The Greenville Park Commission Board has chosen as its new director of parks and recreation, Kyla “Bunny” Winford.
The Greenville native has taken all of the necessary steps to get to this point and is the right leader at the right time. “There has been a lot of transition in parks and recs in the eight years that I’ve worked here,” she said. “We have a new board with a new vision and their vision coincides with mine. This led me to apply.”
Winford is a former Greenville High School Honeybees basketball player and a 2014 graduate of Jackson State University with a degree in health, recreation and physical education with a concentration in recreation administration.
Before becoming director, she served as Greenville Parks and Rec’s sports coordinator for several years where she oversaw the daily operation of the Wards Recreation Center and its softball program, tennis courts, basketball and volleyball. “One of my visions is to make parks and recs friendlier to adaptive recreation,” Winford explained. “This is designing programs to meet the needs of people with disabilities to make recreation accessible for all citizens in Greenville.”
One of the most immediate and tangible aspects of Winford’s administration will be the implementation of a fall softball league. “This will be the first of its kind,” she explained. “Also, the parks and recreation should be the foundation for our school athletic programs where we not only teach kids the skills associated with the sports but also about discipline, teamwork and overcoming adversity.”
With many in her age group migrating out to big cities after college, Winford decided to come back home and pour back into a system that was instrumental in her development. “After doing a couple of internships, I came back home fresh out of college in hopes of giving back to Greenville,” Winford said. “I came back because of the love I have for the city and youth.”
Winford and the new board are working diligently to restructure the department to better serve the community. “We are looking at what works and what doesn't," she said.”The park commission staff will have better defined roles that fall mainly into two categories- grounds/maintenance and recreation coordination.”
The new director received the education, endured changes in leadership and paid her dues working late night softball games, mopping gym floors and making recreational facilities safe places for the public.
All the while, Winford maintained a poise, professional and even-tempered demeanor that bodes well for her new position. And she gained widespread respect among Greenville’s recreational enthusiasts and athletes.
“There is so much untapped potential in parks and recreation,” Winford expounded. “And it’s not my vision, but God’s vision parks and recs in Greenville.”
