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Integrating Project Management into a Physical Activity-Based After-School Program: Lessons from a University Partnership

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Title: Integrating Project Management into a Physical Activity-Based After-School Program: Lessons from a University Partnership
Language: English
Authors: Gabrielle Strittmater (ORCID 0009-0005-9982-0504), Jake Simms (ORCID 0009-0004-2563-5640), Alyssa Trad (ORCID 0009-0006-7318-9686), Jules Woolf (ORCID 0000-0002-9069-5285), Kevin Andrew Richards (ORCID 0000-0003-3045-6001)
Source: Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. 2025 96(7):26-34.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: After School Programs, School Community Programs, Youth Programs, Self Efficacy, Social Emotional Learning, Physical Activities, Program Administration, Interpersonal Communication, Problem Solving, Partnerships in Education, College Role, Adolescents, College Students
Geographic Terms: Illinois
DOI: 10.1080/07303084.2025.2520203
ISSN: 0730-3084
2168-3816
Abstract: The Young Olympians Program was developed to further a partnership between a university and the local Boys and Girls Club in central Illinois. The program was developed to improve youth participants' academic efficacy and social and emotional learning, while also engaging them in physical activity. This article shares the project-management stages used to develop the program (i.e., initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, closing), as well as what was learned through each stage. Key takeaways include being proactive with communication and problem-solving, commitment to meeting the needs of the community partner, and remaining flexible through all stages of the project. In sharing their experience, the authors acknowledge that each community partnership is different, and the recommendations provided may not fit exactly with every partnership. However, it is hoped that researchers and practitioners will be empowered to establish strong connections with their communities based on the overarching lessons presented.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1489790
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0187780088;erd01sep.25;2025Sep09.01:43;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0187780088-1">Integrating Project Management into a Physical Activity–Based After-School Program: Lessons from a University Partnership </title> <p>The Young Olympians Program was developed to further a partnership between a university and the local Boys and Girls Club in central Illinois. The program was developed to improve youth participants' academic efficacy and social and emotional learning, while also engaging them in physical activity. This article shares the project-management stages used to develop the program (i.e., initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, closing), as well as what was learned through each stage. Key takeaways include being proactive with communication and problem-solving, commitment to meeting the needs of the community partner, and remaining flexible through all stages of the project. In sharing their experience, the authors acknowledge that each community partnership is different, and the recommendations provided may not fit exactly with every partnership. However, it is hoped that researchers and practitioners will be empowered to establish strong connections with their communities based on the overarching lessons presented.</p> <p>After-school programs are great places for youth development as an extension of the school day (Fredrick & Marttinen, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref1">5</reflink>]). Often situated in after-school spaces, sport for development programs offer numerous positive outcomes for youth, including intrapersonal skills and increased activity levels (Dauenhauer et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref2">4</reflink>]). One interdisciplinary team, composed of Sport and Recreation Management and Sport Pedagogy faculty and students, sought to implement such a program in their local community. The Young Olympians program was developed as a community-based, action research project to develop a partnership between the University and a local Boys & Girls Club (BGC) in Central Illinois that served children ages 9 through 16 years. Through a collaborative effort that involved feedback from BGC, the Young Olympians program was designed to improve academic efficacy and social and emotional learning by integrating the Olympic values of <emph>friendship, courage, equality,</emph> and <emph>determination</emph> with three program areas: <emph>physical activity</emph>, <emph>cultural enrichment</emph>, and <emph>academic learning</emph>. Table 1 shows a semester breakdown of the Young Olympians program and its alignment with the Olympic values.</p> <p>Table 1. Spring 2023 Program Schedule</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Date</td><td>Olympic Connection</td><td>Cultural Education</td><td>Physical Activity Focus</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td>Week 1</td><td>Introduction week Overview of all four Olympic values</td><td>Adventure education</td><td>Journal creation</td></tr><tr><td>Week 1</td><td>Adventure education</td><td>Journal creation</td></tr><tr><td>Week 2</td><td>Friendship</td><td>Relationship madness</td><td>Basketball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 2</td><td>Comic book strip (art)</td><td>Basketball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 3</td><td>Friendship chain</td><td>—NO GYM*—</td></tr><tr><td>Week 3</td><td>Escape room</td><td>—NO GYM*—</td></tr><tr><td>Week 4</td><td>Courage</td><td>Courage tokens: Once you get over your initial fear, pass it on</td><td>Basketball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 4</td><td>Hidden messages</td><td>Kickball/baseball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 5</td><td>Letter to a past you</td><td>Volleyball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 5</td><td>Problem-solving activity</td><td>Volleyball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 6</td><td>SPRING BREAK—NO PROGRAMMING</td></tr><tr><td>Week 6</td></tr><tr><td>Week 7</td><td>Equality</td><td>Sports clinic (outside programming)</td><td>Basketball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 7</td><td>Sports clinic (outside programming)</td><td>Basketball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 8</td><td>Goal-setting</td><td>Flag football</td></tr><tr><td>Week 8</td><td>Goal-setting</td><td>Flag football</td></tr><tr><td>Week 9</td><td>Determination</td><td>Egg-drop project</td><td>Backwards soccer</td></tr><tr><td>Week 9</td><td>Egg-drop project</td><td>Soccer</td></tr><tr><td>Week 10</td><td>Olympic posters</td><td>Spike ball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 10</td><td>Olympic posters</td><td>Tchoukball</td></tr><tr><td>Week 11</td><td>Closing week Closing Ceremony</td><td>Special programming</td><td>Special programming</td></tr><tr><td>Week 11</td><td>Special programming</td><td>Special programming</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>1 *NO GYM = During Week 3, the BGC was renovating the gymnasium, so there was no access to the program space.