May is National Physical Fitness & Sports Month
05/11/2021
May is National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, and the Amateur Athletic Union wants to encourage everyone to go play and #MoveInMay.
US Presidential Proclamation | Presidential Youth Fitness Foundation | US Department of Health & Human Services
During the month of May, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the Presidential Youth Fitness Program (PYFP) are focusing on encouraging kids to get up and move, as well as educate them on the important role of physical fitness and sports in living a healthier life.
This month, National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, provides an opportunity to celebrate and promote physical activity and the benefits of sports participation. Physical activity is key to maintaining health and well-being. Getting active can improve fitness and reduce stress, reduce risk for many chronic diseases, and ease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Youth sports can help kids and teens get active and develop leadership, time management, and relationship-building skills.
As stated the 2021 White House proclamation: “By transcending differences and uniting in celebration of physical activity, healthy competition, and shared enjoyment, sports are a fun and engaging way to stay active and keep fit for people of all ages. For our Nation’s youth, playing sports can also help to build confidence on and off the field, while team sports foster the added virtues of service to common causes and communal responsibility — win or lose, every game offers the opportunity to learn something new or hone your skills. Every athletic challenge is an avenue to greater mental and physical resilience."
As our Nation continues to practice social distancing, regular physical activity at home can be an effective way to improve and maintain physical fitness. The AAU and PYFP want to thank our thousands of coaches, parents and volunteers that are helping to encourage children to take part in making a healthier life for themselves.
In 2020, PYFP launched its “PYFP @ Home” program, which introduced an at home version of the well-known fitness challenge to encourage kids to stay active while staying safe at home. Exercise standards and video tutorials can be found here.
In 2018, AAU partnered with the National Fitness Foundation in becoming the first founding partner of the National Youth Sports Fund. The AAU, in August of 2019, added the Interactive Health Technologies, LLC (IHT) to the partnership, creating an official and easy-to-use software system to help modernizing fitness education.
ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL YOUTH FITNESS PROGRAM (PYFP)
The Presidential Youth Fitness Program (PYFP), managed by the National Fitness Foundation, is the national model for fitness education and assessment in schools. The program was established in 2012 in order to promote health-related fitness and provide physical education programs with quality resources and tools to empower youth to be fit for life. The program provides schools with access to best practices, including: Training for physical educators; the national youth fitness assessment standards; student and school recognition items; and grants for equipment, professional development, recognition and more.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FITNESS FOUNDATION
The National Fitness Foundation is the only congressionally chartered nonprofit dedicated to youth sport and fitness in the United States. Established in 2010 as the official charity of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, the Foundation develops public-private partnerships and raises capital to support the expansion of youth sports participation in America. To achieve this goal, the Foundation launched the National Youth Sports Fund, the only permanent endowment dedicated to supporting and expanding youth sports participation in America.
During the month of May, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the Presidential Youth Fitness Program (PYFP) are focusing on encouraging kids to get up and move, as well as educate them on the important role of physical fitness and sports in living a healthier life.
This month, National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, provides an opportunity to celebrate and promote physical activity and the benefits of sports participation. Physical activity is key to maintaining health and well-being. Getting active can improve fitness and reduce stress, reduce risk for many chronic diseases, and ease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Youth sports can help kids and teens get active and develop leadership, time management, and relationship-building skills.
As stated the 2021 White House proclamation: “By transcending differences and uniting in celebration of physical activity, healthy competition, and shared enjoyment, sports are a fun and engaging way to stay active and keep fit for people of all ages. For our Nation’s youth, playing sports can also help to build confidence on and off the field, while team sports foster the added virtues of service to common causes and communal responsibility — win or lose, every game offers the opportunity to learn something new or hone your skills. Every athletic challenge is an avenue to greater mental and physical resilience."
As our Nation continues to practice social distancing, regular physical activity at home can be an effective way to improve and maintain physical fitness. The AAU and PYFP want to thank our thousands of coaches, parents and volunteers that are helping to encourage children to take part in making a healthier life for themselves.
In 2020, PYFP launched its “PYFP @ Home” program, which introduced an at home version of the well-known fitness challenge to encourage kids to stay active while staying safe at home. Exercise standards and video tutorials can be found here.
In 2018, AAU partnered with the National Fitness Foundation in becoming the first founding partner of the National Youth Sports Fund. The AAU, in August of 2019, added the Interactive Health Technologies, LLC (IHT) to the partnership, creating an official and easy-to-use software system to help modernizing fitness education.
ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL YOUTH FITNESS PROGRAM (PYFP)
The Presidential Youth Fitness Program (PYFP), managed by the National Fitness Foundation, is the national model for fitness education and assessment in schools. The program was established in 2012 in order to promote health-related fitness and provide physical education programs with quality resources and tools to empower youth to be fit for life. The program provides schools with access to best practices, including: Training for physical educators; the national youth fitness assessment standards; student and school recognition items; and grants for equipment, professional development, recognition and more.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FITNESS FOUNDATION
The National Fitness Foundation is the only congressionally chartered nonprofit dedicated to youth sport and fitness in the United States. Established in 2010 as the official charity of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, the Foundation develops public-private partnerships and raises capital to support the expansion of youth sports participation in America. To achieve this goal, the Foundation launched the National Youth Sports Fund, the only permanent endowment dedicated to supporting and expanding youth sports participation in America.
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