COVID-19 Update: The 2020 Planning Committee has made the decision to postpone the Play Illinois Summit due to the developing and ongoing situation with COVID-19.  A new date will be announced once further discussions take place.  Please check the website for more details.

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Attendee Information

Program Objective

To bring sports based youth development practitioners together from across Illinois for a day of learning, sharing knowledge, networking, and most importantly highlight the work being done to address public health disparities.

Target Audience

This conference will address a variety of sports based youth development issues. Target audience is listed below, but is not limited to:   

• SBYD Practitioners
• College and University students
• Physical Education Educators
• Coaches
• Youth Focused Community Based Organizations
• School-based health centers
• Community health centers

Call for Award Nominations

During the inaugural Play Illinois Summit stakeholders from across the state will not only gather to share and gain best practices and tools for sports-based youth development but to also celebrate those who have made tremendous impact on youth and community through sports.

If you know of an individual and/or organization making a difference, please let us know. The Summit Planning Committee will be accepting nominations through Tuesday, March 31 5:00 pm CST. Thank you for your support of nominees who, through sports, are making a big difference in the lives of Illinois youth.

The Award Categories are:

• Jesse White Lifetime Achievement Award
  The Award is a special acknowledgement of the extraordinary contributions an unsung hero has made in the lives of youth and community through sports.  The Award will be given to an individual who seldom is recognized for his/her contributions but whose efforts are so vital.  A strong candidate is someone who has, for at least 25 years, served youth through sports without expectations of recognition or gratitude as well as demonstrated leadership, courage and commitment to improving their lives.

• Girls in Sports Award
  This Award is a special acknowledgement of the extraordinary contributions and impact of an organization/program that provides access to quality sports programs to girls by addressing barriers that hinder girls’ participation while also providing positive and inspiring female role models.  Strong candidates are organizations/programs that give girls the skills and confidence to break down barriers and achieve goals throughout their lives.

Click here to submit your nomination.

The deadline to submit the online nomination form is Tuesday, March 31 at 5:00 pm CST.
For more information please contact Juana Ballesteros, Planning Committee Member, at juana.ballesteros@illinois.gov.

You will be required to fill out the below information when submitting the online form:

1. Award Category
   
   - Jesse White Lifetime Achievement Award: Presented to an individual who has consistently demonstrated, for at least 25 years, youth and community impact through sports
   
   - Girls in Sports Award: Presented to an organization/program that has successfully demonstrated using sports as a vehicle to positively impact the present and future lives of girls
   
   
2. Nominee Information: Name, Phone, Title, Organization Name, Address
   
   
3. Your Information: Name, Phone, Organization, Address, Email
   
   
4. Reason for Nomination
   
   
5. Jesse White Lifetime Achievement Award:  In 600 words or less, please provide detailed information describing why your nominee is deserving of this recognition.  Describe how, over at least 25 years, your nominee has impacted youth and community through sports.  
   
   
6. Girls in Sports Award:  In 600 words or less, please provide detailed information describing why your nominee is deserving of this recognition.  Please include the organization’s/program’s mission and vision as well its annual operating budget.  Describe the organization’s/program’s participants including age, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status as well as annual number of participants.  Describe how your nominee uses sports as a vehicle for impacting the lives of girls.  What specific strategies are used? What are the organization’s/program’s greatest successes?