The Playground Insider - Fall 2022

Playground Insider

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

NPCAI – Experts for the Industry

by Ken Krug

Fall is here, but it feels like we just started the summer! But that’s what being busy does to us... we lose track of time and the months fly by. I really enjoy this time of year, especially in my part of the country where people are making the most of outdoor recreation before the long winter sets in. For many businesses, it becomes a time to be able to slow down for a bit, re-focus and start new plans for their businesses’ future. We are very glad that supporting our industry through your NPCAI membership is part of your business and personal growth plan.

As industry professionals, we want to be the go-to for you when you need help or resources, or just have some simple questions. And we want you to know that NPCAI is working to drive that message forward on behalf of our members and our industry. NPCAI is taking steps to provide more education opportunities and extend our trusted brand, as well as progressing with our proposed ASTM Standard Guide relating to education and our process for the RISC Certification.

We are also pleased to announce that NPCAI is rolling out an online store that offers gear for your crews to distinguish them as professionals when they are on the job sites. (See page 2 for more info.) And, there is some cool new NPCAI swag available for you to check out!

I am also proud to announce that NPCAI is extending its reach with our RISC course. We have recently translated the curriculum into Spanish so that more people are able to read and understand it when attending and can become certified recreation installation specialists!

We continue to develop education resources for installers and public service information for the general public. In fact, this winter we are releasing our first video, “How to Choose an Installer for a Community Build.” Watch for that and offer suggestions to us for more video opportunities that you feel could help you and others.

Our goal is to harness our power as a national organization and come together with the expertise this group holds to make NPCAI the go-to source for anything related to recreation installation. I encourage all our members to take advantage of the ways in which you can further your NPCAI connection – get involved! You can volunteer for a committee, help us recruit sponsors and/or members or share information in this newsletter about your awesome installation projects. If you want to know how to get involved, contact me through our website connection at playground-contractors.org, or reach out to another Board member or our staff, and we can get you plugged in.

Thank you, and good luck with getting your projects completed prior to Old Man Winter setting in for various parts of the country!

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Here’s a Career Goal You Can Keep: Get Certified in the New Year

As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to look forward to the upcoming new year. For many, that means setting new goals and making New Year’s resolutions.

Have you been wanting to take your career to the next level? Is there an empty spot on your resume where you wish you could put “Certified Recreation Installation Specialist?” Stop wishing and make it happen! This is a great idea for a goal for the new year, as it can advance your career. It is an investment in your future.

Don’t let this New Year’s resolution be an empty promise to yourself. You can do this!

Registration is Open for Virtual RISC Courses in 2023

March 9-10, 2023

September 14-15, 2023 December 14-15, 2023

Click Here to Register for RISC

RISC courses are being offered virtually via Zoom. Virtual courses take place over two days (four hours each day) with the exam taken at your convenience.

For a list of all topics that the RISC course covers and more information about the program, please visit NPCAI’s website.

if you have questions about the RISC program or upcoming courses, please contact Kelly Clark at education@playground-contractors.org.

NEW Online Store Open

NPCAI is pleased to launch an online store. You can now order NPCAI merchandise like: t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, hoodies, travel mugs and more. Items are branded with the NPCAI logo. Several items were designed to identify crew members to distinguish them as professionals when they are on job sites.

Browse the NPCAI eSTORE today to see what is available for you and your team! Shopping is easy and secure!

Click Here to Shop

The branded merchandise promotes both NPCAI and generates revenue for the association.

Are you looking for an item that isn’t offered? Send your suggestions to our NPCAI staff at communications@ playground-contractors.org and we will see if we can add your item to our online offerings.

ASTM Update

By Richard Hawley

NPCAI has been actively involved in creating information to present to the ASTM F15.29 Subcommittee for the development of an ASTM Standard Guide for the Education of Recreation Area Installers. This process has promoted several drafts to the subcommittee for consideration over the past four ASTM Meetings. The concept has been introduced to create the culture that establishes Core Competencies of individuals and companies that install playground and related equipment is just as important to our industry as the high quality of certified equipment that the customer purchases for their community.

Although the relevant standards set performance criteria for the manufacture, installation (as indicated in ASTM 1487, section 11), maintenance and replacement of components of the recreation area, with some standard requiring competence of corporate entities and personnel providing these services, there is NO standard under which the Designer/Engineer/ Owner/Operator can assess the competencies of the installation process. The ASTM F15.29 Subcommittee now, after the first series of meetings, believes that this guide is intended to assist the Designer/Engineer/Owner/Operator in assessing that the companies agencies, and personnel are competent for the activity they are engaged in.

