IHRSA—the Health & Fitness Association, a global community of industry leaders—has hired Katie Philipp as Manager of Education & Events. 

Toro showcased the new Vista Shuttle at the 2024 SFMA Conference & Trade Show in Daytona Beach, Fla.

While research shows that children and teens can gain many physical and mental health benefits by participating in sports, research shows that about 70% drop out of these organized activities by the time they are 13 years old. The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling attention to the potential causes of these sport drop-out rates in its report "Overuse Injuries, Overtraining and Burnout in Young Athletes."

The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) unveiled plans for a permanent home at The Fort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., making the APP the first pickleball organization ever to establish an official headquarters and training center.

A majority of respondents to the Aquatic Trends survey indicate that they currently allow other organizations to rent their facilities.

Launched in 2020, the next round of USA Swimming Community Impact Grants is now open. Supported by the USA Swimming Foundation, these grants are awarded to clubs nationwide to increase programming for underserved communities, support diverse coaches and create additional competitive opportunities in the U.S.

Sponsored by BarkPark by UltraSite

Dog parks are popular options for parks planning new amenities, and there are several reasons why, according to dog park experts and designers. Certainly, the pandemic fueled demand in the past few years, but a surge in the number of off-leash dog parks in the U.S. existed even earlier.

The nation's local parks have a vast economic impact, according to a new report from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). The Economic Impact of Local Parks report states that the shared impact of operations and capital spending by U.S. local park and recreation agencies in 2021 resulted in nearly $201 billion in economic activity and $196.8 billion in added gross domestic product (GDP). They also supported more than 1.1 million jobs that paid salaries, wages and benefits totaling $63 billion.

A majority of park respondents to the 2023 Industry Report survey said they were planning construction of some kind over the next three years.

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) announced it is accepting applications for the 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Community Improvement Grants to clean and green roads, neighborhoods and parks named in honor of the civil rights leader.