The mission of Memphis Youth Athletics is simple: Create Healthy Habits With Every Run, Jump, & Throw! MYA offers high-quality year round programs to student athletes in Memphis and the surrounding tri state area. We currently serve more than 3,000 children from over 70 schools across 70+ zip codes in the Midsouth. MYA has provided under-resourced communities a platform for fostering children’s fitness aspirations by managing, supporting, and funding youth track and field, cross country, and running programs.
The MYA Summer Program is the heart and soul of our mission and is designed be a health and wellness summer program with track & field as its core. This program aims to initially impact 300 3rd - 8th grade girls and boys by developing stronger physical abilities, athletic confidence, and an appetite to learn the joys of physical fitness and wellness. This will be achieved through a blend of informal play, technical instruction, and fun! The goal of the program is for our children to walk away with a renewed sense of confidence, healthier habits, and a joy for the sport of track and& field.
In addition to learning the basics of track and& field, student athletes will be exposed to a learning adventure that will combine math, reading, nutrition, and character development. The MYA City Summer Program is supported by community partners such as U of M College of Health Science, Christian Brothers High School, and Memphis Parks. Our Corporate partnerships with HOKA and Smith & Nephew also play an instrumental role in developing the whole kid.
WHY WE NEED TO MAKE AN IMPACT?
The benefits of exercise are significant. For children in and outside of our community, exercise can:
- Improve body composition through increased bone density levels, muscle strength, and cardiovascular health.
- Fight obesity (1 in 3 children in grades K-8 are obese, slightly higher than the city-wide count of 1 in 4)
- Improve stamina and energy levels
- Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Reduce the risk of diabetes
- Develop gross and fine motor skills
- Enhance confidence and self-esteem
Additionally, approximately 25% of all residents & over 30% of children in Memphis live in poverty. MYA does not charge its participants from under resourced zip codes in an effort to provide accessible exercise to local children and steer them toward healthy futures.
The Program Overview
At its core, the summer program is all about health and wellness summer program with track & field woven in. This program aims to initially impact 200 3rd - 8th grade girls and boys by developing stronger physical abilities, athletic confidence, and an appetite to learn the joys of physical fitness and wellness. This will be achieved through a blend of informal play, technical instruction, and fun! The goal of the program is for our children to walk away with a renewed sense of confidence, healthier habits, and a joy for the sport of track and& field.
Eligibility. Children in grades 3-8 in the Memphis Metro area, with a focus on the underserved communities in North and South Memphis .
Schedule. Campers will meet 5 days per week for 4 weeks beginning June 17 and ending July 19, with the week of July 4th off (7/1-5).
Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and includes:
- Breakfast, lunch, & 2 snacks (provided by MYA)
- Fitness instruction
- Team building activities
- Nutrition education (provided by the University of Memphis)
- Track instruction
- Guest speakers
- Field Trips
- And a few surprises!
Field Trips. We will go off location to different venues around Memphis that lend themselves to teaching points and exposure to the great opportunities Memphis offers. Past field trips include:
- Stax Museum of American Soul Music
- Civil Rights Museum
- Memphis Rox
- U of Memphis campus tour
- Shelby Farms
- Licherman Nature Center
Locations. The program will operate out of Christian Brothers High School but will have pick ups in communities of North Memphis, South Memphis, and East Memphis. *Transportation will be provided by Premiere Transportation Services
Supplements. In addition to learning the basics of Track & Field, student-athletes will be exposed to a learning adventure that will combine math, reading, nutrition, character development, and extracurriculars. This will be supported by community partners such as U of M College of Health Science, Tiger Bites Nutrition, and the Memphis City Parks.
Why kids need more opportunities to form an active lifestyle?
The concerning trends, produced annually by SFIA*, rarely change each year:
- Children from homes in the lowest income bracket are far more likely to be physically inactive than kids from wealthier households
- For most sports, participation rates on a regular basis keep declining, with only gymnastics, lacrosse and ice hockey experiencing increases between 2008-16
- The average child plays fewer than two sports – a statistic now on a regular down cycle due to sport specialization, even though evidence shows playing only one sport can be harmful to the body and stunt athletic development
- Less than one-third of youth coaches are trained in competencies such as safety and sport instruction
*Sports Facilities Advisory, Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA)
The Rundown
The MYA Summer Program aims to make an impact on 300 plus Memphis area children over the summer! Over 60% of the families in this program will be in a need based situation. That is where MYA steps in to help those families knock down the financial hurdles!
How can you invest in our kids?
- Total number of need based campers = 200
- Cost per camper to attend the 4 week MYA City Summer Program = $500
- 200 camp waivers X $500/waiver = $100,000 investment into our kids
How many kids do you want to impact today?
Here is glance at the inaugural 2023 MYA City Summer Program it by the numbers:
- Over $150,000 was raised to offset camp costs and scholarships.
- Over 3,600 meals were prepared and served (breakfast & lunch) to our campers.
- 110 campers signed up from 22 zip codes from all over Memphis, 10 of which were classified as need based. We plan to grow this to 200 by 2024.
- 75 scholarships were awarded based on zip codes and/or requests.
- 15 internships were awarded to local high school student athletes.
- 10 speakers visited and shared their life journey with the campers.
- 6 educational field trips were taken that spanned the city.
- 1 STEM day with Smith & Nephew