The following information suggests where I believe the thoughts of the Subcommittee, Chairperson and ASTM currently exist:

• This Standard Guide provides information with respect to knowledge and skills required to perform a multitude of construction tasks needed to provide installation and maintenance services for recreation areas.

• This Standard Guide provides information with respect to courses that are provided by manufacturers, associations, commercial entities, etc. for specific aspects of installation or maintenance of all or part of an installed recreation area.

• An entity, agency, organization, or person proposing to provide courses or training related to competency shall be able to provide detailed documentation, outline the specific competencies considered and the degree of competency a person or organization completing the course is expected to have.

• Personnel requirements and related issues should be addressed by the owner of the installation company and should follow and contract requirements of the owner agency.

• Competency headings with descriptions of each with sub-heading topics is needed for content of a training program. Much work that we could use as an example has been published for the competencies of the inspector and maintenance technician in a current ISO Standard.

• An outline of a training program would be a good addition and add structure to a training program.

• Certificate of Training: The provision of a written confirmation of attendance and completion of a body of knowledge is required.

Finally, a Work Item Task Force was motioned, voted on, an approved at the Subcommittee Meeting. This action officially puts the above items and ideas into the ASTM system. The process has started!

I was successful in obtaining some Industry Leader Task Force volunteers including ASTM and TÜV SÜD. After the holidays, I will organize a virtual meeting date and begin the process to provide an impactful outline to present to the May 2023 ASTM Meeting in Denver.

Please contact Richard Hawley at 480-650-1362 if you want to get involved or have questions.

Welcome, New Members!

Altitude Recreation, Inc. Erie, Colo.

Byrne and Jones Construction St. Louis, Mo.

Creative Recreation Services, LLC Midlothian, Va.

Sky Living Co., Inc. Hialeah, Fla.

Millard Industries, Inc. / WisdomPGS.com El Paso, Texas

Saylor’s Lawn & Landscape Inc. Macungie, Pa.

Bringing Playground Equipment to Life

By Butch DeFillippo with Special Guests Janet Sanchez, Jane Nowell, Cristina Brandon and their wonderful Fourth Grade Students

Our profession works very hard to make playgrounds safe, enjoyable places for children to grow. To bring in the New Year, I have asked an outstanding team of teachers and students to tell us about their very special game and experiences on the playground at their school. They did a great job and I would like to thank them very much.

The Game of Dead Mummy

The Eagle’s Nest is where dead mummies come to life in Albuquerque, N.M. at Chamiza Elementary School. How do dead mummies come to life? Well, fourth graders bring them to life with a playground game they created.

The Eagle’s Nest is a dome shaped climbing structure (GameTime’s Mountain Climber). All of the horizontal bars form circles. At the bottom of the structure they are larger in diameter than at the top of the structure. There is room to play in the center of the structure as well. The ground cover of the play area is wood chips (Engineered Wood Fiber).

The game starts with an “it” person called, “Dead Mummy.” The dead mummy is “dead” while he or she stands or sits on the ground in the middle of the Eagle’s Nest. As soon as the other players chant, “Dead mummy, dead mummy, come alive by the time I count to five. 1-2-3-4-5. Come alive!” Then, the dead mummy starts climbing the Eagle’s Nest to tag another player who will be “it”.

This is no ordinary tag game because the dead mummy must climb and tag with his or her eyes closed. That’s only the beginning of the rules. There are many rules, which allow up to five players to face challenges and experience science. If more than five players are involved, it gets too crowded to move around the structure.

Dead Mummy Rules

• The mummy must always have his or her eyes closed. If he or she opens his eyes he or she risks being called silly names.

• The mummy can touch the ground, as long as it’s the ground inside the Eagle’s Nest.

• The mummy’s goal is to tag another person to be “it.”

• If the mummy tags someone they don’t want to tag, they can take the tag back and try to get who they want again, although they can only do this once.

• A player may only be the dead mummy for a maximum of five times per recess.

• To start the game, whoever arrives last is “it” or the dead mummy.

Player Rules

• Cannot stand on the top bar (because it interferes with the imaginary eagles in the nest).

• Can’t jump off the Eagle’s Nest or touch the ground or you’re automatically “the mummy”.

• Players keep the mummy safe by warning them if they’re running into anything. They warn the mummy by gently tugging their shirt or shouting, “Watch out!” They get warned when they’re going to hit their head or face on a bar or another player, if they’re going to miss a grab for a bar, or when the mummy is going to trip on something on the ground in the center of the Eagle’s Nest.

• When playing, players can have nicknames but they have to be nice names. They reflect how they play the game. For example, Butterfingers may mean the player’s hands slip off the bar. The nickname Turtle or Big Papa may mean the player is slow, or, Buttercup may mean you fall off the bars easily.

