Brian VanDongen believes in improving sports for all age groups, while enhancing youth athletic development in an age-appropriate manner. VanDongen featured the recreation professional’s critical role in play for children at his presentation during the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association March 2018 conference.
Thanks to everyone who came out to my talk on the recreation professional's role in play for children. Hope you are able to use the information in your communities! #NJRPA18 cc: @USPlayCoalition @NJRPA pic.twitter.com/G9597tyF5i
— Brian VanDongen (@BVDsport_rec) March 5, 2018
His research concentrates on youth sport, a cause he has felt passionate about since he was in high school.
VanDongen earned his Multidisciplinary Studies bachelor’s degree in 2012. For one of three minors, he selected sport and exercise psychology.
“I chose to take an SEP minor as part of my degree because of the benefits of understanding psychological aspects of sports and how it could relate to improving youth sports programming for children,” VanDongen said.
His zeal for youth sports began in high school, when he spent time working the scoreboard, and during college summers, acting as league commissioner for recreation basketball leagues in his hometown of Hillsborough, NJ.
Once at WVU, he also spent fall and spring semesters serving as a referee and supervisor for WVU intramurals.
“It was this time spending with the recreation department in my town and for campus recreation at WVU that helped me find my passion for recreation,” VanDongen said.
His hunger for recreational sport was parlayed into work with the U.S. Play Coalition as an ambassador. His work with the coalition serves to promote healthy lifestyles and play throughout life. Although “play” has a connotation related to youth sport, VanDongen said that it’s an initiative that is present throughout the lifespan.
“In college, I never knew that "play" was a field people studied and worked so hard to advance,” VanDongen said. “But once I found out about the organization and their mission, I found an exciting branch of my passion that I love to work for and represent,” he added.
The early specialization in sport that the United States is trending toward plays a significant role in VanDongen’s work. He credits his studies at WVU with allowing him to pursue research in the field.
“The classes in the SEP minor helped me shape my views on what youth sports should be for kids,” VanDongen said. “It provided me with resources on how to make sports and recreational programming age-appropriate, while still developing children's athletic skills and improving their physical literacy.
“With the ‘professionalization' of youth sports (most kids are playing more and more games at younger ages, traveling further for games, and specializing in one sport at an early age), the classes in CPASS helped me understand how we can improve sports for people of all ages and improve children's athletic development in a safe, age-appropriate manner.”
Since his graduation in 2012, VanDongen was hired as the assistant director of recreation in Readington, NJ, a short 20-minute drive from Hillsborough, where his passion originated. His work in Readington includes hosting youth sports leagues, art classes, tennis clinics, fencing clinics, summer camps, basketball and softball tournaments and community events.
“I oversee the youth sports leagues and summer camps along with helping organize our community events including the Summer Spectacular, Sports Extravaganza, and Halloween Party,” VanDongen said. “I also serve as co-director of the Holiday Basketball Tournament, which this year saw 90 teams compete over four days at eight gyms.”
Although removed from Morgantown, WV, VanDongen takes great pride in his multi-disciplinary studies degree and everything he learned outside of the classroom as well.
“My best advice to CPASS students would be to keep exploring that passion that drove you into the field because it can open up entirely new opportunities,” VanDongen said.