Blue Valley region honored as SI Sportstown

By Andrew Schulman

For more than 15 years, Kansas’ Blue Valley Recreation Commission (BVRC) has been operating under the same philosophy: Never turn a child away from league play. And while the BVRC’s singular focus on the value of participation is enough to set it apart as a model agency, the Commission’s programs and ability to meet the needs of the area’s residents -- along with its values -- have earned the BVRC the title of Sports Illustrated Sportstown for the Sunflower State.

Formed in August 1986 to address the shortage of recreational opportunities available to residents of the Blue Valley School District, the BVRC has since provided the community with sporting experiences that focus on participation, fair play and having fun. As a rule, coaches are required to play all team members for a minimum amount of time. And, with the younger groups, many competitive components –- such as league standings -– are de-emphasized or removed altogether to enable them to concentrate on playing and enjoying the game.

The Commission’s offerings, which include baseball, basketball and softball along with the locally popular gymnastics and dance, have experienced incredible growth in recent years, and organizers have begun to see a broadening in the needs of the community.

“We have made tremendous strides in our recreation programs and made sure everyone who wanted to play in one of our leagues was given the chance,” said Dawn Grosdidier, Director of the Blue Valley Recreation Commission. “But, there comes a point in time when kids want competition, and we are adjusting to meet that need as well.”

To that end, competitive leagues in certain sports have been added over the years. There also have been additions in other areas, including recreational and competitive sports leagues for adults; a recreational program for seniors, and a year-round special populations program for those residents with physical or mental challenges.

The BVRC has grown with the community in other ways as well. The Commission has partnered with the local school district and the larger Johnson County Park and Recreation District to share facilities and develop new programs to better serve the region, whose population is now almost 100,000 people.

But through all of its growth, the community still looks to the BVRC to fulfill its original mission of encouraging and facilitating participation in community sports.

“We continue to see a high demand for recreational opportunities,” said Grosdidier. “Not every child goes on to be a star high school player, and we’ll continue to provide a chance for all children to participate and succeed, no matter what their skill level.”