The Challenges

• To create a diversion for the mummy, some players take off their shoe and throw it on the ground so they can go get it. This strategy allows them to avoid becoming “it.” The mummy doesn’t know he or she is being avoided because their eyes are closed.

• Players aren’t supposed to talk. It’s not a good strategy to talk because sound is the key sense mummies use to tag a particular player.

• Players can guess if the mummy is going after a particular player. Players may work together to block the player the mummy is going after so the mummy can’t get them.

• Another trick is to hide on the bottom bar of the Eagle’s Nest by laying down on the bar without touching the ground or hang from the bars with your hands so you can swing out of the way.

Special Rules for Newcomers

New players have a couple of details explained before they start. They may also watch an example round. They truly learn by trial and error.

The Science

The mummy has to listen to sounds and feel how the poles vibrate to find players to tag. Other key sounds to listen for are wood chips from falling shoes, talking, whispering and shoes squeaking. All these sound waves and vibrations lead the mummy to find a replacement.

One of the surprising things about this creative game is that it all gets played in less than 15 minutes and has many variations. If the dead mummy game gets tiring, students talk about how the Eagle’s Nest reminds them of the center of the earth because it starts with little circles at the top, which remind them of the Earth’s core. The circles get bigger and bigger like the layers of the earth. Then you have the beginning of a new game created by nine and ten year-olds.

I think we are getting it right! Please use this article to remember why you do what you do and to help keep you motivated when issues arise. We all work hard, but can you ask for a better reason than children like these? The PlaySafe, LLC Family would like to wish you a happy and healthy new year.

NPCAI’s Career Center

Whether you are looking for a new career move or that next great hire, the NPCAI Career Center is your go-to source. Job seekers and employers, to get started today, Click Here!

Employers: Advertise your jobs on NPCAI’s job board and enjoy these great benefits:

• Easily post jobs to gain direct access to job seekers across the country.

• Set-up pre-screen filters to deliver only the best candidates.

• Put your job posting in front of more job seekers with frequent alerts sent to candidates.

• Manage and track all applications directly from the career center.

• Set-up resume alerts and receive automatic emails when an applicant matches your criteria.

• Use the career center as a one-stop shop for all of your hiring needs.

NPCAI Members: Use the access code NPCAI25MEM to receive a discount to post your job listings!

Looking to advance your career or make a change? Take action today by accessing NPCAI’s job board. Search targeted opportunities in the recreation construction industry and start your next professional chapter today!

Sign up and update your job seeker profile to start experiencing these helpful benefits:

• An easy user experience, even on your mobile device

• Personalized job matching

• Upload your resume and track all of your applications in one place

• Advanced candidate search for employers means you can be matched with the perfect job faster and easier than ever

Thank You to Our Premier Member Benefit Program Participants

Membership in your professional trade association provides you and your company with numerous benefits. By participating in the Premier Member Benefit Program, you receive leadership support of the recreation installation industry with enhanced promotional advertising from NPCAI.

How to Become Better at Making Connections

by Jeff Tippett

You understand now that the key to success in life and business is to make emotional connections with those around you. But you may not be a natural at it, and that’s fine. So how do you do it?

The first step toward making better connections is to give people attention. It may sound small, but think about it. How often are you having a conversation with someone when they’re interrupted by a text or email? We’re all guilty of this. But it’s rude, and more than just a temporary lapse in attention. It’s indicative of a larger problem these days: We don’t pay as much attention to people in front of us as we do to those on our phones.

Try this approach: Next time someone comes to speak with you at work, give them your complete attention. Don’t let texts or emails that can always wait five minutes distract you. With more of our interactions moving to digital

platforms, the actual time spent with others face to face has continued to decline. That makes it all the more valuable, and all the more important, for you to prioritize it when the time comes.

This relates nicely to another tactic you might employ: Be more available in general.

For most of us who lead organizations or businesses, time is critical. There isn’t enough time in the day to do everything that needs doing, yet we make it happen somehow. But remember this: So do the people working with and for you. They all play different roles in the organization; it takes everyone working together for the trains to run on time. Even if it’s just for a few minutes a day, be available to those around you. It’s not going to be easy for you to build a relationship with the team you claim to value if you don’t value spending time around them.

Of course, there are boundaries, and people have to respect you as a leader. But that doesn’t mean you should shy away from interacting with everyone in your organization, and often.

Finally, lead by example. It’s one thing to tell everyone in your office to make emotional connections, to be present in all interactions and to focus on other humans instead of on our devices. But it’s another thing entirely for you, as the leader, to set that example.

