Are City Sports Becoming Less Relevant?

Do you know what’s wrong with journalism today?  It’s writers like me.

I write a bi-weekly column for Patch but being a columnist isn’t my full-time job. This means that more often than not I don’t have time for “proper” reporting.  

In other words, rarely is anyone interviewed for my stories. It’s kind of like writing in a bubble.

This is okay to some extent since I write an opinion column. But in my opinion, it’s still not the best way to create credible content. Sadly, it is the way many writers/bloggers operate.

Take , for example.  

I wrote about Menlo Park’s gender-based youth sports rule. I said the city took too long to change its rule preventing girls from competing against boys, and that it could have used the new rule to make a strong statement about the need for gender equality in city sports leagues.

I didn’t interview anyone from the city prior to publishing my story, but that didn’t stop me from blasting the city for its slow process and questionable ethics. It turns out they had their reasons. In the city explained their process for reviewing the gender rule.  

I now have a different, more informed view of the city’s process -- though I still think the city should have decided right away to let the then-third-grade-girl play on a boys basketball team.

Nevertheless, the issue got me thinking about city-programmed youth sports.  

It’s common knowledge that city budgets throughout the state are under attack. Though not every budget has been slashed, all cities and departments are being asked to do more with fewer resources, making it harder than ever for city run athletic programs to operate.  

It’s also clear that more kids are participating in club sports leagues which are not operated by cities. The allure is natural. Many kids want to play against the best athletes their age, and top competition is in club leagues not city leagues, which promote recreation over winning.

Given these issues, I wonder if city sports are becoming less relevant? And if so, is that a bad thing? Maybe it’s time for hard decisions to be made, like re-routing money earmarked for city sports to more pressing issues, such as enhancing public school education and city safety.

I think this is an important question for cities like Menlo Park to consider, but rather than perpetuate the kind of “mine is the only opinion that matters” journalism I’ve grown to loathe, I decided to get someone else’s opinion on the matter.

Cherise Brandell is community services director for the City of Menlo Park. She tells me the City is hard at work managing numerous programs and facilities. Heading into the new year, Cherise says the three most important initiatives for the Parks and Recreation department are “our three new (or like new) facilities and the need to operate them as efficiently as possible.”

Efficiency is paramount despite the fact that Parks and Recreation programs operate “very close to 100% cost recovery,” meaning they require minimal tax dollars to function.  

Cherise says the Parks and Recreation budget was not slashed from the previous year, but it’s still running a tight ship. Given that, is it time for cities like Menlo Park to cede to club leagues?  Cherise doesn’t think so.

“I think both (city and club leagues) play an important role in sports and youth development today,” said Brandell. “City programs provide entry level leagues and classes where youth can develop their skills, learn teamwork, and the other basics of sports in an inclusive, welcoming (and generally lower cost) environment. Club sports and other competitive leagues give youth with the interest and inclination the option to further refine their skills and advance within the sport if desired.”

“From a city sports standpoint,” noted Brandell, “our leagues are thriving and as successful as ever, so we’re not seeing any evidence that city sports are ‘less relevant’ – in fact, it seems like more kids are participating.”

Personally, I think city run sports programs are a tremendous benefit to the community, though I do think their impact will be marginalized in the years ahead as budgets are cut and kids choose more competitive leagues. Still, it’s amazing how satisfying city sports can be.  

We pay around $200 to send our two kids to a soccer class operated by a third party business at Burgess Park. It works out to around $10 per kid per class, which last between 30 and 45 minutes each. I think it’s a bargain considering how much fun my kids have had.

So, what can we as a community do to ensure city sports programs don’t go away?

“Come play with us!” said Brandell.  

She’s right, and you know what?  I’m glad I asked.