</p> <p>2 <emph>Note.</emph> Program changed throughout the semester to meet student needs/interests; this table shows the initial intention of programming.</p> <p>The Young Olympians program ran in 10-week sessions over the course of five semesters (about 50 weeks of programming). There was a youth program (i.e., ages 9–11 years) and a teen program (i.e., ages 12–16 years) that operated at two different BGCs. At both sites, participants engaged in activities planned by a trained physical education graduate student in the areas of physical activity, cultural enrichment, and academic learning. Undergraduate student volunteers implemented the planned lessons under the graduate student's supervision at each site. Program volunteers were vital to the program and had roles of station group leader, station activity leader, and hybrid staff (Table 2 shows the position descriptions). The three activity areas (i.e., physical activity, cultural enrichment, and academic learning) were connected to the Olympic values with the focus shifting approximately every two weeks.</p> <p>Table 2. Overview of Young Olympian Staff Positions</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Position Title</td><td>Description</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td><italic>Leadership Team</italic></td><td>Responsible for design and planning of activities and ensuring that volunteers have all the necessary resources and materials to fulfill their roles. It is their responsibility to ensure that each participant and volunteer receives the necessary support and instruction in all activities offered. </td></tr><tr><td><italic>Group Leaders</italic></td><td>Responsible for leading a designated group of participants for the duration of the program. It is their responsibility to supervise participants, actively participate in all activities, lead character-building activities, facilitate enrichment activities, assist in teaching skills, and connect students with Boys & Girls Club staff in the case of injury.</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Station Activity Instructors</italic></td><td>Responsible for setting up and implementing activities for the program based on expertise and interest. It is their responsibility to ensure that each participant receives quality instruction in all activities offered. Station activity instructors include the positions of cultural enrichment, physical activity, and educational enrichment. </td></tr><tr><td><italic>Hybrid</italic></td><td>These individuals are flexible in their daily (and potentially even single program rotation) position based on program needs. Their responsibilities may include but are not limited to filling the void left by a station activity instructor, filling the void left by a group leader, assisting with a particular activity/group/ participant requiring more supervision or help and assisting the program director in other tasks.</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>3 <emph>Note:</emph> Program volunteers applied for their desired position and the leadership team designated roles by the training date. Although roles were assigned, they were fluid as program demands changed.</p> <p>The physical activity area featured traditional and nontraditional sports and activities such as basketball, volleyball, adventure education, teambuilding tasks, and fitness challenges to get the youth moving. Discussions and reflective exercises were used to teach the Olympic values and to demonstrate their relevancy to the participants' daily life. Learning in this station remained active through guest speakers, cooperative activities, and related skill development. Participants rotated between the physical activity and cultural education stations and engaged with learning experiences.</p> <p>The cultural activity station included activities such as the friendship chain and Olympic posters (see Table 1). The learning goals of these activities were to enhance students' cultural understanding and concept of self. For example, in Week 2 the Olympic value was <emph>friendship.</emph> In the cultural enrichment station, participants completed an activity called "relationship madness," a self-reflection bracket in which they ranked their core values to understand their personal relationships. During the physical activity portion, participants played small-sided basketball games such as "continuous lightning" (i.e., a basketball shooting game in which players try to score before the person in front of them. In place of elimination, the person who loses joins a simultaneous game to continue play). Finally, the debrief time allowed participants to discuss how they felt during the game and how their values were showcased within the activity (e.g., being a good sport, cheering on their friends).</p> <p>Week 9 provides an example of how the Olympic value of <emph>determination</emph> was connected to academic learning and physical activity. During the academic learning station, participants engaged in the "egg drop project." This problem-solving activity requires trial-and-error in which a structure is built to protect an egg when dropped from a large height. This science experiment requires problem solving and teamwork, allowing participants to develop and showcase determination skills. During the physical activity time, participants played backward soccer, a game that challenges the players as the entire game is backward (i.e., played on a soccer field, but the nets are backwards, the players cannot use their feet to advance the ball, and shooting must be done with their hands). The debrief asked participants to reflect on how they solved problems in the egg drop and backwards soccer and what determination means to them. A sample lesson plan implemented within the teen program can be seen in Table 3. For a more comprehensive look into the Young Olympians program refer to Simms et al.' (2024) piece in which a detailed description of the program is presented.</p> <p>Table 3. Sample Teen Lesson Plan</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><tbody valign="top"><tr><td><bold>Week & Date:</bold> Week 2, Tuesday 02/14/2023</td></tr><tr><td><bold>Duration (minutes)</bold></td><td><bold>Activity </bold></td></tr><tr><td char=".">5</td><td><bold>Instant Activity/Socialize (in gym) </bold></td></tr><tr><td char=".">10</td><td>Group Meeting, Brief <list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Eye Tag </p></list-item><list-item><p>Introduce Olympic Value #1: Friendship </p></list-item></list></td></tr><tr><td char=".">5</td><td><bold>Transition (to stations)</bold></td></tr><tr><td char=".">20</td><td><bold>Station 1: Cultural Education</bold> Relationship Madness <list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Complete the bracket to determine the things that you value in a relationship/friendship.