RecReport

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America for the third year in a row, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s Topline Participation Report, which shows an incredible 223.5% rise in participation in the sport over the past three years, with every age group seeing increased participation. 

Demonstrating broad, bipartisan support for the environment and bolstering community resilience to address a changing climate, voters in 2024 approved more than $16 billion in funding measures for parks, climate resilience and land conservation, according to Trust for Public Land. 

Together Outdoors announced two recipients for its Inclusive Micro-Grant Program, Color My Outdoors and Rising Routes. 

A total of $2.8 million in grants from the Arts in California Parks Local Parks Grant Program will fund 31 local nonprofits, community organizations and artists.

Technology dominates the top trends for 2025 according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Wearable technology, mobile exercise apps and data-driven technology all appear in the top 10 of the 2025 ACSM Worldwide Fitness Trends, published in the November/December issue of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, and based on an annual survey of 2,000 clinicians, researchers and practitioners in the fitness industry. 

On Oct. 10, communities across the U.S. celebrated National Walk to a Park Day, which recognizes the vital role of parks and aims to bring attention to disparities in park access.

The USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, announced that grant applications for swim lesson providers, as well as facilities and organizations offering competitive programs, are being accepted through Dec. 15, 2024. 

With an investment of $254.68 million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks, the National Park Service has made the single largest grant investment ever from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP), part of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).

Investment in parks supports economic growth in U.S. cities, according to a new comprehensive study from Trust for Public Land. 

More people than ever embraced health and fitness across key regions of the globe in 2023, bringing participation to new highs.