OFFICIAL SACRAMENTO SPORTS COMMISSION COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPONSOR

Sacramento Sports Commission Community Outreach Program

The Sacramento Sports Commission (SSC) has made a commitment to the children of our community to promote fitness and healthy lifestyles through sport. In the spirit of this commitment, the SSC and has reached out to kids in our community and invited them to participate in some of the many events that the SSC brings to town.

In conjunction with the 2001 National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships and National Fitness Month in May, the SSC organized a series of programs targeted at the youth of the Sacramento County school districts, community centers and non-profit youth organizations. The program consisted of four parts: Docents visited county schools and talked to kids about the importance of staying healthy and physical fitness through sport. Second, an essay contest was promoted to children to write about the importance of staying physically fit with winners being recognized at a SSC Board meeting. Also, coaches and athletes visited area community centers and put on track and field clinics. Finally, the SSC organized field trips for schools to bring their students out to the 2001 National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in July, 2001 free of charge for a chance to see 6,000 of the nation’s best youngsters compete.

With the 2002 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament at ARCO Arena, the SSC invited kids from Sacramento County junior high schools to attend the open work-out sessions the day before the tournament started. Volunteers from the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau met the students at the front gate as students entered the arena, passing out informative flyers on the day’s activities and acting as crowd control for the groups.

The work-out session were well attended by junior high schools and basketball clubs and they helped welcome the eight NCAA teams competing in Sacramento.

With the success of previous outreach programs, the SSC has decided to present an annual spring multi-sport clinic in conjunction with National Fitness Month in May. Details will appear on our website, check back often!

The Sacramento Sports Commission is excited to present the President’s Council on Physical Fitness Assessment Program for 15,000 school children in conjunction with National Physical Fitness month beginning this May. The program will take place on May 9th and 10th at the County Fair at Cal Expo .

The Sacramento Sports Commission will be working with CSUS Physical Education majors and community volunteers to present the “Fitnessgram” program. The “Fitnessgram” was developed by the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research and is endorsed by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education Recreation and Dance.

The “Fitnessgram” is a valuable tool for helping young people assess their fitness activity levels, identify ways to improve fitness and health and learning to enjoy regular physical activity. The areas of assessment include aerobic capacity, muscle strength, endurance and flexibility. We know that young people may engage in physical activity simply because it is fun and that physical activity is important because:

1. It improves strength and endurance
2. It helps build healthy bones and muscles
3. It helps control weight
4. It reduces anxiety and stress and increases self-esteem
5. It may improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels

The assessment will include the following:

1. The Pacer (a cardiovascular challenge that is fun!)
2. Curl-ups
3. Trunk Lift
4. Push Up
An important aspect of the assessment is to have children experience fitness and participate at their age level. The assessment is non-competitive as children are working to do their best. All children will receive a participation ribbon for completing the program.