I am excited to hear about Partners for Lawrence Athletics and Youth (PLAY) and the potential for a new facility for competitive sports events in Lawrence. It is overdue and would be a great thing for our city.

But Lawrence should take this opportunity to address a larger problem that plagues our community and U.S. society at large: namely, obesity and the neglect of physical fitness. Over the years, recreational sports and fitness programs have been slashed and eliminated. We continue to do this even as obesity surpassed smoking as the No. 1 preventable cause of death in 2006. The statistics on the growing problem of adults and children suffering from obesity and related health problems are frightening.

With time, a “medical” cure for obesity may be found, but in the meantime, a little common sense seems to be in order. The “common sense” remedy is to invest in programs that encourage children and teenagers (and adults) to participate in recreational sports and/or fitness programs. Common sense (and statistics) tells us if people exercise regularly they are less likely to be or become overweight.

But as our five children have gone through their junior high and high school years, I have seen our education and recreational athletics system squeeze them and many of their peers out of competitive sports. This transition from emphasis on recreational sports to competitive sports is clearly indicated by nationwide statistics. Over 70 percent of early elementary school children participate in organized recreational sports. But by the time these children reach their senior year of high school, less than 20 percent will be participating in organized sports!

The reason is clear. As kids get older, our focus (and utilization of dollars) shifts from broad participation in recreational sports to winning competitive teams. The result is only the “gifted,” about 15 percent, and maybe another 5 percent who “Rudy” through the process like the inspirational young Notre Dame athlete in the 1993 movie, make the cut. The other 80 percent are left to play minor sports or to exercise on their own. Maybe your kids are different, but our teenagers are not exactly the “exercise-on-your-own” type.

Junior high years are arguably the toughest developmental years for young people today. Growing and changing bodies, introduction to the various choices and potential social hazards their society has to offer makes life as a teenager a virtual minefield.

Grades 7 through 9 are a critical developmental period when kids should be acquiring the skills and building good habits that will increase their chances for a healthy life. As I tell kids I raise and coach, “Kids have only one main job: To build the body and mind they’ll live in for the rest of their lives.”

Exercise/physical activity is the only way to build a strong body. Sports are a great way (maybe the only way!) to get teenagers to exercise. It gives them a social group that they belong to, occupies their time with beneficial activities and allows them to vent frustrations in a healthy, structured environment.

Why then do we support this system that puts emphasis on high-level competitive sports that gradually exclude 80 percent of our student population from participation in sports at a time when they need it the most? This trend needs to be reversed.

Our schools should do a grade-by-grade poll to identify some benchmark levels of participation at each grade and then set goals of improving on this percentage each year, especially in the junior high and high school years.

We are lucky to live in a unique and extraordinary community. Don “Red Dog” Gardner has demonstrated that we live in a community that will support community exercise programs like “Dog Days.” What a great testament to the type of outstanding citizens we have here in our great city.

Lawrence is the type of community that can demonstrate to America that common sense can solve problems. The first step is to make sure the PLAY Sports complex is designed with recreational programs and sports for all kids in mind. Furthermore, we need to invest in additional regionally located recreation/athletic facilities and programs.

All the youth of Lawrence deserve a place to develop a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and build strong bodies. I hope PLAY will be for everyone.

– David Sakumura is a Lawrence resident and owner of Lawrence Gymnastics Academy.