“CREATING CHANGE THROUGH SPORTS” GABBY REECE AND PAM SHRIVER HELP SEND OFF 150 COACHES TO MENTOR 15,000 YOUTH IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

WHAT:            

On October 1st Up2Us, a national not-for-profit
organization leading the movement to promote sports as the solution to the
critical challenges facing America’s youth, will send off 150 coaches to mentor
15,000 kids in underserved communities in Los Angeles and throughout the West
Coast. Up2Us member organization Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) will help host
special guests Gabby Reece, Pam Shriver and representatives from the City of Los Angeles and Recreation and Parks as they join 150 coaches on their march from
Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park to Lafayette Community Center for the Send-Off
ceremony and reception.

WHERE:        Start:                                       End:

                      MacArthur Park                         Lafayette Community Center

                      2230
W. 6th Street                  625
S. Lafayette Park Place

WHEN:           

12:30 p.m.—walk                    1:00-2:00pm—presentations and victory
lap

WHO:             

Paul Caccamo—Founder and Executive
Director, Up2Us

Gabby Reece—Former professional
volleyball player and Fitness Expert

Pam
Shriver—ESPN Correspondent, Olympic Gold Medalist, International Tennis Hall of
Famer

John
Kirk Mukri—General Manager, Recreation and Parks

Interviews
with guests and coaches helping L.A. youth as well as event photos available
upon request.

VISUALS:       

150 coaches and guests
wearing bright red shirts with Up2Us logo walking down Wilshire Blvd with
downtown L.A. backdrop—Presentations by guests at Lafayette Community
Center with Lakers logo on gym floor—Up2Us coaches participating in victory
lap and chant as part of commencement ceremony.

WHY:             

Kids are most likely to fall victim to unsafe and unhealthy activities
between the hours of 3-6 p.m. on school days. Unfortunately, more and more
sports and after school programs are suffering budget cuts, leaving kids in
underserved communities the most vulnerable to becoming a statistic. In fact,
L.A. has seen an increase in gang recruitment activities as parks return to
normal operating hours and kids go back to school. Up2Us’ Coach Across America program is the first national
program that challenges young adults to give back to their communities through
a year of service as coach-mentors to at-risk youth. This year, Up2Us is
placing more than 400 CAA coach-mentors nationwide, reaching 50,000 children. The “Changing Through
Sports” event on Oct. 1st is part of Up2Us’ Coach Across America (CAA)
program and National Coach Training Institute, where volunteer coach-mentors
participate in an intensive 4-day training and certification program (Sept
28-Oct 1) focused on applying mentoring and trauma sensitive coaching
techniques to better support at-risk youth and the critical challenges they
face including, obesity, violence and academic failure.