</p></list-item></list> Friendship Chain <list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Students write qualities that they look for in a friend on a slip of paper and then link it up with the main chain.</p></list-item></list></td></tr><tr><td char=".">5</td><td><bold>Transition (switch stations)</bold></td></tr><tr><td char=".">20</td><td><bold>Station 2: Physical Activity </bold><list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Basketball golf </p></list-item><list-item><p>Start by picking 9 'holes' (use poly spots) </p></list-item><list-item><p>Continuous lightning </p></list-item></list></td></tr><tr><td char=".">5</td><td><bold>Transition (everyone to the gym)</bold></td></tr><tr><td char=".">10</td><td><bold>Full-Group Debrief with Students and Volunteers*</bold><list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Large group: Around the world—volunteers vs. students</p></list-item></list> * Discuss how to be a positive friend and cheer each other on <graphic href="ujrd_a_2520203_ilg0001_c.jpg" content-type="Graph" /></td></tr><tr><td char=".">10 </td><td><bold>Structured Free Time (in gym)</bold></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>The authors used project management to assist with implementing the Young Olympian program. The Project Management Institute's (2021) guide for project management called the <emph>Project Management Body of Knowledge</emph> (PMBOK), defines <emph>project management</emph> as "the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements" (2021, p. 6). Project management involves five stages (Table 4): <emph>initiation</emph>, <emph>planning</emph>, <emph>execution</emph>, <emph>monitoring</emph>, and <emph>closing</emph> (Lock, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref3">11</reflink>]). Over the five semesters of the Young Olympians program, the authors learned valuable lessons using project management that are beneficial for implementation of after-school programming. Engaging in regular reflective conversations helped them to make improvements and adjust to changing conditions. Furthermore, these conversations enabled them to identify a series of lessons learned that the authors believe would benefit others interested in beginning similar youth programs that involve cultivating relationships with community partners.</p> <p>Table 4. Project Management Stages</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Stage 1: Initiation</td><td>Stage 2: Planning</td><td>Stage 3: Executing</td><td>Stage 4: Monitoring</td><td>Stage 5: Project Closing</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td><list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Define goals</p></list-item><list-item><p>Plan</p></list-item><list-item><p>Establish partnerships</p></list-item><list-item><p>Establish communication with collaborators</p></list-item></list></td><td><list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Establish scope</p></list-item><list-item><p>Create project plan</p></list-item><list-item><p>Define roles</p></list-item></list></td><td><list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Manage and allocate resources</p></list-item><list-item><p>Meet often</p></list-item><list-item><p>Fix issues as they arise</p></list-item></list></td><td><list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Track project</p></list-item><list-item><p>Adhere to plan</p></list-item><list-item><p>Be proactive regarding disruptions</p></list-item><list-item><p>Monitor</p></list-item></list></td><td><list list-type="Bullet"><list-item><p>Signal the program end</p></list-item><list-item><p>Review project results</p></list-item><list-item><p>Document lessons learned</p></list-item></list></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>4 <emph>Note.</emph> Project management stages as described in the <emph>Project Management Body of Knowledge</emph> (PMBOK) guide from the Project Management Institute ([<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref4">17</reflink>]).</p> <p>This article shares the project management stages (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref5">17</reflink>]) that were used to implement the Young Olympians program. In addition, it highlights lessons learned from each of the five project management stages. Although the stages are presented in a typical sequential format, it is also important to consider the specific context of Young Olympians program. The program spanned multiple years and experienced staff turnover, which required the authors to repeat stages at different intervals. The authors recognize that every community partnership is different and, consequently, the recommendations presented here may not fit exactly with every partnership. Readers are encouraged to consider the lessons learned through the lens of their own program experience while drawing on other management resources (Lyras & Welty Peachey, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref6">12</reflink>]). To begin, an overview of participatory action research (PAR) is provided, which guided the authors' approach to using project management.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-2">Participatory Action Research</hd> <p>The PAR framework leads to a collaborative, empowering research process involving participants in all stages to generate knowledge and promote social change (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref7">23</reflink>]). The framework grew in popularity as an alternative to traditional approaches to inquiry, which were criticized for favoring researchers' perspectives and oppressing participants' views (Bennett, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref8">2</reflink>]). Such approaches to scholarly inquiry rely on objectivity and position research expertise as power, which limits the involvement of participants and silences communities (Bennett, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref9">2</reflink>]; Frisby et al., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref10">7</reflink>]; Tandon, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref11">21</reflink>]). In contrast, PAR seeks to engage with and improve awareness of diverse communities without exploitation by centering on the needs and values of community members (Frisby et al., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref12">7</reflink>]). It is positioned as a humanistic approach through the prioritization of nonintrusive and collaborative research strategies. Power relations play an active role in any relationship-building process, and PAR is no exception. Recognizing and seeking to minimize the influence of such power through authentic and critical reflection along with open dialogue and conversations becomes vital to effectively navigating the relational dynamics at play (Patton, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref13">16</reflink>]; White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref14">23</reflink>]).