Newport nabs Sportstown title

Partnerships set bayside town above the rest

By Jody Woodman

First and second graders participate in Newport's spring coed instructional soccer league. Susan Cooper

The seaside home of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, R.I., has long been known as a bastion of sailing and tennis. Now, thanks to the community spirit demonstrated by Newport's Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the city will be known as a Sports Illustrated Sportstown.

"Innovations for community involvement put Newport over the top," said the five person judging panel. "Whether it is non-profit organizations, schools and universities or commercial sport partners, the Newport Recreation Department is at the hub of networking for the benefit of quality sports in their community."

Susan Cooper, director of the department, and her staff have joined with partners at the International Tennis Hall of Fame to offer free clinics and tennis equipment to underprivileged Newport residents, while teaming up with Sail Newport to offer an affordable Introduction to Sailing class.

But their community outreach doesn't stop there. The Newport Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department also provides original programs -- everything from soccer teams for ages 4 and up to adult softball leagues and senior tennis competitions -- emphasizing the importance of inclusion.

"We have no-cut travel programs, and kids who would be considered special athletes are integrated into our regular teams," Cooper said. "Plus we just started a Special Olympics program that gives them another opportunity to compete."

Seeing a need, the department stepped in to fill it. When 200 athletes showed up to try out for a middle school sponsored 20-slot basketball team in 1992, many were turned away -- but Cooper, and her staff, whom she gives all the credit to, jumped in. They set up an after-school league to foster continued involvement in the sport for the boys and girls of the community, provided coaches and organized practices, then set up games against the local private school teams.

The experiment worked so well that it was extended to solve the same problem in the school's soccer team. Together the two programs have sent boys and girls alike on to the middle and high school varsity teams and continue to thrive.

One such success story is that of Dave Reidy. Reidy played three years in the middle school league and continued with the program as a coach and official through high school. After officiating games in college, he was asked to take over the Brown University intramural program as a sophomore.