Federal agencies launch youth sports initiative
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Members of the Warren Central High School flag football team showed off their skills for the HUD secretary. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios
Football changed Scott Turner's life. The U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development says it taught him discipline, accountability and perseverance long before the nine seasons he spent with the NFL.
Why it matters: Turner wants to bring the opportunities sports provided him to more kids growing up in America's public housing projects, which he now oversees.
Driving the news: Speaking at the Indianapolis Colts practice facility Tuesday, Turner announced a first-of-its-kind partnership among the NFL and federal labor, education, housing and health agencies to engage with at-risk youth through football and other sports.
- The goal, he said, is to bring the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again movement to underserved kids all across the country.
- "At some point we're going to turn over this baton of leadership to the youth of America," Turner says, "and we want to make sure that when they take that baton, that they are ready to run and run to win."
What they're saying: Ryanna Benson said she's learned a lot during her four years playing flag football at Warren Central High School.
- There are the rules of the game, sure. But beyond that, Benson said, she's learned life and leadership skills.
- "We had to learn how to keep going," she said. "Like, don't let one bad play, one bad person, one bad coach, anybody … don't let them bring you down. You just gotta keep going."
Between the lines: Flag football will likely be a big part of the agencies' new sports and well-being initiative. The NFL has been investing in the sport over the last few years at the youth and professional levels.
How it works: The program is in its infancy, but the memorandum of understanding signed by all four federal agencies Tuesday says they'll identify a limited number of locations, ideally near public housing projects to implement programs with local partners.
- The agencies will weigh the concentration of underserved families, available local partners and proximity to public housing.
- Sports will serve as the hook, and programming will add life skills, academic support and workforce development.
"We know that when kids feel like they belong, when they have supportive adults around them, they are more successful in school," Kirsten Baesler, assistant secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, told Axios.
- "When you show up on the field, you show up in the classroom. The things that you learn on a field — leadership, encouraging a teammate, really working through hard things — those are all skills and attributes that really help them in their education journey as well."
What's next: The agencies will begin identifying sites to get the programming started.
- A goal for the number of sites or kids participating hasn't been set, so as not to limit the program's potential, said Duey Stroebel, HUD's Midwest regional administrator.
- The agencies haven't committed money yet, but a HUD spokesperson said more announcements will follow.