Kansas City, MO — Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley today announced the formation of a Youth Sports Complex Task Force, a diverse group of regional leaders, educators, coaches, parents, youth, and professional athletes who will guide the design and implementation planning of Kansas City’s future youth sports complex, as outlined in Resolution 260322. The group will provide strategic input on state-of-the-art facility design, programming, partnerships, and long-term sustainability strategies to ensure not only economic impact through tourism, but also community pride for families across the city.
The Youth Sports Complex Task Force includes:
- Dr. Dennis Carpenter, Superintendent, Hickman Mills School District
- Dr. Jennifer Collier, Superintendent, Kansas City Public Schools
- Mario Vasquez, City Manager, City of Kansas City
- Maurice Oatis, Captain, Kansas City Police Department and Baseball Dad
- Nyala Bulock, Director of Athletics, KCPS; Coach, Mentality Volleyball Club
- Theodis Watson, Gymnastics and Softball Dad
- Earl Watson, Former NBA Player and Current Basketball Coach
- Ariana Ross, Undergraduate Student, Sports Administration and Management
- Derek Durham, Basketball Coach and Former Professional Player Overseas
- Cliff Wiley, Olympian, and Track & Field Coach
- Ken Ferguson, Law Professor, and Track & Field Coach
- Luther Glover, Elite Athletic Trainer
- Dezman Moses, Former Kansas City Chiefs player and Sports Analyst
- Demetrios Walker, Former Kansas City Chiefs player and Football Coach
- Representatives from the Kansas City Youth Commission
- Harvey Kendall Jr., Track & Field Coach
- Michael Givhan, Volleyball, Track & Field, Football Dad
- Dan Heizman, KC Fire Department, Hockey Dad
- Jamar Parrish, High School Football and Track & Field Coach
- Carma Kendall, Coach and Regional Coordinator for USA Track & Field
- Dedrick Kelley, Multi-sport athlete (Kansas State University)
- Marcus Crosdale, Football Coach
- James Watts, Golf Coach
- Victor Williams, Basketball Coach
“I am humbled by the interest in an amazing opportunity for youth right here in Kansas City.” Councilwoman Patterson Hazley said. “We are building momentum, engaging the right voices, and moving forward with purpose in order to deliver a project that serves our youth and strengthens our city. Let’s play ball!”