Community Sports Projects

With obesity in America on the rise, communities are doing what they can to encourage citizens to get fit. Community-sponsored sports events can encourage people to become active and think about their health. Pass out healthy food such as apples and carrots at the events and stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

  1. Olympics

    • Hold a community Olympics open to all ages. For a competitive lineup, try classic Olympic events such as swimming and running races. Pass out medals for the fastest backstroke, breast stroke, 400m run, 4x400m relay and hurdles. Try a 5km run or walk, which can also be used to raise money for a cause. For children try the wheelbarrow crawl. One child crawls on his hands while another child holds his feet. Children may also try a sack race or a hula hoop contest. Finish off the day with a family-friendly tug-of-war.

    Nothing But NetsTri-sport Event

    • Make use of the summer season with an outdoor sporting event dedicated to three sports that use nets. Ask people to sign up in groups of three so each person participates in one of the sports. Host a beach volleyball tournament with a women's game, a men's game, a co-ed game and a children's game. Use a beach ball for the kid's game instead of a regular volleyball. You can also string a net across a pool to play water volleyball. Hold a basketball tournament or a shooting contest. Move to the tennis court to see who can win with a racket. Use foam tennis balls for children's tennis.

    Martial Arts and Yoga

    • Introduce community members to the martial arts with a martial arts workshop. Invite local instructors to lead a class or a demonstration at a community or fitness center. The workshop can include karate, judo, kickboxing or tae kwon do. Let participants practice their moves in a safe and controlled environment. For those not interested in martial arts try a yoga workshop. There are a variety of types and intensities of yoga, from fitness yoga to yoga that focuses on meditation.

    Kickball Tournament

    • Host a kickball tournament for the whole family. Place four, flat bases on a field and assign people on each team to a place in the field. To encourage kids to participate, add on two points each time they score a run. You can also have a second set of bases inside the first set so children don't have to run as far. Pass out ribbons to everyone who participates.