</p> <p>Evidence confirms that power dynamics between researchers and community members are best navigated by active participant engagement throughout the research process (MacDonald, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref15">13</reflink>]). Such engagement conveys a sense of community advocacy, leading to program sustainability, meaningful and transformative dialogue between researchers and community members, heightened research relevance, and improved social validity and research credibility (Bennett, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref16">2</reflink>]; White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref17">23</reflink>]). Such approaches, when used intentionally and strategically, can also help researchers obtain firsthand experience and better understand communities in pursuit of social action and change (Bennett, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref18">2</reflink>]; Frisby et al., [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref19">6</reflink>]). These outcomes cannot be left to chance, however, and a variety of guidelines and frameworks are available for researchers and practitioners to consider when using PAR (Danley & Ellison, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref20">3</reflink>]). Hence, the project management stages were used to aid in navigating the relationship between BGC and the University.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-3">Project Management as a Guide for PAR</hd> <p>In PAR, researchers often serve as project managers, which can be a complex and difficult task. Importantly, project managers can be anyone, not only researchers. For example, physical education teachers or other activity champions (e.g., community members, teachers, administrators) may find it advantageous to serve as project managers when physical activity is the goal of the project. Within this experience, researchers were the project managers, which is this paper's focus. Researchers fulfill this role to ensure that coherence and purpose are well organized and maintained throughout the life of the project (MacDonald, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref21">13</reflink>]). They also need to be diligent about seeking and providing a platform for the voices of others, particularly the community members with whom they are working (Danley & Ellison, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref22">3</reflink>]). This provision can be done through regular meetings during all project phases to ensure the community partner's opinions and needs are met. Although challenging at times, this piece of PAR is critical to allow for true collaboration and to diminish power dynamics. Given the demands on researchers who must act as project managers, it is important that project management practices be taken into consideration. Project management practices have gained increased visibility and attention in the broader literature given the important role they play in helping teams advance toward intended outcomes (Badewi, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref23">1</reflink>]; Kwak & Anbari, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref24">8</reflink>]; Zhai et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref25">24</reflink>]).</p> <p>Grounded in Lewin's ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref26">9</reflink>]) action research philosophy, the authors sought to bridge the gap between theory and practice in developing and implementing the Young Olympians program by integrating the PMBOK recommendations with an interactive process that involves planning, action, and reflection. To further refine their approach, they adopted the recommendations of White et al. ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref27">23</reflink>]) related to determining management needs, supporting needs, and assigning responsibilities to address project management challenges, such as managing the research partnership, changing program conditions, working with undergraduate volunteers, and working with youth.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-4">Researchers as Project Managers Within the Young Olympians Program</hd> <p>The nature of PAR requires frameworks broad enough to meet the needs of different research teams and communities. Combining existing project management practices in PAR (Danley & Ellison, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref28">3</reflink>]; White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref29">23</reflink>]) with a general project management framework (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref30">17</reflink>]) provides a useful resource for applying project management in sport and exercise. Researchers and practitioners seeking to implement programs must simultaneously honor the PAR philosophy (e.g., Frisby et al., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref31">7</reflink>]; Lewin, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref32">9</reflink>]) while also facilitating the project in alignment with the intended community enrichment goals and research outcomes (Danley & Ellison, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref33">3</reflink>]). The messy, emergent process that is project management can be better managed by utilizing a guiding framework (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref34">23</reflink>]).</p> <p>Given that the authors initiated and led the Young Olympians program, they acted simultaneously as project managers and researchers. This approach meant that they took lead responsibility for creating, implementing, and assessing the Young Olympians program while simultaneously collecting and analyzing data. Serving as a researcher and project manager shifts the roles and responsibilities requiring different considerations from traditional project management (Zhai et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref35">24</reflink>]). These differences (i.e., extending the role to researchers and project managers) make it important for team members to identify and discuss roles and responsibilities at the forefront of any project. Project managers oversee project implementation, conduct meetings, handle recruiting, supervise team members, manage resources, and oversee project completion (Danley & Ellison, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref36">3</reflink>]).