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 area. Since our establishment, we have served more than 3,000 children from over 70 schools across 20+ zip codes in and around the city of Memphis. 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.
Our goal every year is to provide instructional programs and events to help to develop the basic motor skills of running – jumping and throwing, skills that are the foundation for development in any sports or fitness activity. Memphis Youth Athletics Programs provide opportunities for kids in both developmental and competitive programs. By managing, supporting and funding area youth track and field, cross country and running programs, Memphis Youth Athletics seeks to establish a platform for enhancing each child’s personal fitness and athletic aspirations.
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.
Prevalence of Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the U.S. putting children at risk for poor health. For children and adolescents aged 2-19*:
- The prevalence of obesity was 18.5% & affected 13.7 million children.
- Obesity prevalence was 13.9% among 2 to 5 year olds, 18.4% among 6 to 11 year olds, & 20.6% among 12 to 19 year olds. Childhood obesity is also common among certain populations.
- Hispanics (25.8%) & non-Hispanic blacks (22.0%) had higher obesity prevalence than non-Hispanic whites (14.1%).
*https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db288.pdf
Why We Need to Fix Youth Sports
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 programs will make an impact on 3000 plus Memphis area children each year! Over 30% of the families in our programs 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?
- Program Fee Waivers (XC+TF+Summer Program) = $500
- Uniform (singlet & shorts) = $60
- Shoes (new not used) = $90
- MYA often stipends teachers at Title 1 schools who volunteer to coach.
- The total cost invested towards a team of 10 kids & a coach is upwards of $2500, depending on their needs.
The MYA City Summer Program is a 6-8-week health and wellness summer program with track & field as its core. This program aims to impact 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.
Here is glance at the inaugural 2022 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 300 by 2023.
- 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
How many kids do you want to impact today?
The Return on Investment
- Exposure to over 3,000 participants and their families/spectators across all MYA programs.
- Supporting health and fitness in Memphis
- Engaging the youth of Memphis with track and field and cross country
- Plans to grow to at least 5,000 participants by 2025
- Connection to a world-class track and field event in your backyard in one of our signature events - The Ed Murphey Classic
- Tax deductible (501c3)