Posted on April 23, 2021 at 11:41 AM by Kyle Jost
When my daughters were little, we wanted to expose them to as many activities as we could to see what they enjoyed, to see what talents they had, and to see what social skills they could develop and friends they could make. Most of their early exposure started in parks & recreation programs or in community programs in/on park & recreation facilities. A part of their young experiences included facilities provided by TDRPD as well – such as Riverview Sports Park and West End Beach.
My older daughter, Abbey, tried some dance through Washoe County Parks & Recreation when she was very little. She took swim lessons at the Reno Parks & Recreation pools and tried AYSO soccer at Washoe County’s North Valleys Sports Complex before she was in first grade. Around second grade she tried tennis, and skiing around Washoe County as well, and it was cheer through Sierra Youth Football that brought us to Riverview. When we moved to Iowa, she tried softball, track & distance running, and piano. It was there that she was introduced to volleyball and found the sport she loved through our parks & recreation program. I enjoyed coaching along the way of course, but she worked hard and became better than me in my college playing days by the time she made high school varsity at Reno High. (Sorry, Manogue!) What matters most from all of it is she has some incredible memories, made lifelong friends, developed one hell of a work ethic, and found her passion.
My younger daughter Anna’s journey is similar. Early on she tried dance, soccer, tennis, softball, tae kwon do, swim lessons, swim team, piano, guitar, chorale, show choir, volleyball and more… and found she loves the performing arts the most. I have this great pic of my her at about age 3 holding a baseball and bat while wearing a ballet tutu. When you see her perform you can tell where her passion and talents most lie. These days she is in worship bands at two Reno churches, and performs in community theater on stages like Hawkins’ Amphitheater in Washoe County’s Bartley Ranch. What has been the best to experience is my daughter growing in her own way that lifts up and brings joy to so many others when she shares her gifts.
What means the most for me as a parent and a park and recreation professional is, as I said above, that most of the opportunities to discover what we enjoy and start a journey of personal development are either created by park and recreation departments or are held in or on park and recreation public facilities. At TDRPD, we have a great record of providing these opportunities to the Truckee community too. We’ve been known since the 1849 Gold Rush as the place for athletics, and probably since the 1984 Summer Olympics as the place for aquatics, preschool and summer camp. These days we’re building our own portfolio in the arts as well – not just theater with Truckee Community Theater or dance classes, but also ceramics, crochet, drawing, sewing, cooking and more.
For a town as small as Truckee, TDRPD has some big-city offerings and facilities that beat the bigger cities. We are passionate about the activities and facilities we offer to the public. There’s no better place in this town to discover your joy or make new friends. COVID or not, as we #MountainForward we want to be THE place you look to for opportunities. Maybe you’ll tell stories like mine about your own kids one day.
Start with us and see where your stars take you.