Springfield-Greene County named Missouri's Sportstown

Top-notch facilities, community support make town Show-Me State's best

By Jody Woodman

In the Springfield-Greene County Parks and Recreation District, balance is everything -- balancing competitive and recreational programs, free and paid facilities, and community needs with available resources -- all to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Among the features that set Springfield-Greene County apart, and make it a Sports Illustrated Sportstown, is its willingness to take risks on untested programs; its city-owned professional World TeamTennis franchise, the Springfield Lasers; and the commitment to recreation by the community at large, said Jodie Adams, superintendent of recreation.

But above all, Adams and her staff -- which is made up of both volunteers and paid employees -- work to develop quality programs.

"It's unacceptable not to develop everything from recreation to the pro sports here at the highest level," Adams said. "Also important is making sure that recreational participants have as good or better facilities as our top competitive programs or even our professional team. It doesn't matter what level you are, the goal is to provide state-of-the-art facilities."

Among the highlights of those facilities are the 23-court Cooper Tennis Complex, home of the Lasers, which has hosted everything from USTA-sanctioned events to youth tournaments; a 4,200 seat baseball stadium in the city's center that will cater to high school, college and minor league play; and an 18-hole championship golf course.

And the commitment to quality in both facilities and programs continues is echoed by Springfield-Greene County citizens, who passed a $50 million sales tax increase two years ago to help fund the department's future.

"The city is really supportive," Adams said. "It's just amazing to see how important that is. The parks rank third in priority only behind public safety and transportation, and I think that that's really important. It shows the fabric of our community and how they treasure quality of life."