Sport for Life announces New York as 2021 IPLC host city

On the last day of the International Physical Literacy Conference (IPLC) in May, Sport for Life CEO Richard Way approached the podium to make a big announcement: New York has been selected as the host city for the next conference, scheduled for 2021.

“This never would’ve happened without the unique relationship we’ve built with New York Road Runners, a dynamic organization that touches hundreds of thousands of lives,” said Way.

“With their collaboration and support, we hope to take this conference to the next level two years from now. We’ve already built a global momentum around the movement, now we want to reach even further. I can’t wait to see the physical literacy innovations and research that will have been accomplished in the meantime.”

Rachel Pratt, Senior Vice President of Youth and Community Services at New York Road Runners, was on-hand at IPLC Winnipeg for the announcement along with several members of her staff. After seeing the conference in action for the second time, she can’t wait for its arrival to New York City.

“New York Road Runners annually serves 250,000 youth across the U.S. through Rising New York Road Runners, our free youth fitness program, which features a curriculum built in conjunction with Sport for Life to emphasize the crucial role of physical literacy,” she said. “When the 2021 IPLC attendees touch down in New York, we look forward to greeting them, and working together to better the approach of introducing sports and physical activity to young athletes everywhere.”

Way feels New York Road Runners embodies many of the ideals Sport for Life champions, which will make them well-suited to co-host the conference.

“Their organization was one of the first to adopt PLAYbuilder, an educational app that we’ve developed, and they sent a contingent of representatives to our IPLC in Winnipeg to further cement the relationship,” said Way.

“If physical literacy is going to truly go global, it’s relationships like this that we need to cultivate and celebrate. What I appreciate about New York Road Runners is that they walk their talk when it comes to Quality Sport programming, and they’re truly committed to improving people’s lives through the power of physical literacy. We can’t wait to see what they’re capable of.”