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How to Join

Who joins AAPAR?

AAPAR is perfect for professors, teachers, trainers, students, and other leaders who promote meaningful physical activity and recreation experiences across the lifespan, or what we call “fitness and fun for all forever.”

So far, about 8,000 educational and community professionals have joined our association—college professors, administrators, elementary, middle school, and high school physical educators, community recreation leaders. Directors of fitness programs in community centers, other fitness professionals.

You don’t have to have an advanced degree, and you don’t have to be in a leadership role. Anyone who cares about what we care about—fitness and fun for all for life—is welcome to join.

Fundamental to our mission is inclusion. Physical activity and recreation are not just for “natural athletes.” They’re not just for kids. They’re not just for able-bodied people. Physical activity and recreation are for every body.

So join our team!

When you become an AAPAR member, you can join…

Up to six* of our professional emphasis groups, known as councils. Ranging in size from a few hundred to more than 2,000 members, these councils (“the heart of AAPAR”) offer newsletters, list servers, workshops, socials, and myriad other opportunities for professional development and networking.

Colleagues

Welcome!

AAPAR is a powerful association serving more than 8000 professors, teachers, trainers, and community leaders who promote meaningful physical activity and recreation across the lifespan.

AAPAR (rhymes with radar or what an excited golfer might say: "Hey, par!") advocates fitness and fun for all forever, with a focus on inclusive community-based programs.

So, PAR-ticipate! PAR-take of our workshops, conferences, credentials, and publications. PARtner with us to bring innovative programs PAR excellence to your community. Enhance your own professional or PAR-aprofessional development by joining AAPAR to share best practices, cutting-edge research, and networking (hiking, anyone?) with thousands of intelligent, energetic, committed physical activity and recreation leaders.

It's not too late! PAR-ticipate!

Who We Are

Our Mission

The American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation (AAPAR) is dedicated to enhancing quality of life by promoting creative and active lifestyles through meaningful physical activity, recreation and fitness experiences across the lifespan with particular focus on community-based programs.

Our Members

Our members include more than 8,000 professors, teachers, trainers, community leaders, fitness professionals, and students, all of whom are committed to fitness and fun for all for life.

Our Motto

It’s never too late to PAR-ticipate!

Fundamental to our mission is inclusion. Physical activity and recreation are not just for “natural athletes.” They’re not just for kids. They’re not just for able-bodied people.

Physical activity and recreation are for every body. And we educate every body. In our workshops, conferences, and publications, we deliberately include people with disabilities, people over 50, and previously inactive people (whom we like to think of as “pre-athletic people.”)

Guest speakers at a National Press Club AAPAR event, for instance, included Juliette Rizzo, Ms. Wheelchair America 2005, and Senior Olympian Jeanni Wilson.

Our Goals

AAPAR seeks to ensure the development of our members' professional lives and careers by promoting and accrediting programs, conducting conferences and workshops and publishing scholarly and trade journals, books and research. As an association comprised of a diverse professionals, AAPAR has three main goals:

	Increase public awareness and support for lifelong physical activity and recreation programs for all

	Provide continuing education for professionals by sharing guidelines, credentials, standards of practice, research, ideas, information, successful strategies, and networking opportunities

	Offer resources the public can use to get out, get moving, and get fit. We also advocate for legislation that supports our goals.

Our Professional Expertise

AAPAR’s members have expertise in numerous fields. Our professional emphasis groups, known as councils, span these areas of interest:

	Adapted Physical Activity			Facilities and Equipment
	Administration and Leadership Development			Fitness and Wellness
	Adventure and Outdoor Education/Recreation			Lifelong Recreational Sports
	Aging and Adult Development			Measurement and Evaluation
	Aquatic Professionals			Professional Recreation
	Children, Youth, and Families			Safety and Risk Management

Our Commitment

Our staff, board members, council chairs, and member-volunteers strive to deliver relevant, timely and cost-effective programs, products, and services that advance the competencies of our members so that they can make a positive contribution to the lives of people they serve.

Our Relationship with AAHPERD

The American Alliance for Health, Physical Activity, Recreation, and Dance is an alliance of five national associations and six district associations and is designed to provide members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills and so further the health and well-being of the American public.

The organization dates to November 27, 1885, when William Gilbert Anderson, an instructor of physical training at Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, invited a group of people who were working in the gymnastic field to come together to discuss their profession.

Today AAHPERD serves 25,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC.

Our History

AAPAR was formed in 2005 as a result of a merger between the American Association for Active Lifestyles and Fitness (AAALF) and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation (AALR,) both of which were AAHPERD associations. AALF was founded in 1949; AALR was founded in 1939. Click here to learn more about our history.

Past Presidents: The American Association for Leisure and Recreation (AALR)

Past Presidents: The General Division, ARAPCS and AAALF

You and AAPAR

Whether you’re an AAPAR member, a potential AAPAR member, or a community member interested in our products, programs, or services, please:

•	PAR-ticipate in AAPAR workshops and conferences that can advance your career and develop your mind and body.
•	PARtner with like-minded professionals, businesses, and individuals, within and beyond AAPAR, by taking full advantage of member benefits
•	PAR-take of our programs, services, and publications parexcellence