St. Louis Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department, Nike, and Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport Are Bringing Specialized Coach Training to St. Louis

The City of St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation, & Forestry Department, alongside Nike and the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport (CHJS), kicked off a coach training day aimed at empowering local coaches and recreation staff with specialized training in positive sport experiences for youth. 

Held on June 21, the Nike-supported coach training brought together leaders, coaches, staff, and volunteers to learn evidence-based coaching techniques designed to foster inclusive, supportive, and developmentally rich environments for thousands of young athletes involved in programs across City of St. Louis recreation centers and parks.

The training featured expert-led workshops, interactive breakout sessions, and best practice sharing designed to help coaches create environments that inspire, uplift, and empower St. Louis youth through sport.

“Nike is powering the future of youth sport — with the vision of an active, inclusive world that inspires all youth to play and achieve their greatest potential.” said Matt Geschke, Senior Director, Social and Community Impact in the Americas. “We are committed to creating opportunities for young people to experience the benefits of play and movement and supporting coaches who directly shape those experiences is critical to making that vision a reality.”

This coach training builds on the City of St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation, & Forestry’s ongoing commitment to youth development, complementing other city-wide initiatives aimed at promoting access to sports and recreation for all children.

“Coaches have a profound impact on the lives of young people,” said Greg Hayes, Director of Parks, Recreation, & Forestry, for the City of St. Louis. “By investing in their growth and development, we are ensuring that every child in our programs has the opportunity to thrive under the guidance of a positive and well-prepared leader.”

This day of coach training was led by CHJS, which works with organizations to ensure that more young people have access to sports experiences that support healing, build resilience and address issues of systemic injustice.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in expanding access to high-quality coaching education and supporting the future of youth sports across St. Louis.

Locations of the City of St. Louis Recreation Centers and the many free programs they offer, can be found on our Recreation Centers page.