‘LET’S MOVE!’ IN TUNE WITH OLYMPICS
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine NolanEarlier this month, First Lady Michelle Obama joined U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and London hopefuls to announce a nationwide commitment to get more than 1.7 million American children active as part of the ‘Let’s Move!’ initiative which works to fight childhood obesity. Organizations such as the U.S. Olympians Association, U.S. Olympic Committee and USOC National Governing Bodies for Sport which includes USA Cycling/USA BMX, USA Soccer, USA Swimming, USA Track & Field, USA Tennis Association, USA Field Hockey and USA Volleyball will begin providing athletic programming to at least 1.7 million children in 2012 to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.
In order to target a wide audience, interested families can find athletic programs for their children in their specific community by going to www.ahealthieramerica.org/olympics.
The opening ceremony of the London Olympics will find Mrs. Obama leading the Presidential Delegation. This past March when British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha came as guests to the White House, Michelle Obama hosted a mini-Olympics event for local school children and also spoke at the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games.
It is all about supporting Team USA, cheering them on and living up to the example they will set. By these honorable athletes living out their dreams, they are making the United States proud and inspiring children to stay active and pursue their own dreams. They are our future generation.
As the Olympic torch’s flame burns out, it doesn’t mean that it has come to an end. These sports organizations will help children to maintain an active lifestyle and to stay in shape on a permanent basis throughout the year.
The domino effect creates a more active lifestyle which in turn creates a better student and even creates a better child overall.
Mrs. Obama has been leading a nationwide effort to combat childhood obesity so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. With her ‘Let’s Move!’ campaign, she has engaged every sector of the community to effectively tackle the factors that lead to childhood obesity.
The Partnership for a Healthier America secured commitments from several National Governing Bodies of the U.S. Olympic Committee and will work with each group to evaluate and monitor progress on an ongoing basis. Here are some of the commitments made:
USA Cycling/USA BMX will offer free 30-day memberships to tracks and free races/clinics at 350 BMX tracks nationwide this summer. These efforts will engage approximately 88,000 young people, an increase of 40% from 2011.
USA Field Hockey will launch the “FUNdamental Field Hockey” program to introduce kids ages 7-11 to the sport of Field Hockey at 250 locations. This program will engage 15,000 kids this year.
USA Gymnastics will challenge its local member clubs to host introductory clinics and events for National Gymnastics Day on September 22, 2012. These events will reach approximately 40,000 kids – an increase of 80% over USA Gymnastics’ youth engagement last year.
The US Olympians Association recently kicked off a “Walk to London” initiative through which 5,456 children will walk a total of 5,456 miles – the distance from Los Angeles to London – at 20 free community-based walks from April 8 through June 23. More than 250 Olympians and Paralympians will participate as walk leaders, and each walk will host other clinics and sports expos alongside the route.
US Paralympics will facilitate 300 Paralympic Ambassador visits to schools and community centers and provide training for an additional 1,000 local leaders. US Paralympics will also work with local partners to establish 80 new Paralympic Sports Clubs to reach a total of 250 clubs by the end of this year. The organization estimates that they will engage a combined 87,500 young people through these programs, an increase of 40% over last year.
The US Soccer Federation will engage 12,000 youth in 13 cities through the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Soccer for Success program, which provides free, afterschool programming to urban youth. In 2011, the program reached 8,000 kids in 8 cities.
USA Swimming will enroll 530,000 new learn-to-swim participants in its “Make a Splash” program at more than 500 local partner sites. Additionally, USA Swimming will engage 70,000 new youth members through its local chapters. In all, USA Swimming will provide beginner programming to 600,000 young people in 2012.
The US Tennis Association (USTA) will introduce 620,000 youth to tennis by training 4,000 physical education professionals in the “10 & Under Tennis” curriculum. USTA will also expand its National Junior Tennis and Learning Network (NJTL) to reach 100,000 youth through local partner sites. Additionally, USTA will involve 30,000 youth in Kids Tennis Clubs that provide afterschool and summer programming in communities across the country. In all, USTA will reach 750,000 new kids this year.
USA Track& Field will expand its youth programming by 35% this year to reach 120,000 kids across the country. USATF will do this by engaging 80,000 youth in local track clubs and by facilitating beginner clinics and Olympian visits for 40,000 students through its Win with Integrity and Track in a Box programs for schools.
USA Volleyball will introduce 30,000 children to volleyball in 2012 by enhancing their “Grow the Game Together” programming, launching a new “Move with a New Player” program, and expanding its existing youth outreach with partners including the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) and the YMCA.
In addition, USA Basketball, as part of its Hoops for Troops initiative, will host a series of events and clinics for military families this summer in collaboration with Let’s Move!, the First Lady’s Joining Forces Initiative, and the Department of Defense. These efforts will coincide with the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s and Women’s National Team tour and the World Basketball Festival in July.
ARTICLE BASED ON WHITE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
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