USTA and Partnership for a Healthier America Join Up to Raise Child Health Awareness

September 5, 2012 | By New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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The USTA, in conjunction with the Partnership for a Healthier America, has announced a new health initiative to encourage youth physical activity. The USTA has pledged to build 3,200 kid-sized courts in 2012. A presentation panel including Mike Bergeron, Christine Taylor, Larry Soler, Dara Torres and Bob Harper spoke about what needs to be done to make these changes effective. This is the first time that smaller courts, rackets, and balls will be used in order to encourage fun and healthy play at a young age. This will allow for there to be quality physical activity opportunities for children throughout the country.

"The USTA is proud to be working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and Let’s Move! to help shine a spotlight on the crisis of physical inactivity among America’s youth and to encourage them to replace passive activities with a more active lifestyle," said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive of Community Tennis for the USTA.

There were seven essential practices described for how physical activity programs for kids should be designed. They are:

►Strive for universal access

►Include a range of age appropriate activities 

►Aim to reach and recommend guidelines on dosage and duration

►Be engaging and fun for kids

►Be led by well-trained coaches and mentors

►Track progress, both individually and for the group

►Provide consistent motivation and incentives

"Parents need to get involved with their children, become more active, and we can make a change. It’s not about winning or losing," said Bob Harper, a fitness expert and host of the television show, The Biggest Loser.

One of the main focuses of the panel discussion included that competition should not be encouraged in those of a young age as it will discourage physical activity for those who do not win. Instead, "engage kids to make sure they have fun. Make it fun. Kids need to be encouraged to keep active," said Dara Torres, a former Olympic gold-medalist.

Ten & Under Tennis through the USTA is one of the first sports to commit a whole new concept from the physical aspects to the way the game should be taught to the youth of America.

"We want tennis to be the model sport," said Kamperman. The USTA has already constructed over 3,000 new kid-sized courts in America and once 2012 comes to a end, there will be over 6,200 new courts to play on throughout the country. It is necessary to "reintegrate physical activity in our daily lives," said Sam Kass, White House senior policy advisor for healthy food initiatives.

These new strives for a healthier youth generation come in the wake of statistics that one in three kids is now obese in America and the rise of Type 2 diabetes has skyrocketed. The USTA is hopeful that these new commitments and pledges will help change the statistics in the days to come and encourage kids to get off the couch and onto the court.

 

 

 


New York Tennis Magazine Staff
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