Ikigai Summit 2024 Purpose & Play: Empowering Youth & Connecting Community Through Sport
Victor Johnson(CJHS), Dr. Julie McCleery (UW Center for Leadership in Athletics), and Mari Horita (Seattle Kraken) discuss sports as a transformational force for good. The current landscape of youth sports reveals significant inequities, with access and participation heavily influenced by socioeconomic status. This is a problem because sports can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. When done right, sports offers opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of crucial life skills. However, the prevalent pay-to-play system often prioritizes competition and extrinsic rewards, undermining the intrinsic joy and developmental benefits of sports. This model creates a situation where many children are denied the chance to experience the transformative power of sports.
Sports, at their best, are about connection, movement, and manageable stress, all of which contribute to healing and resilience5. They provide a space for children to learn about teamwork, perseverance, and self-discovery. When we shift the focus away from winning and towards intrinsic motivation, sports can truly become a vehicle for personal growth and community building. Organizations like the Seattle Kraken's One Roof Foundation are demonstrating this by creating programs that prioritize access and community engagement. These initiatives show that a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors can ensure that all children can experience the power of sports.
Key Takeaways:
●Sports as a Catalyst for Transformation: Sports have the potential to be a transformational force for good, offering opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of critical life skills.
●Shifting the Focus: The current emphasis on competition and extrinsic rewards often overshadows the inherent value of sports, underscoring the need to prioritize intrinsic motivation and community building.
●Equity is Key: Ensuring that all children have access to sports is essential to unlocking their potential and building a stronger, more equitable society.
Action Steps:
●Champion equitable access: Advocate for policies and programs that remove barriers to sports participation, especially for underserved communities. Support organizations focused on play equity.
●Reimagine the adult role: Parents and coaches can foster a healing-centered environment that prioritizes skill development, intrinsic motivation, and the joy of movement, while modeling positive behaviors.
●Promote unstructured play: Encourage opportunities for children to engage in free play, and provide opportunities for diverse sports experiences that foster enjoyment and discovery.
www.ikigaistories.com
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Ikigai Summit 2024 Purpose & Play: Empowering Youth & Connecting Community Through Sport
Victor Johnson(CJHS), Dr. Julie McCleery (UW Center for Leadership in Athletics), and Mari Horita (Seattle Kraken) discuss sports as a transformational force for good. The current landscape of youth sports reveals significant inequities, with access and participation heavily influenced by socioeconomic status. This is a problem because sports can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. When done right, sports offers opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of crucial life skills. However, the prevalent pay-to-play system often prioritizes competition and extrinsic rewards, undermining the intrinsic joy and developmental benefits of sports. This model creates a situation where many children are denied the chance to experience the transformative power of sports.
Sports, at their best, are about connection, movement, and manageable stress, all of which contribute to healing and resilience5. They provide a space for children to learn about teamwork, perseverance, and self-discovery. When we shift the focus away from winning and towards intrinsic motivation, sports can truly become a vehicle for personal growth and community building. Organizations like the Seattle Kraken's One Roof Foundation are demonstrating this by creating programs that prioritize access and community engagement. These initiatives show that a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors can ensure that all children can experience the power of sports.
Key Takeaways:
●Sports as a Catalyst for Transformation: Sports have the potential to be a transformational force for good, offering opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of critical life skills.
●Shifting the Focus: The current emphasis on competition and extrinsic rewards often overshadows the inherent value of sports, underscoring the need to prioritize intrinsic motivation and community building.
●Equity is Key: Ensuring that all children have access to sports is essential to unlocking their potential and building a stronger, more equitable society.
Action Steps:
●Champion equitable access: Advocate for policies and programs that remove barriers to sports participation, especially for underserved communities. Support organizations focused on play equity.
●Reimagine the adult role: Parents and coaches can foster a healing-centered environment that prioritizes skill development, intrinsic motivation, and the joy of movement, while modeling positive behaviors.
●Promote unstructured play: Encourage opportunities for children to engage in free play, and provide opportunities for diverse sports experiences that foster enjoyment and discovery.
www.ikigaistories.com
Ikigai Summit 2024 - Ikigai Stories: Katherine Cheng, Seattle Mariners.
