Sports Editor

Three years ago Troy Parks and Recreation Director Dan Smith received an e-mail from a Troy citizen concerning his department’s lack of web site development.

"We had a web site, but simply put, people weren’t taking a look at it," said Smith. "After that letter we decided to start putting more time into our web site and using it as a tool to reach out to more of our area’s youngsters and parents"

Three years later and the TPRD web site features a colorful array of graphics, links to other pages as well as useful batting average and earned run average calculators for Troy’s young baseball and softball players.

Smith describes the site as "a work in progress."

"We’re always adding more information to the site…new links, contact information," he said. "And, of course, we make sure to keep our rec league baseball and softball standings updated."

Smith said public has responded well to the new and improved Troy Parks and Recreation site, especially since the web address was changed to www.troyrecreation.org.

"Our web address used to be hard to explain to people, but now that it’s been shortened it’s become much more user-friendly," he said.

Since April 23, Smith said the department’s web site has received 2,303 hits from web surfers.

"We are very humbled by the amount of positive response we have received about our web site," Smith said.

The site includes links to: youth sports, adult sports, standings and schedules for recreation league baseball and softball, information about the Colley Senior Complex as well as about the city’s park and recreation facilities. The site also features an online registration form for TPRD sports programs, a calender of events and a special tribute page to former Troy rec league baseball star and current Kansas City Royal’s pitcher Brian Meadows.

Smith said it his department’s effort to keep the site updated in a timely manner, as well as keep the site fresh and original.

"Five years ago, I think, there was as little as 10 percent of American households who had access to the internet, be that at work or at home," Smith said. "That number has grown to almost 90 percent this year. That being the case, it is in our best interest to keep our site updated consistently."

The site also has a link to e-mail addresses, some personal information and photos of the people who work at the TPRD.

"That was something we added because we wanted to give faces to the people that work here…the people that might not get as much credit sometimes, but who do a great job in keeping everything around here running. We wanted to introduce them to the public in some sort of way," said Smith. "They deserve all the credit in the world and should be recognized."