A community‑wide solution for adult recreation
When Brittney Tewksbury set out to solve a simple problem — how to help adults in northern Illinois discover local sports and leisure activities — she built RecNet, a website and soon‑to‑be mobile app that aggregates programs from dozens of community groups.
The platform lets users filter by town, sport, date, skill level, format and cost, displaying pricing for both residents and non‑residents. Since its February 2025 launch, RecNet lists more than 123 organizations across 88 municipalities, offering upward of 400 sessions in 16 different sports.
Among the early partners is the Huntley Park District, which has used RecNet to promote its adult recreation programs and attract participants who might never have found them on a traditional park district website.
By consolidating data from 123 organizations, RecNet also gives communities a clearer picture of where recreational opportunities are thin, helping organizers spot gaps and plan new sessions.
Tewksbury assembled the service using publicly available information and a network of friends who are web developers, even cold‑calling organizers to gather details. The result is a flexible, low‑commitment model that lets adults join pickup basketball, sand volleyball, cornhole leagues and other activities without the pressure of long‑term contracts.
Early adopters such as the Huntley Park District report increased adult participation and improved program visibility, confirming that a centralized discovery tool can revitalize community recreation.