Throughout this process, keep in mind that things won’t just change overnight. It’s going to take a sustained effort, by all involved, to make the change needed to propel your business or organization to the next level. But together, it’s possible. And by building an emotional connection, all of the other challenges you face will be made that much easier as a result of the bond you create.

About the Author: Jeff Tippett

Jeff Tippett is the international best-selling author of two books, Pixels Are the New Ink and Unleashing Your Superpower: Why Persuasive Communication is the Only Force You Will Ever Need. Speaking to international

audiences through keynotes and seminars, Jeff helps attendees increase their effectiveness, gives them powerful tools to reach their goals, and empowers attendees to positively impact and grow their organizations or businesses.

In 2014, Jeff founded Targeted Persuasion, an award-winning public affairs + communications firm. He has worked with renowned brands like Airbnb, The National Restaurant Association, The League of Women Voters, The League of Conservation Voters, plus others. Other industry experts have validated Jeff’s work with numerous awards including the prestigious The American Advertising Award.

Jeff is the host of Victory by Association with Jeff Tippett, a podcast that shares the victories of association executives with the world, highlighting the great work done across this country every day.

Jefftippett.com

VictoryByAssociation.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Free Data and Mapping Resource Library Available

From the county-level to local neighborhoods, these public resources (collected by the National Recreation and Park Association) serve as a starting point for exploring data on a variety of topics. Whether you are creating a master plan, facilitating long-range planning, identifying community needs, or building a park and facility maintenance schedule, these mapping and data resources give you access to actionable data to make informed decisions.

Check out these free resources

Pre-Winter Playground Maintenance

Let it snow! Your playground is ready... or is it ready? Depending on the components of your particular play space, it may or may not be ready for Mother Nature to turn your play space into a winter wonderland.

Click here to read more of this article by Playground Professionals.

Tips for Inclusive Playgrounds

Diversity, equity and inclusion matter in all aspects of our lives. Studies show countless positive effects from engagement, empowerment and performance to innovation, reputation and responsibility – and not just for grownups. It doesn’t matter if we are tall, short, five years old or 65, being included can help make all of us happy, confident and content.

From an early age, we have an innate need for a sense of community, to be noticed, to be included and to feel like we belong – in a playgroup, in a sports team, in a classroom or in the workplace. However, inclusion isn’t always easy to identify or see. It means more than being picked for a team – it also means acknowledging and responding to individual needs.

Three Health Issues That May be Prevented with More Outdoor Play

According to the National Library of Medicine, when children spend time outdoors, health benefits can include improvements in endurance, self-regulation, nutrition, eyesight, concentration and academic performance, along with reduced stress. Read more on the Voice of Play blog.

Many playgrounds are designed with able-bodied participants in mind. Inclusive playgrounds welcome children of all ages, abilities and developmental stages to explore, learn and grow together. By providing a wide variety of inviting and enjoyable equipment, they ensure not just physical inclusion, but the opportunity for social inclusion as well – so all participants can experience meaningful play together, and the benefits of physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.

Inclusive play promotes understanding, reduces prejudices, helps to build self-esteem and supports acceptance from an early age. In an inclusive playground, children of all abilities feel nurtured, encouraged, respected and stimulated – both physically and socially.

Follow this link to read the full article on the Voice of Play website.

Become an NPCAI Partner

NPCAI’s members and have the ability to promote your products to this specialized group of professionals.

NPCAI members are experienced play recreation installers and contractors. These individuals use plenty of materials and services in their day-to-day work. This program provides you the opportunity to introduce your products and services to these members and receive value-added return on your investment.

Benefits of Partnership

A tiered-program, NPCAI’s Partner Program provides numerous benefits depending on your level of partnership. The Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of membership provide marketing opportunities in a scaled format. In addition to all the benefits of the Gold level, the Platinum Level also provides exclusivity within your particular field. Sign Up Today! To participate in this exciting program, click here. If you have questions, contact the NPCAI office at 717-724-0594. We look forward to listing YOUR company as an NPCAI Partner!

Articles Wanted

NPCAI is on the lookout for articles for this newsletter. Articles (200-500 words; photos welcome) can be about an industry hot topic, a unique project or news about your company’s community involvement, honor or award. The deadline to submit for the Spring 2023 issue (published in March) is Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Email articles to communications@playground-contractors.org

2207 Forest Hills Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112

Phone: 717-724-0594 Fax: 717-238-9985 Website: www.playground-contractors.org

Office Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Staff Contacts:

Executive Director: Denise Calabrese, CAE npcai@playground-contractors.org

Director of Communications: Michelle Keyser communications@playgroundcontractors.org

NPCAI’s staff wants you to get the most out of your experience with NPCAI. We are available to serve you, so please do not hesitate to contact staff with any question or concern that you may have. For a full staff listing, please click here “Follow”