</p> <p>Research components of PAR add additional project management responsibilities, such as scheduling research tasks, facilitating research design, teaching skills to other team members, learning from the community, and maintaining research integrity. The project management stages—which align with Lewin's ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref37">9</reflink>]) process of <emph>planning</emph>, <emph>action</emph>, and <emph>reflection</emph>—provide guidance for PAR scholars throughout the life of a project. Project management is a group process requiring the expertise and experience of a variety of team members. Within these dynamic teams, the emergence of challenges and opportunities should be anticipated. Because the authors served in both roles (researcher and project manager), there were tensions related to positionality that had to be continually reflected on. The next section will describe how the five stages of project management were applied to the Young Olympians program.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-5">Project Management Implementation in the on Young Olympians Program</hd> <p>The PMBOK Guide (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref38">17</reflink>]) identifies five stages that occur throughout any project: <emph>initiating</emph>, <emph>planning</emph>, <emph>executing</emph>, <emph>monitoring</emph>, and <emph>closing</emph>, as described in Table 3. These stages served as a framework for understanding and discussing management of the Young Olympians program through PAR. Each stage is outlined followed by the specific implementation within the Young Olympians program.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-6">Stage 1—Initiating: Making Initial Connections</hd> <p>During the initiating stage, partnerships are formed, roles and responsibilities are assigned, and the operational processes are discussed (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref39">17</reflink>]). Project management in PAR must also consider research activities and collaboration with community members during project development, implementation, and evaluation (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref40">23</reflink>]). The initiating stage differs by project, with the idea for the project or the project goals originating from either the university or community partner. Once an idea is formed, project management and leadership roles should be identified and discussed with team members agreeing on who will provide leadership and the roles and responsibilities of team members. Even in instances when university personnel are leading projects, when working through PAR, community members must play a major role in determining scope (Nieuwenhuys, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref41">15</reflink>]; Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref42">17</reflink>]). This approach should be understood and agreed upon before beginning detailed planning.</p> <p>For the Young Olympians program, the initiating stage started through a pre-established collaboration between university personnel and the BGC coordinator. This connection was initiated while the BGC coordinator was completing graduate work at the University, which laid the foundation for the connection. Nevertheless, establishing or expanding upon initial relationships requires that university personnel go out into the community and actively seek partnerships or that they are open when community members seek them out. A primary challenge in these partnerships comes from the power relations and how they may affect those who choose to collaborate and participate throughout the project (Littman et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref43">10</reflink>]). These power relations can remain prevalent throughout the life of the project (Smith et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref44">19</reflink>]). In the case of the Young Olympians program, the authors needed to navigate the power relationships present because the BGC coordinator had been a student supervised by a team member. The PAR team needed to be aware of this former connection and adjust if needed.</p> <p>The PAR team discussed program needs, goals, and each parties' responsibilities. This discussion is when further trust, familiarity, and networks began to develop (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref45">23</reflink>]). Leadership roles were identified, and responsibilities were agreed upon among members of the PAR team. For example, it was decided that the University team would take leadership in the project management process. Their responsibilities included program design, volunteer recruitment, and collecting and managing data. The community partner was responsible for recruiting youth participants, preparing facilities, and reviewing (and approving) the plans before implementation to ensure alignment with BGC values. The scope of the project was also discussed, whereby the PAR team decided on the target outcomes related to physical activity and cultural education with a plan to begin at one site and subsequently expand to serve additional youth across multiple sites.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-7">Stage 2—Planning: Going from an Idea to a Plan</hd> <p>The planning stage is vital because it opens the possibility for challenges to be addressed proactively (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref46">17</reflink>]). Decisions that influence the entire project are made during the planning stage, and the inclusion of the community partners throughout the planning process is critical in PAR (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref47">23</reflink>]). Projects may be partially conceptualized or be in the initial stages of planning before community partners have been identified. Most of the decisions should be made together, however, so that the community partner's voice is authentically included in the program design, goals, and outcomes (Zhai et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref48">24</reflink>]). A research and evaluation plan should also be developed during planning, including data collection methods, schedule of data collection, and a plan for analyzing and communicating outcomes to both the community partner and, when relevant, the broader academic community. Evaluation should focus on continued improvement and the ongoing process of reflection.</p> <p>White et al. ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref49">23</reflink>]) outlined three essential components of project management in PAR: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref50">1</reflink>) determining management needs; (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref51">2</reflink>) determining support needs; and (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref52">3</reflink>) assigning responsibilities and resources. Each component should be addressed in the planning stage and reviewed throughout the project. In line with the division of project leadership discussed during the initiating stage, management needs were discussed, such as establishing meeting times and places, preparing meeting agendas, organizing and implementing group activities, identifying how the group will make decisions, discussing conflict management strategies, and overseeing resources and payment mechanisms. Identifying these management needs sets the stage for how the team will operate during future project stages, as well as how they will respond when things get challenging (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref53">17</reflink>]).</p> <p>During this stage, the Young Olympians program team began designing different aspects of the program and identifying management and support needs. Weekly meetings were held with the PAR team, from which they established plans, protocols, and procedures for implementation at program launch. Periodic meetings took place between the PAR team and BGC to inform the group and maintain consensus on the Young Olympians program mission. During this stage, BGC planned for participant recruitment and for gathering the resources necessary to run the program using their facilities. Change should be expected at each stage of project management, and strategies to manage and control change should be identified early on through elaborate and highly detailed planning (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref54">17</reflink>]). Decision-making and conflict resolution strategies play a major role in project management, and explicit discussion is necessary during the planning stage (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref55">23</reflink>]). Examples include whether decisions will be made by majority rule or if group consensus will be needed. As mentioned before, unexpected challenges will occur, but having a clear plan for making decisions and addressing conflict will serve project managers well. Determining support needs during the planning stage can lead to stronger team member participation and retention (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref56">23</reflink>]). Examples from the Young Olympians program included identifying who would provide clerical or logistical assistance, how diverse needs would be accommodated, and how to address situations in which participants may not feel comfortable participating in an activity.</p> <p>Clerical and logistical assistance is necessary because effective notetaking and record keeping is critical when evaluating the project and effectively collecting and managing data (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref57">23</reflink>]). Team members and participants will likely have diverse needs that require attention, such as supplemental reading materials, scheduling meetings in accessible locations, or providing recordings for members who cannot attend a meeting. This objective is critical in PAR because communities and researchers should have an equal and cooperative role and access to communication (Warwick-Booth et al., [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref58">22</reflink>]). In addition to identifying the specifics of team members' roles, the authors found it necessary to discuss accountability protocols and budgetary considerations. During this stage, team members were aware of the budget, allocation, and the process for using project resources. Such discussions helped develop a plan that could be referenced throughout the executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing stages.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-8">Stage 3—Executing: Implementing the Plan</hd> <p>The processes for project execution are the elements that must be performed to complete the work that was defined through the initial project management plan (Nicholas & Steyn, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref59">14</reflink>]). Executing consists of both coordinating people and resources as well as performing the activities in the plan (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref60">17</reflink>]). Through the execution, steps must be taken to ensure quality control, meaning that the activities implemented must produce high-quality experiences for the participants (Nicholas & Steyn, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref61">14</reflink>]). If standards are not being met, steps can be taken during the monitoring stage to make necessary changes (Lock, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref62">11</reflink>]). The execution stage proceeds from the planning stage, which makes the process seem linear; in reality, however, the implementation is continuously adjusted and revised to better meet needs (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref63">17</reflink>]).</p> <p>Although the Young Olympians program structure remained largely the same over the five semesters of implementation, there were several instances in which the execution stage was impacted by change. First, there was an additional BGC site added (totaling three) across the county that provided programming to a rural BGC. Volunteers and researchers had to commute to this site (40 minutes round trip), which altered the flow of the agenda. Despite the added travel time, the execution of daily programming remained consistent. This third site provided valuable programming; however, it was ultimately dissolved, somewhat unexpectedly, partway through the semester. This shift in programming impacted staff and BGC youth in the sense that they did not get full program closure. This example highlights the sometimes tumultuous relationships with community partners. The only other difference was that there were less students enrolled, creating a smaller group. Additionally, there were several changes within the PAR team over the life of the program, which prompted the necessary training and contextually specific adjustments outlined next.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-9">Stage 4—Monitoring: Remaining Open to Change</hd> <p>Monitoring is a key aspect of the process for maintaining alignment with Lewin's ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref64">9</reflink>]) process of action research (e.g., identifying issues and continued problem-solving). Areas requiring monitoring can include budgetary expenditures, alignment to protocols, management of data, and community perceptions. Continuous monitoring provides insight into the health of the project through collaboration among PAR team members and identifies areas to be reviewed or examined (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref65">17</reflink>]).