Visa Brings Olympic Voices to Help Kids Play Every
Day and Jump Start Their Olympic Dreams
AVP Crocs Tour Champions Kerri Walsh and Mike Lambert Support
San Francisco Recreation and Park’s Youth Program with Donation and Clinic
San Francisco – September 6, 2007 – Visa USA, along with Olympic gold medalist Kerri
Walsh and two-time Olympian Mike
Lambert announced today their support for a national campaign to increase and improve the spaces where America’s youth can play.
As part of the effort, Visa and these stars presented San Francisco Recreation and Parks with a jump-start grant to dramatically enhance youth volleyball programs, allowing area youth to get involved in Olympic sports in their own community. The grant is expected to triple the number of locations and participants in this program by enhancing facilities, purchasing equipment and providing scholarships to area children.
“For America’s kids, the time to play is today,” said Kerri Walsh, who hails from nearby Saratoga, California and graduated from Stanford University in 1999. “We need everyone’s help in providing all kids with access to safe and well-equipped spaces and places where they can play, have fun and maybe even pursue their own Olympic dreams.”
According to a Stanford University School of Medicine report commissioned by the Partnership for Play Every Day - Building “Generation Play” - America’s youth are facing a growing problem when it comes to their health. Today, eighteen percent of U.S. children are overweight and many are facing “adult-type” diseases including Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
“As a longtime proud Olympic sponsor, we’re committed to empowering current and future Olympic team hopefuls to reach for and achieve their dreams,” said Michael Lynch, senior vice president, Visa USA. “We believe in the Play Every Day call-to-action and saw an opportunity to involve our Olympic family in an initiative that addresses a growing health issue and will get more kids participating in Olympic sports.”
Visa USA, with the help of other Beijing Olympic hopefuls, launched their support for the Partnership at an event in Washington, DC last month and will also conduct similar jump-start grant events in New York in the months ahead with the goal of encouraging other businesses and individuals to improve local parks, facilities, and playgrounds in their communities.
The Partnership is bringing together organizations including non-profits, businesses, and government agencies to ensure that all children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Federal funding for local parks, playgrounds, trails and open spaces has decreased in recent years and one of the Partnership’s objectives is to increase the number of settings where kids can engage in physical activity.
“If I wasn’t able to start playing at XXXX I don’t know if I’d be preparing for my third Olympic Games today,” said Mike Lambert, a three-time Stanford All-American. “I hope everyone will visit www.playeveryday.org to find out how they can improve and increase play spaces in their hometowns.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Visa and these Olympic athletes to the Partnership for Play Every Day team,” said Yomi Agunbiade, General Manager, San Francisco Recreation and Park Dept. “We share a common goal to get America’s youth moving, and we need influential voices like these to rally all Americans around increasing the number of spaces and places where our kids can play. Through this support we’re able to expand our youth volleyball program and are assured that no child will be turned away due to capacity or financial limitations.”
As a proud sponsor of America’s Olympic Team, the Play Every Day collaboration is a logical extension of Visa’s sponsorship that has long included support for national governing bodies and athletes. In addition to partnering with the USA Track and Field, USA Swimming, USA Gymnastics, US Soccer, and the US Ski and Snowboard Association, Visa also supports dozens of individual American hopefuls through its Visa Gold Medal Athlete Program, offering financial and promotional support, as well as life skills training necessary to compete in life after the Olympic Games.
About Partnership for Play Every Day
In a voluntary and collaborative initiative of unprecedented scope, the National Recreation and Park Association, YMCA of the USA, and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education are working together as conveners of The Partnership for Play Every Day to increase the spaces and quality of play for our country’s children and youth. These organizations have a proud legacy of providing physical education, physical activity, childcare, after school programs and youth sports to millions of children throughout the country. The challenge today is to reach all our kids, especially those who aren’t afforded these same opportunities. Through this dynamic collaboration with more than 30 of the nation’s leading non-profits, government agencies, academic organizations and corporations, we can create and sustain the momentum
for a national movement to ensure that all kids get 60 minutes of physical activity every day. www.playeveryday.org
About Visa USA
Visa USA is a leading payments brand and the nation's largest payments system, enabling banks to provide their consumer and business customers with a wide variety of payment alternatives tailored to meet their evolving needs. Visa USA is committed to increasing the choice, convenience, acceptance and security of Visa payments for all stakeholders – financial institutions, cardholders and merchants. As of March 31, 2007, in the United States, more than 521 million Visa-branded cards have been issued by more than 13,000 financial institution customers. Visa products generated $1.8 trillion in total volume in the United States during the four quarters ended March 31, 2007. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the globe. For more information, visit www.visa.com
About San Francisco Recreation and Park Youth Volleyball
San Francisco Recreation and Park Volleyball program for youth and teens is a year-round activity. During the Fall months various recreation centers hold weekly volleyball clinics for boys and girls ages eight to eighteen. These clinics include volleyball technique fundamentals, the importance of teamwork as well as the understanding of both mental and physical play. Coaches also incorporate nutrition education, conditioning and body strengthening which helps them prepare for either high school or college sports. During the Winter and Spring months the Department turns these programs into a more structured league play so various parks compete in friendly matches. The goal of the volleyball clinics is to get kids active and to offer them an opportunity for children who wanted to play without the competitive pressure that often comes with school and club leagues. Many of the participants cannot afford club teams but have a dedication and love for the game that motivates them to play year round. The high school league and clinics are an opportunity for those who didn’t make their school teams to practice and add to their skills so that they can try out for their school team again the following year.
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