Hello, my name is Dallas Derring, and I recently reignited the Y.I.P.P.I.E. movement here in Pleasant Prairie. For me, Y.I.P.P.I.E. stands for Youth, Inclusion, Play, Protection, Inspiration, and Equity—values rooted in the original Youth International Party, but reshaped for our community and our times.

I wear a lot of hats in this village, just like many of you do. I’m a worker and business owner, a student, an activist, and an advocate. I’m also a son, grandson, fiancé, brother, cousin, friend, and a proud Packers, Brewers, and Bucks fan. Some may even call me a caretaker, educator, service worker, or first responder. Above all, I’m someone deeply committed to being a positive role model and community member. I care about our youth and the spaces where they grow, learn, and play—because I was once that kid, and I know it truly takes a village.

At the RecPlex—where I’ve been a paying member for over ten years—I’ve watched an old unwritten rule play out: adults “run” the basketball courts. This could be positive if those adults used their influence to engage kids, include them, and model healthy play. But that’s not what’s happening. Instead, adults often segregate themselves from youth, claim the only court as theirs, and criticize kids who speak up about not getting a chance to play.

This isn’t just a RecPlex issue; it’s a pattern in gyms across the country. Rules exist, but they aren’t always enforced, and when that happens long enough, the culture shifts in favor of the adults who were once the kids being pushed aside. It becomes generational—and it becomes harmful.

I’m asking our community to acknowledge this and address it. Yes, RecPlex could enforce its existing rules or establish youth and adult hours, but my hope is that we, as a community, can correct this without needing outside governance. Anyone—big or small, young or old—can make a difference. This isn’t about blaming a facility; it’s about breaking a cycle and building a better world for our youth. I remember how deeply that feeling of dismissal cut when I was young. No child in our community should feel that. These are our kids, not strangers. We owe them a world that lifts them up, not one that shuts them out.