2016

Playing Forward: The Present and Future of Youth Sports

On October 27, 2016, the LA84 Foundation hosted over 400 civic leaders, sports industry executives, top athletes and difference-makers in the youth sports sphere at its Fifth Annual Summit. Themed Playing Forward: The Present and Future of Youth Sports, the Summit highlighted the foundation’s commitment to leveling the playing field and reinforcing the importance of youth sports. Speakers included Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles Kings President Luc Robitaille and Chairman of the LA 2028 Bid Committee Casey Wasserman, as well as Olympians Janet Evans, Ibtihaj Muhammad and Gary Hall Jr. among others. See highlights, event information, and learn more about the Summit below.

ARTICLES/RECAPS

More Recaps

ARTICLES/RECAPS

LA84 Summit Panel Recap: Maximizing Impact through Collaboration

Partnerships. It’s a buzz word in the field of youth sports and in business on the whole, but how exactly … Watch Now

LA84 Summit Panel Recap: Stories from the Rio Olympics + How They Began

Olympians and Paralympians are at the pinnacle of their sports, and they didn’t reach such heights by accident. At the … Watch Now

LA84 Summit Panel Recap: Equity in Play

See panel takeaways and quotes on how to find safe sports spaces in undeserved communities.

LA84 Summit Panel Recap: Voices from the Field

Youth sports is a hot-button topic across the United States, with scholars and advocacy groups constantly aiming to solve relevant … Watch Now

LA84 Summit Recap: Life Transformed Through Sports, Setting a New Course

LA84 Foundation President & CEO Renata Simril delivered the keynote address at the 5th Annual LA84 Foundation Summit on October … Watch Now

LA84 Summit Panel Recap: Solutions to the Youth Sports Dropout Problem

Youth sports isn’t as simple as youth deciding they simply want to play sports. For many, there are cost, geographic … Watch Now

More Videos

Elevating the Field of Youth Sports

LA84 President & CEO Renata Simril speaks about LA84’s new path.

Stories from the Rio Olympics

Four 2016 Olympians and Paralympians share their journeys.

Recapping a Game-Changing Day

LA84 President & CEO Renata Simril and Julie Foudy recap the 2016 LA84 Summit.

2016 SUMMIT SPONSORS

Featured Speakers Sub Heading

Ibtihaj Muhammad

2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Fencing

Luc Robitaille

President, Business Operations, Alternative Governor, LA Kings

Janet Evans

Olympian, Vice Chair & Director of Athlete Relations, LA 2024 Bid Committee

More Speakers

More Featured Speakers

More Featured Speakers
All Speakers

Casey Wasserman

Chairman, LA2024 Bid Committee, Chairman & CEO, Wasserman Media Group

Benita Fitzgerald Mosley

CEO, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation; Olympian

Julie Foudy

Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and World Cup Champion, ESPN Analyst and Reporter

Brenda Villa

Founder, Project 2020; Coach; Olympian, Water Polo

Barbara Nwaba

2016 Olympian, Track & Field

Renata Simril

President & CEO, LA84 Foundation

All Speakers

Alan Abrahamson, Lecturer, Journalism, USC Annenberg

Barbara Nwaba, 2016 Olympian, Track & Field

Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, CEO, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation; Olympian

Blanca Gonzalez, Vice President/General Manager West Territory, Nike

Brenda Villa, Founder, Project 2020; Coach; Olympian, Water Polo

Caitlin Morris, North America Executive Director, Global Community Impact, Nike

Casey Wasserman, Chairman, LA2024 Bid Committee, Chairman & CEO, Wasserman Media Group

Dr. Keith Feder, Co-founder, Team to Win; Director, West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation

Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO, US Soccer Foundation

Emily Eisner, Founder, Play It Forward, Sierra Canyon School

Eric Garcetti, Mayor

Ezra Frech, Parathlete, Track & Field, Brentwood School

Gary Hall, Jr., Olympian, Swimming, Healthcare Advocate

Ibtihaj Muhammad, 2016 Olympian, Fencing

Jaiher Douglas, Basketball, Football, Augustus Hawkins High School

Janet Evans, Olympian, Vice Chair & Director of Athlete Relations, LA 2024 Bid Committee

Jim Thompson, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Positive Coaching Alliance

Julie Foudy, Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and World Cup Champion, ESPN Analyst and Reporter