</p> <p>Monitoring was critical to maintaining and improving the Young Olympians program. Examples of monitoring included gathering reflection and program evaluation information from children, volunteers, and BGC staff to provide feedback on the program. Because the PAR team was collecting data for empirical research, there were abundant data available to inform practice. Comments from the youth participants and BGC staff led to various adaptations and changes each semester to better meet the community's needs. For example, the program time was moved to an earlier time slot in the day, so more children could participate. Additional changes included the purposeful selection of activities that participants enjoyed (e.g., basketball) and the inclusion of BGC staff into programming to integrate the BGC and the Young Olympians program into one cohesive group. All team members continued monitoring throughout the project to track and review progress, while identifying needed adjustments. Check-ins and PAR team meetings were useful monitoring strategies to promote collaboration between university personnel and the BGC (Simms et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref66">18</reflink>]).</p> <p>Changes were also made to the research plan across the four semesters of implementation based on data gathered from the BGC, university student volunteers, and the youth participants. Initially, focus groups were conducted with four to five children; however, based on observation and feedback, the group size was reduced to a maximum of three children per group. This approach helped decrease distractions, allowing greater and more focused participation from the youth, resulting in more meaningful conversations and improved insights from their experience of the program. Gathering feedback from some stakeholders allowed the authors to strive to be a more inclusive program, leading to high retention of volunteers and children each semester. The PAR team met between sessions to discuss the results of ongoing program evaluation research and to plan changes, leading to many adjustments and improved teamwork.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-10">Stage 5—Closing: Acknowledging the End</hd> <p>The closing stage is the final stage of the project management process and takes place between the final deliverables and the archiving of the project documents (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref67">17</reflink>]). The closing stage is important because it provides an intentional end for both the PAR team and participants. The closure also signifies the end of a partnership and potential discussions on future collaborations. Although there were small closing ceremonies each semester for the Young Olympians program, the overall program closed in the Spring of 2023. Importantly, although the program has officially ended, the BGC and PAR team were able to end the collaboration with a positive parting leaving the door open for potential future collaborations.</p> <p>The Young Olympians program ended each semester program session with a special closing ceremony. Building from the Olympic framework guiding program implementation, athletes from the University came to engage in Olympic-style activities with the participants and shared in the closing ceremony and presentation of Young Olympians program medals to all participants. The teen program also hosted an Olympic athlete who shared her message of hope and determination, making explicit connections to the Young Olympians program framework. These special guests served as a symbol of the shared experiences and moments that volunteers and participants shared. The participants were able to say goodbye to staff and experience a sense of closure. This intentional conversation and space for emotion is important when working with youth. At the closure of the Young Olympians program, some youth had participated for several semesters and had developed close relationships with staff and the PAR team. Moreover, staff received closure through gathering with one another to celebrate their work. All these interactions are important to signify the end of such an impactful program.</p> <p>The PAR team collected interviews with program volunteers and was able to publish related work on the socialization and social-emotional learning of college students (Simms et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref68">18</reflink>]). Although the primary goal of the Young Olympians program was to implement quality sport for development programming with local youth, the secondary goal was to gather empirical data on the subject. These goals in tandem were the basis for the Young Olympians program and guided the PAR team. Over the five semesters of programming, researchers collected many data to be disseminated in the future. For those with similar ambitions, it would be important to establish the goal of publishing research as part of the initiation and planning stages and making this goal part of the scope of the partnership.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-11">Conclusions and Final Thoughts</hd> <p>This article has reviewed project management strategies in PAR, provided a framework for project management, and shared reflections based on the authors' experiences implementing the Young Olympians program. Through the implementation of the Young Olympians program, after-school settings were targeted as an opportunity for youth to engage in a purposefully planned program that increased their physical activity levels (Dauenhauer et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref69">4</reflink>]). By utilizing a PAR framework, the Young Olympians program was carefully constructed through collaboration with the BGC in hopes of meeting the needs of the youth and community. Overall, the authors learned that project management in PAR is a dynamic and challenging process that requires careful consideration of stages (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref70">23</reflink>]). Depending on the context and community, project management can take different forms and should develop in unique ways that suit the needs of the local context (Danley & Ellison, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref71">3</reflink>]; Smith et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref72">19</reflink>]; Stringer, [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref73">20</reflink>]). However, the key stages discussed herein—initiating, project planning, project executing, project monitoring, and project closing—can be used as a framework for conceptualizing and developing PAR project partnerships across disciplines (Warwick-Booth et al., [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref74">22</reflink>]). With intentional efforts, such as collaboratively navigating challenges and strife, these partnerships can be fruitful for all parties. In the Young Olympians program, participants gained valuable physical activity time and enrichment through the implementation of PAR in an after-school setting. Using PAR, the program was tailored to the unique needs of the community and organizations that took part in the planning and implementation of the Young Olympians program.