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d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtoZWlnaHQ6YXV0bzt3aWR0aDphdXRvO3RyYW5zaXRpb246dHJhbnNmb3JtIDAuMjVzIGVhc2V9LnRiLWltYWdlIC50Yi1pbWFnZS1jYXB0aW9uLWZpdC10by1pbWFnZXtkaXNwbGF5OnRhYmxlfS50Yi1pbWFnZSAudGItaW1hZ2UtY2FwdGlvbi1maXQtdG8taW1hZ2UgLnRiLWltYWdlLWNhcHRpb257ZGlzcGxheTp0YWJsZS1jYXB0aW9uO2NhcHRpb24tc2lkZTpib3R0b219IH0g
First Lady Michelle Obama has 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 her Let’s Move! initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation. Through commitments to the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the USTA, U.S. Paralympics, the U.S. Olympians Association, and USOC National Governing Bodies for sport, including USA Cycling/USA BMX, USA Soccer, USA Swimming, USA Track & Field, USA Field Hockey and USA Volleyball, these organizations will provide beginner athletic programming to more than 1.7 million kids in 2012. PHA has also created a website, www.ahealthieramerica.org/olympics, to help families find affiliated sports programs in their area.
"This year, 1.7 million young people will be participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports in their communities – many of them for the very first time. And that is so important, because sometimes all it takes is that first lesson, or clinic, or class to get a child excited about a new sport,” said Michelle Obama. “So this summer, together with our children, we can support Team USA not just by cheering them on, but by striving to live up to the example they set. In the end, some of these athletes will bring home the gold, but all of them will make our country proud, and all of them will inspire a generation of young people to get active, to strive for excellence, and to pursue whatever dreams they may hold in their hearts.”
First Lady Obama, who will lead the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London this summer, is working to turn the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games into action by getting more kids healthy and active. In March, Mrs. Obama welcomed Samantha Cameron to the United States by hosting a mini-Olympics event for local school children and two weeks ago, Mrs. Obama spoke at the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games.
USTA will do its part by introducing 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.
“Through our ongoing relationship with Mrs. Obama and her Let’s Move! initiative, the USTA supports active and healthier lifestyles for children with our 10 and Under Tennis events, Kid’s Tennis Clubs and Play Days that are taking place in local communities across America,” said Jon Vegosen, chairman of the board and president of the USTA. “The USTA’s mission to grow tennis at all levels begins with increasing the number of opportunities for young people to try the sport at an earlier age. This summer, they can learn to play tennis while proudly watching American tennis players compete for gold in London.”
Michelle Obama has been leading a nationwide effort to combat childhood obesity so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. The Let’s Move! initiative is a comprehensive, collaborative, and community-oriented initiative that has sought to engage every sector of society to tackle head-on the many different factors that lead to childhood obesity. Today’s announcement is a significant step towards providing children across the country with many different opportunities to become physically fit and stay active.