Kayla Novak, Cycling, Tennis, Redondo Union High School

Keith Johnson, Executive Director, Falcons Youth and Family Services

Kelly Cheeseman, COO, AEG Sports

Laura Gentile, Senior Vice President, espnW and Women’s Initiatives

Lex Gillette, 2016 Paralympian, four-time medalist, Track & Field

Lolita Lopez, KNBC Reporter

Luc Robitaille, President, Business Operations, Alternative Governor, LA Kings

Mark Hyman, George Washington University, Author: The Most Expensive Game in Town: The Rising Cost of Youth Sports and the Toll on Today’s Families

Marlene Bjornsrud, Director of Strategic Relationships, Alliance of Women Coaches

Nichol Whiteman, Executive Director, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation

Nicole LaVoi, Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, University of Minnesota

Rafael Acosta, Regional Director, LAUSD Beyond the Bell

Renata Simril, President & CEO, LA84 Foundation

SaraJoy Salib, Water Polo Athlete, Venice High School

Sherrie Deans, Executive Director, National Basketball Players Association Foundation

Steven Lopez, 2016 Olympian, three-time medalist, Taekwondo

Tom Penn, President & Co-Owner, Los Angeles Football Club

Tony Brown, Executive Director, Heart of Los Angeles

Agenda

Agenda Sub Heading

Thursday, October 27, 2016
7:30am	Registration & Continental Breakfast
8:30am	Mayoral Address with Mayor Eric Garcetti
8:45am	Life Transformed Through Sports: Setting a New Course Renata Simril, President and CEO, LA84 Foundation
9:05am	The Impact of the Olympics on Youth Sports: LA84 + LA24 = Legacy Squared Janet Evans (Olympian, Vice Chair & Director of Athlete Relations, LA 2024 Bid Committee) and Casey Wasserman (Chairman, LA2024 Bid Committee, Chairman & CEO, Wasserman Media Group) moderated by Alan Abrahamson (Lecturer, Journalism, USC Annenberg)
10:00am	Youth Sports Breakout Sessions Session 1: The Power of Girls Who Play, Presented by LA 2024 Marlene Bjornsrud (Director of Strategic Relationships, Alliance of Women Coaches), Laura Gentile (Senior Vice President, espnW and Women's Initiatives), Nicole LaVoi (Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, University of Minnesota) & Blanca Gonzalez, (Vice President/General Manager West Territory, Nike) moderated by Lolita Lopez (KNBC Reporter)
	Session 2: Equity in Play: Safety, Space & Money, Presented by the Los Angeles Times Dr. Keith Feder (Co-founder, Team to Win; Director, West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation), Ed Foster-Simeon (President & CEO, US Soccer Foundation), Keith Johnson (Executive Director, Falcons Youth and Family Services) & Brenda Villa (Founder, Project 2020; Coach; Olympian, Water Polo) moderated by Tony Brown (Executive Director, Heart of Los Angeles)
	Session 3: Playing Smart: Solutions to the Youth Sports Dropout Problem, Presented by Fox Sports West Rafael Acosta (Regional Director, LAUSD Beyond the Bell), Luc Robitaille (President, Business Operations, Alternative Governor, LA Kings), Jim Thompson (Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Positive Coaching Alliance), Nichol Whiteman (Executive Director, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation) moderated by Mark Hyman (George Washington University, Author: The Most Expensive Game in Town: The Rising Cost of Youth Sports and the Toll on Today’s Families)
10:50am	Break
11:10am	Voices from the Field: Today’s Athletes Jaiher Douglas (Basketball, Football, Augustus Hawkins High School), Emily Eisner (Founder, Play It Forward, Sierra Canyon School), Ezra Frech (Parathlete, Track & Field, Brentwood School), Kayla Novak (Cycling, Tennis, Redondo Union High School), SaraJoy Salib (Water Polo Athlete, Venice High School) moderated by Gary Hall, Jr. (Olympian, Swimming, Healthcare Advocate)
11:55am	Elevating the Field: Maximizing Impact through Collaboration Kelly Cheeseman (COO, AEG Sports), Sherrie Deans (Executive Director, National Basketball Players Association Foundation), Caitlin Morris (North America Executive Director, Global Community Impact, Nike), Benita Fitzgerald Mosley (CEO, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation; Olympian) moderated by Tom Penn (President & Co-Owner, Los Angeles Football Club)
12:45pm	Lunch & Networking
1:20pm	Striving for Excellence: Stories from the Rio Olympics + How They Began Lex Gillette (2016 Paralympian, four-time medalist, Track & Field), Steven Lopez (2016 Olympian, three-time medalist, Taekwondo), Ibtihaj Muhammad (2016 Olympian, Fencing), Barbara Nwaba (2016 Olympian, Track & Field) moderated by Julie Foudy
2:10pm	Closing Remarks Renata Simril (President & CEO, LA84 Foundation)