linked to increased self-esteem, better academic performance and higher career aspirations for girls. Sports also have the power to build confidence, foster leadership skills and create lifelong connections. However, girls often face barriers...
info_outlineWhat does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all.
We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn’t the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they grow. And right now, as girls’ and women’s sports are gaining national attention, it’s a pivotal moment to rethink how youth sports actually show up for girls in our communities.
On this episode, we chat with two incredible local leaders who are putting these ideas into action in their communities: Sally Pennington, CPRE, director of parks and recreation in Eudora, Kansas, and Amy Tessier, recreation program supervisor in Twentynine Palms, California. We’re also joined by Allison Colman, senior director of programs at NRPA, who helps lead our youth sports strategy and shares insight into NRPA’s role in advancing this work nationwide.
Tune in below to hear how you can be part of the movement to get more girls in sports. You’ll also learn:
- What participation gaps between girls and boys still exist, even as girls’ and women’s sports gain national visibility
- How early experiences in youth sports can shape long-term confidence and retention
- What a systems-change approach looks like in parks and recreation, from coach recruitment and training to programming
- Why increasing women coaches and role models is critical to keeping girls engaged
- How local programs are creating ripple effects beyond the field
- And much more!
Additional Resources
- Get Her in the Game
- NRPA Youth Sports Framework
- NRPA Youth Sports in Parks and Recreation Report
- Level Up: Coaching Tools to Inspire, Connect, and Lead Through Sports
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If you enjoyed this episode or learned something that might help you make a positive impact in your community, please consider donating to NRPA. Your gift will support our storytelling efforts and our mission to advance parks, recreation and environmental resilience efforts that enhance the quality of life for all. Give today at nrpa.org/donate.
This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by BCI Burke:
Outdoor play builds confidence, leadership skills and social networks. At BCI Burke, they design outdoor spaces that support movement, opportunity and connection, helping park and recreation professionals create environments where more girls feel encouraged to step in, play hard and lead the game.
Learn more at bciburke.com
Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.