2026 Nebraska Recreation & Park Association Conference: Your Guide to “Well Played” in Norfolk
If you work in parks and recreation in Nebraska, September means it’s almost time for the Nebraska Recreation & Park Association Annual Conference.
The 2026 NeRPA Annual Conference, “Well Played,” is headed to Norfolk, Nebraska, September 15–17, 2026, bringing parks and recreation professionals from across the state together for three days of education, networking, facility tours, vendor exhibits and, appropriately enough, a little recreation.
The team at Endurance Courts will be there, too. You can find us at Booth #8 in the Vendor Hall, where we’ll be talking all things pickleball, tennis and basketball courts.
If you’re making the trip to Norfolk, we’ve put together a practical guide with the conference schedule, venue information, sessions worth knowing about, places to stay and some of the best places to eat while you’re in town.
The Quick Details
What: 2026 Nebraska Recreation & Park Association Annual Conference – Well Played
When: September 15–17, 2026
Where: Divots Conference Center, 4200 W. Norfolk Ave., Norfolk, NE 68701
Conference Hotel: Norfolk Lodge & Suites
Endurance Courts: Vendor Hall, Booth #8
For registration, pricing and official conference updates, visit the official NeRPA conference page.
Where Is the 2026 NeRPA Conference?
The conference is being held at Divots Conference Center, located at 4200 W. Norfolk Avenue on the west side of Norfolk.
It’s a convenient conference setup because the meeting spaces, Vendor Hall and Norfolk Lodge & Suites are all part of the same complex. Divots has more than 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space, while the adjoining lodge offers guest rooms, an indoor pool and hot tub, miniature golf, outdoor patios and onsite dining.
The conference map makes navigating the property fairly simple. Registration is located in the Dakota Room area, while educational sessions are spread among Meeting Rooms A, B and C, Dakota, Carson and Madison. The Vendor Hall sits between the main meeting rooms and the hotel portion of the property.
Where to Find Endurance Courts
We’re in Booth #8 in the main Vendor Hall.
Look for us between Victory Productions (#7) and Outdoor Recreation (#9).
If you’re responsible for public pickleball, tennis, basketball or multi-use courts, come introduce yourself. We’re always happy to talk through what you’re working with—whether that’s an aging court that may need resurfacing, a facility that’s ready for a complete rebuild, or a new recreation project that’s still in the planning stages.
And because talking about courts for three days straight apparently isn’t enough competition for us, we’ll have a little game waiting at the booth, too. 😉
2026 NeRPA Conference Schedule at a Glance
Tuesday, September 15: Tours, Recreation & Opening Night
The conference starts outside the meeting room.
At 11:00 a.m., attendees can participate in a Facility and Parks Tour featuring Ta-Ha-Zouka Park, the softball complex, Johnson Park, North Fork Whitewater Park and Skyview. From 1:00–4:00 p.m., recreational activities include nine-hole golf and whitewater tubing.
Conference check-in runs from 2:00–6:00 p.m., with the Vendor Hall setting up from 3:00–5:00.
Then the conference officially gets rolling:
5:00–7:00 p.m. — Social with Vendors
6:00–7:00 p.m. — Dinner
7:00–8:15 p.m. — Opening Keynote
The opening keynote comes from James Robilotta, CSP, with Leading Imperfectly. Robilotta is a leadership author, motivational speaker, emcee and trained improv comedian whose work focuses on bringing more humanity, connection and community into the workplace.
Wednesday, September 16: The Big Conference Day
Wednesday is the fullest day of the conference.
Breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m., the Vendor Hall opens at 8:00, and educational sessions begin at 9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. — Breakout Session 1
Attendees can choose from:
- SCORP, LWCF and RTP: Details Beyond Acronyms
Erin Johnson & Shari Sorenson, Nebraska Game and Parks - IMPROV Your Teamwork and Communication
James Robilotta - The Good Neighbor Project: Connecting Neighbors, Fostering Relationships and Strengthening Community Pride
Andrew Harrison & Allie McWilliams, City of Davenport
A vendor break follows at 10:15.
10:30 a.m. — Breakout Session 2
- Community Forestry Conversation: Herbicide Injury to Trees & Value of Tree Landscape Diversity
Justin Everton, Nebraska Forest Service - From Toddlers to Elderly: Creative and Inclusive Play for Every Generation
Dr. Danae Dinkel, UNO - Activating Rivers as Urban Economic, Social and Recreational Assets
Brian Trusty & Nathan Powell, PROS/City of Norfolk
Lunch begins at noon.
1:30 p.m. — Breakout Session 3
- Five Linchpins in Your Aquatic Design
Kyle A. McCawley & Brian Hill, Waters Edge - Branching Outside the US: Global Experiences in Recreation Programming
Dr. Trentee Bush, NECC - More Than a Playground: Reimagining a City Park from the Ground Up
Seth Gray & Tony Gowan, Confluence
Another vendor break follows at 2:45 p.m.
