Run Jump Throw: Teaching Kids the Fundamentals for a Lifetime of Physical Activity
Not every child will be a star athlete, but being physically active is a critical part of the foundation for a balanced lifestyle. Many children don’t have the opportunity to develop fundamental skills such as running, jumping and throwing and can quickly be left behind when it comes to being active. A new national youth activity initiative, Run Jump Throw, which partners the USA Track & Field (USATF) and The Hershey Company, hopes to encourage those skills in kids across the nation.
Run Jump Throw will teach kids ages 7 through 12 fundamental physical activity skills including warm-ups, proper running technique for sprinting and distance running, jumping and throwing skills. The program will combine basic skill-building in a clinic format and culminate with a non-competitive track meet. Children of all skill levels participating in Run Jump Throw will also be encouraged to continue to pursue the sport of their own interest, either through parks and recreation programs, school programs or through USATF running clubs and associations.
Why The Hershey Company? Since 1975, Hershey has supported the HERSHEY’S Track & Field Games, a youth track and field program in the US and Canada. The new program, in partnership with USATF, will create more learning opportunities and enable more kids to have fun running, jumping and throwing, while gaining valuable skills for a lifetime of physical activity.
“This new program partners two premier organizations in youth activity, which have been central to the success of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation,” said Lisa Gable, President of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, “Hershey has been committed to encouraging youth physical activity for over 35 years. This partnership adds the expertise and depth of the USATF to help get kids started and increase their confidence to include physical activity as a part of their daily routine.”
The transition from HERSHEY’S Track & Field Games to this partnership with USATF will allow the program to expand from nearly 1,000 track meets to more than 3,000 local Run Jump Throw learning clinics with non-competitive track meets offered throughout North America.
In addition, Hershey will expand its support of USATF/Athletics Canada youth initiatives. Beginning in 2015, Hershey will underwrite at least 1,000 youth scholarships to provide free USATF memberships to underserved children interested in pursuing track and field and serve as title sponsor for US and Canadian Youth Indoor and Outdoor National Championship Track meets, which collectively feature more than 5,000 young athletes with a wide range of abilities.
Every four years, coinciding with summer Olympic years (starting in 2016), the Youth Outdoor National Championships will be held in Hershey, PA to allow for the local community and employees to continue to be actively engaged with the youth track and field. Other years the program will rotate around the country to enable more youth and families to experience a National Championship wrapped in the goodness of Hershey.
Please look for a USATF program in your local area.
The Hershey Company is a founding member of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation. The Hershey Company believes that well-being is a matter of balance, the ability to make informed choices and enjoying the goodness of every day moments.