Largest Project Play Summit Ever
2019 Project Play Summit Recap
Session Descriptions and Video
Photo Gallery
State of Play 2019 Report
Cassidy Hubbarth (left) and Navonne Love (aka Derek Heyswiver from the Don’t Retire, Kid PSA) talked about what kids want out of sports.
The Project Play Summit is the nation’s premier gathering of leaders at the intersection of youth, sport and health. For the first time, in 2019, the Summit expanded to two full days of programming and moved to a new city (Detroit). The result: Our largest Summit gathering in its five-year history (550 attendees).
They heard impactful discussions with former NBA star Chris Webber, former UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field, New York Times columnist David Brooks, Special Olympics chair Tim Shriver, NFL running back C.J. Anderson, ESPN host/reporter Cassidy Hubbarth (emcee), and so many more. #DontRetireKid and #ProjectPlay were the top trending topics on Twitter in Detroit during the Summit (Sept. 17-18, 2019).
David Brooks (left) and Tim Shriver discussed how sports can impact the social fabric of society.
What else happened at the Project Play Summit?
Left to right: Emily Stets, Wendy Hilliard and Valorie Kondos Field appeared on a panel about how to reform USA Gymnastics.
12 new workshops, featuring youth sports experts. Among the topics: how to encourage sport sampling, coach social and emotional skills, coach girls, create an inclusive sports program, and reshape PE.
Hoop Dreams at 25. A quarter-century after the popular basketball documentary was released, what's changed in youth basketball? We heard from former NBA star Chris Webber and Hoop Dreams filmmaker Peter Gilbert.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson
Call for Leadership. What’s the role of government in driving systems-level change for youth sports? Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson joined the panel.
Sports as Social Fabric. Sports can teach core skills necessary to build a just and kind society. New York Times columnist David Brooks and Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver explore the role of youth sports in developing inclusive environments.
A Team that Looks Like America. University of Michigan coach Erik Bakich shares how he built a team that models the country's racial diversity and how youth programs stay relevant in the travel ball era.
How to Truly Reform USA Gymnastics? The sport sits under a cloud, beset with accounts of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Former UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field shares her ideas on how to make the sport healthier and more accessible to more kids.
What I Learned in Youth Sports. Hear from Detroit Lions running back C.J. Anderson on how he still applies the lessons he learned from youth sports, on and off the field, and why he pays those lessons forward to the next generation of young athletes.
Making it Happen in a Big Way. Detroit Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem joins the panel to discuss major investments in parks, trails and greenways in Southeast Michigan. Part of that plan includes 60 new refurbished basketball courts brought to life by the Pistons. What insights can be learned for other cities as a grand experiment unfolds?
Have questions about the Summit or want to be a 2020 sponsor? Please email PPSummit@aspeninstitute.org.
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Project Play Summit History
Revisit OUR ANNUAL EVENT
2018: NBA legend Kobe Bryant urges less-structured sports for kids; Healthy Sport Index and How to Coach Kids debut
2017: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred supports sport sampling; Project Play 2020 kicks off
2016: Michelle Obama calls on corporate America to provide sports opportunities for all kids
2015: Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Project Play: "You have built a very powerful roadmap"
