For as long as I can remember, sports have been a huge part of my life. I was participating in gymnastics by the time I could walk, and went on to play T-ball, compete in swim and diving meets on the weekends during the summer, and run track and field…and this was all before I started middle school.
My parents were Olympic Gymnastics coaches with multiple training facilities, and we had gymnasts live with us that were training for the Olympics. In high school, I played seven sports (diving, volleyball, cross country, basketball, track and field, and softball), and with 14 varsity letters, I broke the record for the most received by any high school athlete (male or female). After graduation I went on to play Division I softball at the University of Florida for four years.
I believe that sports have played a huge part in making me who I am today. I’m not talking about the fact that I am a sports broadcaster; I’m talking about skills and lessons that defined me.
Through athletics, I learned how to be a good listener and follow instructions from my coaches. I learned the importance of teamwork and how to encourage my teammates to be better. I learned hard work, discipline and self-sacrifice out on the practice field. All of these traits are not only important in sports, but they are essential if you want to be successful in life. I’d like to think I am an example of that.
I believe that every child deserves the opportunity to play sports.
62 percent of kids today are not participating in sports. 33 percent of kids entering the third grade are obese or overweight. And 70 percent of kids who are playing sports drop out by the age of 13.
These statistics are troubling…it is time for a change.
When kids play sports, they score 40 percent higher on tests!
It is because of this that I decided to become involved with KIDS in the GAME. We believe that every child, regardless of their situation, deserves the chance to play sports. Our goal is to inspire youth to thrive in life by providing resources that get and keep kids involved in athletic activity.
Unfortunately, a big part of why kids don’t play sports is because they cannot afford to. KIDS in the GAME provides financial assistance to help youth of all abilities from low-income families gain access to after school programs and physical education programs in schools.
For the next couple of weeks we have a fun way for you to help get a kid in the game, and win some amazing prizes from some of our corporate sponsors. Please take a moment to play in our GRID4KIDS game pool that allows everyone the chance to win during the big game in Arizona.
To play, all you need to do is visit our GRID4KIDS site, pick a square in our 10×10 pool and watch the big game on Feb 1st to see if you your square corresponds with the score at the end of each quarter. There’s no purchase necessary to play and the prizes are pretty awesome! I am giving away the opportunity to come hang with me on set of American Ninja Warrior for season 7.
Check out KIDS in the GAME and GRID4KIDS, and let’s help give kids across America the chance to play sports and be fit. Every kid deserves the chance to play!
To donate, visit KIDS in the GAME.
Jenn Brown is an Emmy Award winning sports reporter, and is currently a host for NBC’s American Ninja Warrior.