3:00 p.m. — Breakout Session 4
The final Wednesday session includes equipment demonstrations from Turbo Turf and the Nebraska Forest Service, along with:
- Parks for Everyone: Moving Beyond ADA to Design for All Ages and Abilities
Zach Fergus & Patrick Pierce, Commercial Recreation Specialists - Youth Sports Experience and Development
Jessie Daw, USD
The Vendor Hall closes at 4:30 p.m., followed by happy hour from 5:00–6:00, the banquet and awards from 6:00–7:30, and bowling and an after-party at Kings Lanes beginning at 8:15 p.m.
Thursday, September 17: One More Round
Thursday starts with breakfast at 6:30 a.m., followed by two final rounds of educational sessions.
8:30 a.m. — Breakout Session 5
- Mapping Your Sports Facilities with Rx360
Jacob Staehr, Helena Agri Products - Simple Steps for Deeper Connections with Nature
David O’Hara, Augustana University - Recreation Partnership and Community Impact
Traci Jeffrey, Austen Hagood & Angie Stenger, Visit Norfolk
10:00 a.m. — Breakout Session 6
- Weed Management in Turfgrass Areas
Amanda Folck, UNL - How to Foster Curiosity and Wonder While Connecting with Nature
David O’Hara, Augustana University - Lessons from the Gray: Effective Staff Training
Joe Krepel, Schuyler Parks Department
The conference schedule concludes with the Board Meeting Lunch at noon.
Where to Stay for the NeRPA Conference in Norfolk
Norfolk Lodge & Suites — Most Convenient
If convenience is your priority, this is the obvious choice because it’s physically connected to the conference center.
Norfolk Lodge & Suites has lodge-style guest rooms and suites, free parking, an indoor pool and hot tub, fitness room, miniature golf and outdoor patios. The property also includes Divots Brewery and the SandBar & Grill.
Address: 4200 W. Norfolk Ave.
Distance from conference: You’re already there.
If rooms at Divots fill up, there are several alternatives within a few miles.
Hampton Inn Norfolk
Hampton Inn Norfolk is roughly two miles from Divots and offers free hot breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, an indoor pool and fitness center. Hilton describes the property as about five minutes from Divots Conference Center.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Norfolk
Located at 920 S. 20th Street, Holiday Inn Express is approximately two miles from Divots and is another convenient option on the south side of Norfolk.
Fairfield Inn & Suites or TownePlace Suites
Both Marriott properties are located at 1302 Cyhawk Loop, roughly 2.8 miles from Divots, making them another easy drive to the conference.
Tip: Because most of the conference activity happens at Divots, we’d stay onsite if rooms are available. Otherwise, anything in the two-to-three-mile range should make getting back and forth straightforward.
Where to Eat While You’re in Norfolk
You won’t actually have to leave the conference property to find food. SandBar & Grill and Divots Brewery are onsite, making them particularly convenient for grabbing something without driving anywhere.
But if you’re in Norfolk for a few days, it’s worth making the short drive downtown at least once.
Norfolk’s River Point District has a surprisingly good collection of locally owned restaurants concentrated along Norfolk Avenue. Visit Norfolk’s current downtown guide lists options ranging from steak and Italian to Mexican, Indian, BBQ, pizza and coffee.
A few places to put on your list:
- Black Cow Fat Pig Pub & Steak — 702 W. Norfolk Ave.
A downtown steakhouse and pub and currently one of Norfolk’s highest-ranked restaurants on Tripadvisor. - District Table & Tap — 226 W. Norfolk Ave.
A good downtown option if you’re looking for a casual place to grab food and drinks with a group after conference sessions. - 411 Restaurant & Lounge — 411 W. Norfolk Ave.
Another downtown option for attendees looking for a sit-down dinner or drinks. - Aroma Circuit — 415 W. Norfolk Ave.
An Indian restaurant and lounge downtown that’s one of Norfolk’s more unique dining options. - Napoli’s Italian Restaurant — 311 W. Norfolk Ave.
A straightforward option when Italian sounds better than another burger or steak. - Smokin’ Stan’s BBQ — 114 W. Madison Ave.
A local BBQ option just off Norfolk Avenue.
And if you’re looking for coffee before heading back to Divots, Downtown Coffee Company at 302 W. Norfolk Ave. and North Fork Bread Co. at 501 W. Norfolk Ave. are both downtown.
A Few Conference Tips
Wear something comfortable on Tuesday. The opening day’s parks tour, golf and whitewater tubing make this a little different from a conference where you spend three straight days sitting in a ballroom.
Build vendor time into Wednesday. There are dedicated vendor breaks at 10:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., and the Vendor Hall closes at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Don’t skip the parks tour if you’re interested in facility planning. Tuesday’s tour includes several different types of public recreation assets, including parks, a softball complex and Norfolk’s North Fork Whitewater Park.
Save some energy for Wednesday night. The conference banquet rolls almost directly into bowling and the after-party at Kings Lanes.
We’ll See You at Booth #8
We’re excited to attend for the first time this year at Annual NeRPA Conference in Norfolk, nE.
If you’re attending Well Played, stop by Endurance Courts at Booth #8 and say hello.
Whether you have a court that’s cracking, a tennis facility you’re considering converting to pickleball, an upcoming capital project or simply a question about how modern court construction and resurfacing work, bring it with you.
We’d love to talk courts.
And yes…you might want to practice your pickleball aim before you get there.
See you in Norfolk, September 15–17!
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