Contact: Brian Greenwood
805-756-5093; pgreenwo@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly Professor Attends White House Meeting to Support Youth Sports
SAN LUIS OBISPO – According to Cal Poly Professor Brian Greenwood, the economic recession has taken its toll on youth sports. That message was delivered by Greenwood and others at a recent White House meeting, titled “The Critical State of Youth Sports in America.”
Greenwood was among an influential group of people representing organizations in the sports-based youth development field. The meeting was organized by Up2Us, a national coalition of practitioners and researchers dedicated to sports’ role in the lives of youth.
Up2Us strives to give all youth, regardless of background or history, the opportunity to engage in sports in an attempt to teach them qualities that will help better their lives. Up2Us aims to decrease childhood obesity, lower the drop-out rate for schools and decrease youth participation in gangs by increasing youth sport participation.
The White House meeting coincided with the organization’s national conference held Oct. 21-23 in Washington, D.C.
In addition to Greenwood’s role as a Cal Poly Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration professor focusing in sport management and community services management, he is part of Up2Us’ research team and helped write a section of the organization’s upcoming report on the state of youth sports. This work earned him a chance to speak at the White House and the Up2Us national conference.
“Youth sports is in serious decline in this country,” Greenwood said. “We can't afford that potential negative impact. If a kid doesn't have somewhere to go, something to do to occupy their time, unfortunately what they do more often than not is they end up in trouble.”
For more information about Up2Us, visit http://www.up2us.org/
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