Gulfport council creates Youth Sports and Recreation Commission to bolster youth athletics

The Gulfport City Council on the meeting approved an ordinance to create a Youth Sports and Recreation Commission intended to coordinate youth athletics, boost participation and provide oversight for local leagues.

Mayor Billy Hughes said council and staff launched the idea about 18 months ago to respond to declining youth participation nationally and locally. “We are a victim to the national trend of fewer and fewer children participating in organized sports,” Hughes said, adding the commission should help recruitment and sportsmanship.

The ordinance establishes a five-member commission to start, with two members representing areas above the interstate and three members below it, Mayor Hughes said. He described the body as advisory in law but said the council expects the commission to take on substantive roles beyond simple advice as it grows.

Matt Walters, athletic director at Gulfport High School, told the council he pushed the idea because of what he described as a wider societal problem around youth sports behavior and involvement. “This is something I'm extremely passionate about,” Walters said. “We have a societal issue with youth sports that drifts all the way up the ladder right now.” He said the commission’s work would include training student athletes, officials and parents and creating codes of conduct.

Council members asked about rules and enforcement. Walters said the commission will propose bylaws and a code of conduct and that signed agreements by parents and participants will be part of the approach. The council and supporters said the commission will start small and is expected to be amended over time as officials and the community identify gaps.

The council voted to approve the ordinance as presented; the motion carried unanimously.

The commission is slated to begin with volunteer membership and may expand in future council sessions if the body grows in scope and workload.