</p> <p>Managing this project was a valuable learning opportunity for the team. The evaluation of the program both highlighted areas of success and opportunities for the future. The need for incorporating a project management framework from the beginning is a key takeaway. The stages of project management afforded a linear approach to the Young Olympians program while also encouraging regular monitoring to make modifications based on what was learned. The execution stage is informed by the planning stage; therefore, the process is linear but can go through continuous change and revisions (Lock, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref75">11</reflink>]). Managing a PAR project can be messy and unpredictable, but having a solid framework can help maintain focus and ensure progress toward the desired objectives while staying within the scope (White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref76">23</reflink>]).</p> <p>Moving forward, community partnerships and PAR projects could be enhanced by carefully considering project management and the stages they may face throughout the process. Working with community members to understand and go through the stages can greatly improve the success of a project by ensuring all voices are heard. The use of PAR and the PMBOK allows for strategic decision-making and a structured process (Project Management Institute, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref77">17</reflink>]; Warwick-Booth et al., [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref78">22</reflink>]; White et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref79">23</reflink>]). By sharing the Young Olympians program experience, the authors hope to inspire future collaborations to allow for positive youth enrichment through physical activity programs.</p> <hd id="AN0187780088-12">Disclosure Statement</hd> <p>No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).</p> <ref id="AN0187780088-13"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref23" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Badewi, A. (2016). 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Project Management Journal, 40 (1), 99 – 109. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmj.20099</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Gabrielle Strittmater; Jake Simms; Alyssa Trad; Jules Woolf and Kevin Andrew Richards</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author</p> <p></p> <p>Gabrielle Strittmater is a doctoral research and teaching assistant in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.</p> <p>Jake Simms is an assistant professor in the School of Business at Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN.</p> <p>Alyssa Trad is an assistant professor in the Kinesiology Department at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI.</p> <p>Jules Woolf is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism and Kevin Andrew Richards () is an associate professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.</p> <p>Jules Woolf is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism and Kevin Andrew Richards () is an associate professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref4"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref25"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref41"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref43"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref44"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref58"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref59"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref66"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref73"></nolink>
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  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The Young Olympians Program was developed to further a partnership between a university and the local Boys and Girls Club in central Illinois. The program was developed to improve youth participants' academic efficacy and social and emotional learning, while also engaging them in physical activity. This article shares the project-management stages used to develop the program (i.e., initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, closing), as well as what was learned through each stage. Key takeaways include being proactive with communication and problem-solving, commitment to meeting the needs of the community partner, and remaining flexible through all stages of the project. In sharing their experience, the authors acknowledge that each community partnership is different, and the recommendations provided may not fit exactly with every partnership. However, it is hoped that researchers and practitioners will be empowered to establish strong connections with their communities based on the overarching lessons presented.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1489790
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1489790
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/07303084.2025.2520203
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 26
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: After School Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Community Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Youth Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Emotional Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physical Activities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Problem Solving
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Partnerships in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Illinois
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Integrating Project Management into a Physical Activity-Based After-School Program: Lessons from a University Partnership
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Gabrielle Strittmater
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jake Simms
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Alyssa Trad
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jules Woolf
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          Name:
            NameFull: Kevin Andrew Richards
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0730-3084
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 2168-3816
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 96
            – Type: issue
              Value: 7
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance
              Type: main
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