WHAT WE DO
We teach and support communities of sports leaders to work collaboratively to provide healthy sports experiences. To fulfill our mission, we:
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1 Build Partnerships
Build partnerships throughout the sports ecosystem to identify and activate the principles and practices of a sports science and vocation that we call long-term program development (LTPD)
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2 Educate Sports Leaders
Build hubs, starting in Indiana, where curricula and programs are implemented to train existing and new sports leaders on how to activate LTPD principles and practices
3 Connect Sports Leaders
Serve as a national resource and forum for sports leaders and community stakeholders to connect and collaborate
WHY THIS MATTERS
Our research shows that the root cause of the crisis in youth sports is that the industry is a cluster of fragmented, disconnected organizations and individuals working in silos rather than together. This is the sports leadership void and it is most evident in youth sports systems, which are heavily dependent on volunteers, most of whom are well intentioned, but are underprepared, unsupported, and prone to adopting a short-term, win now mentality.
We believe these problems are due to a leadership void, partly due to:
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short-term win-now thinking
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a lack of leadership training
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inequitable participation opportunities
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the absence of regular and systemic opportunities to connect as a sport leadership community of practice
The physical, mental, and emotional stress associated with youth sports – not only for the athletes, but for the full range of participants (coaches, officials, administrators, and parents) is limiting the potential of sports to serve as a positive formative experience that builds and sustains healthy communities. Our goal is to ensure that more people, especially our youth, enjoy healthy and lifelong experiences in sports.
The Transformation
Youth sport is a major force in shaping the everyday life experience of Americans. Organized sport has tremendous potential to serve as a positive formative experience.
Imagine the day when youth sport in every community in every state is designed and delivered by local coalitions of sport leaders working in unison to capitalize on the power of organized sport to positively transform lives and communities. This envisioned future requires an unprecedented social transformational approach that can lead to real and durable individual and community development.
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A true community of practice, operating with a common purpose to create more and healthier sport experiences for all participants - athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, parents and supporters.
Travis Dorsch
Director, Families in Sport Lab, Utah State University
“We believe the CST are positioned to succeed, utilizing a holistic approach informed by systems theory. Therefore, we endorse their rationale for the CST initiative without reservation and believe it holds great potential to impact youth sport participants and their communities.”
Tom Farrey
Executive Director Sports & Society Program | Aspen Institute Project Play
“Indianapolis worked hard to create a reputation as the amateur sports capital of the nation. But what does that mean today when the concept of amateurism has been reshaped? Indianapolis and Indiana can help lead the nation again in defining what good looks like in sports.”
Karissa Niehoff
Executive Director | National Federation of State High School Associations
“We have to scale this initiative. We simply haven’t made any progress in the past 25 years in improving the formative experience in sport.”
Our Partners
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