Coach Across America
This project's parent organization is Up2Us / Coach Across America
It operates in United States
It uses Multiple sports
Shortlisted for the Best New Project
More about Coach Across America
Coach Across America (CAA) is confronting three separate social issues threatening children - childhood obesity, academic failure, and youth violence. Coach Across America is a dynamic national service model that uses sports as an intentional tool to support youth in surmounting the social and economic influences that so often give rise to obesity, dropout rates, and anti-social behavior.To address these issues, our sports programs join forces with youth development and use sports as a means to teach personal and social skills that can be transferred to life.
In practice, a daily lesson format helps to organize coach instruction to address the abovementioned social issues. Lessons include Awareness Talks (what the program is really about), Direct Instruction (sport sessions), Individual Decision-Making (about goals and choices), Group Meeting (to evaluate the lesson and suggest solutions to any problems), and Reflection Time (to think about what was learned).
CAA is focused on using sports to help kids because there is a tremendous need in the United States. Fewer kids are playing sports because of budget cuts and introduction of pay to play schemes; yet, sports programs are critical to these children’s development.