Courage | Resilience | Inquiry
Katherine Cheng's life and career are a testament to the power of core values in shaping one's path. Raised by a resilient single mother who was a Chinese immigrant and cancer researcher, Katherine learned early the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. This upbringing, combined with the influence of figures like Phil Donahue, instilled in her a deep commitment to courage, resilience, and inquiry. Her mother's journey, from a championship runner in Taiwan to a math genius in the U.S., demonstrated the value of continuous learning and the ability to overcome challenges, further solidifying these values.
Katherine’s emphasis on connection and community is also a significant part of her story, influenced by her family’s open-door policy and her work with the U.S. Surgeon General's office. Katherine's career path, while seemingly non-linear, is unified by these core principles. From government to high-tech PR, and roles at Starbucks, Microsoft, Expedia Group, and now the Seattle Mariners, her choices were driven by a desire to stay true to her values and a commitment to authenticity. She emphasizes the importance of taking calculated risks, learning from meaningful relationships, and embracing servant leadership. Katherine's insights on balancing courage and inquiry highlight the value of continuous learning and diverse perspectives.
Three Key Takeaways
1) Resilience is a Learned Strength: Adversity can forge resilience, as seen in Katherine's life, and the experiences of her mother.
2) Values Guide Decisions: Core values like courage, resilience, and inquiry can be a compass in both personal and professional life.
3) Meaningful Connections Matter: Community and human connection are powerful tools against isolation and loneliness, as well as drivers of personal and professional growth.
Three Steps to Take Action
1) Reflect on Your Values: Identify your core values and assess how they guide your decisions. Consider how your upbringing has shaped them.
2) Embrace Discomfort: Challenge yourself by taking calculated risks and being open to new perspectives. Difficult situations can lead to growth.
3) Build Your Community: Seek out and cultivate meaningful relationships for support and guidance. Help to create welcoming spaces for diverse connections.
www.ikigaistories.com
Ikigai Stories
Ikigai Summit 2024 Purpose & Play: Empowering Youth & Connecting Community Through Sport
Victor Johnson(CJHS), Dr. Julie McCleery (UW Center for Leadership in Athletics), and Mari Horita (Seattle Kraken) discuss sports as a transformational force for good. The current landscape of youth sports reveals significant inequities, with access and participation heavily influenced by socioeconomic status. This is a problem because sports can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. When done right, sports offers opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of crucial life skills. However, the prevalent pay-to-play system often prioritizes competition and extrinsic rewards, undermining the intrinsic joy and developmental benefits of sports. This model creates a situation where many children are denied the chance to experience the transformative power of sports.
Sports, at their best, are about connection, movement, and manageable stress, all of which contribute to healing and resilience5. They provide a space for children to learn about teamwork, perseverance, and self-discovery. When we shift the focus away from winning and towards intrinsic motivation, sports can truly become a vehicle for personal growth and community building. Organizations like the Seattle Kraken's One Roof Foundation are demonstrating this by creating programs that prioritize access and community engagement. These initiatives show that a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors can ensure that all children can experience the power of sports.
Key Takeaways:
●Sports as a Catalyst for Transformation: Sports have the potential to be a transformational force for good, offering opportunities for healing, growth, and the development of critical life skills.
●Shifting the Focus: The current emphasis on competition and extrinsic rewards often overshadows the inherent value of sports, underscoring the need to prioritize intrinsic motivation and community building.
●Equity is Key: Ensuring that all children have access to sports is essential to unlocking their potential and building a stronger, more equitable society.
Action Steps:
●Champion equitable access: Advocate for policies and programs that remove barriers to sports participation, especially for underserved communities. Support organizations focused on play equity.
●Reimagine the adult role: Parents and coaches can foster a healing-centered environment that prioritizes skill development, intrinsic motivation, and the joy of movement, while modeling positive behaviors.
●Promote unstructured play: Encourage opportunities for children to engage in free play, and provide opportunities for diverse sports experiences that foster enjoyment and discovery.
www.ikigaistories.com
