We have big Athletes for Hope University news. We’re officially in partnership with the University of Southern California. AFH U will work in tandem with McCall Hall, Director of Community Outreach at USC, to give USC student-athletes an opportunity to give back to the greater community, while simultaneously providing invaluable life opportunities.
USC Women’s BasketballUSC Women’s Soccer
This week we presented to the Women’s Soccer team (2016 National Champions) and the Women’s Basketball team. We also did a special athlete talk to all 700+ USC student-athletes to get them excited about us coming in and doing individual workshops for them.
We will be back in Southern California this October to present team workshops and will work with the University to set up volunteering opportunities for the teams in the community. Thanks to the USC student-athlete community for your support and interest. We look forward to working with you all.
As the academic year comes to an end, we want to highlight the efforts of our Louisiana AFH University teams have taken to help others this semester. Since January 2017, AFH Baton Rouge Teams (LSU and Southern University) have completed over 500 volunteer hours with a host of local schools and non-profits. The Tulane schools in New Orleans have all been trained and are ramped up for good things this year and next fall.
LSU now has 16 teams in the connection phase. Some of the highlighted connections include:
Softball is currently in season. They will be connecting with BREC Youth 360, Highland Road Community Park.
Cross Country connected with Let’s Move Active School McKinley Middle School on February 24th. On March 3rd, the team volunteered at St. James Retirement Home. They made flower arrangements and delivered them to residents. On March 24th, the team visited Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired and participated in their Fan Day.
Track & Field participated in the Louisiana Marathon on January 15th. They also visited Children’s Charter on February 24th and engaged students in physical activity.
Women’s Golf connected with Let’s Move Active School, University Terrace on February 22nd.
Baseball is currently in season and working on team availability to make visits to Louisiana Key Academy in May.
Soccer is currently in season and plan to connect with Boys Hope Girls Hope in the upcoming months.
Volleyball has connected with Arc of Baton Rouge Inclusive Sports program for three consecutive Saturdays. On February 10th, the team participated in The Tim Tebow Foundation’s “Night to Shine”, a prom night experience dedicated to special needs teenagers. Two players of the team have committed to coaching a youth volleyball team at St. Aloysius School and spend 5 hours a week with practices and games. They plan to visit Glasgow Middle School on April 18th and 20th.
Southern University student athletes worked hard this semester to work in their community. Some of those connections include:
Softball assisted with registration and set up for the Louisiana Marathon children’s race on January 14th. Following their season, they plan to connect with the Miracle League on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Volleyball participated in the Louisiana Marathon children’s race on January 14th by cheering on runners and passing out water at the finish line. The team has made visits to Let’s Move Active School, Progress Elementary every Friday this semester. They have committed to make 2 hour visits on Fridays until May.
Soccer will be connecting with BREC Youth 360 and the Anna T. Jordan Community Center.
Baseball is currently in season. They connected with FLAIM Elementary on Monday, February 20th and completed a Let’s Move Active School visit.
Tulane is rocking on connections in their community as well. Some of those connections include:
Men’s Basketball hosted a 2 hour Special Olympics basketball clinic that went really well. They are looking to host more events over the summer.
Women’s Basketball is helping with the Tulane Unified 3v3 basketball league. This is our second year hosting the league, which spans 3 weeks of competition on Friday afternoons.
Bowling volunteered at a youth bowling clinic recently that aims to keep kids involved in after school activities to stay out of trouble.
Men’s & Women’s Track & Field have started helping with the Special Olympics track team that meets on Saturday mornings. The Special Olympics team is hoping to send some athletes to a summer games event in Hammond, LA and the Tulane team is getting the kids ready for the competition.
Swim & Dive started a Special Olympics swim team that has already met three times. We are trying to secure pool space to continue the team over the summer.
Football completed a “Day of Service” with the university on April 13th. Some groups cleaned up in Audubon Park, others planted trees, and some sorted food at a local food bank. They will also connect with a cause over the summer.
Golf is currently at their conference tournament. Once season is over, they will work with First Tee and host junior clinics over the summer and fall.
Thank you to all of our AFH University student athletes for giving back to your communities. We look forward to seeing your impact throughout the summer and through the fall semester
In partnership with Let’s Move! Active Schools (LMAS), and in honor of the 60th anniversary of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, AFH athletes deployed across America last week to help kids go from #0to60. Kicked off by the reigning NCAA champions of UConn Women’s Basketball, our athletes took to schools and social media to inspire the nation’s youth to get at least 60 minutes of activity per day.
While Active Schools Week may have come to an end, AFH athletes will continue to be a presence in LMAS schools for the coming months, engaging with kids and teaching them the lifelong benefits of fitness and activity.
Gary Morgan will visit Timbuktu Academy in Clarkston, MI on the 11th
Marisa Howard will visit Heritage Community Charter School in Boise, ID on the 10th
Jordin Andrade will visit Lake Grove Elementary School on the 5th
Samantha Johnson filmed our campaign kickoff video (link) and will visit her school this week
Thank you to all of the athletes who have given back during Athletes for Active Schools week by filming a video or visiting a school. You have helped encourage kids to get active, given them ideas on new ways to exercise and have inspired kids to be the best they can be in life.
There are very few college athletic programs that are synonymous with winning like the UConn Women’s Basketball team. The Huskies are on a quest this 2016-2017 season for their 5th NCAA championship in a row. Despite their quickly approaching season, the team took time out of their busy schedule to participate in an AFH University 1.0 workshop and took time to volunteer last week as part of the Athletes for Active Schools Campaign.
During the workshop, The Huskies discussed many topics such as their platform as college athletes and their role in the community. The Huskies then headed over to Grace Academy, which is a tuition-free middle school for girls from underserved families in Hartford, CT. During the visit, the Huskies met with a group of 60 girls as they shared one interesting fact about themselves with the students, spoke about the importance of physical activity, and then led the students through activities at various stations throughout the gym. The students took part in hula hooping, relay races, yoga, push-up challenges, relay races and more alongside their new friends.
Junior Guard, Gabby Williams, said, “It was super rewarding because the little girls reminded me of how I used to look up at athletes when I was their age. It’s awesome that there are organizations like Athletes for Hope out there that allow us to give back and show kids just how fun and beneficial being active can be. I could tell the girls really enjoyed themselves on Friday so hopefully they were inspired to find a sport or activity they can love and continue to do like we did when we were kids.”
The Huskies will continue their involvement with Let’s Move! Active Schools throughout the semester in an effort to inspire children throughout Connecticut to become more physically active. We are grateful for their efforts and look forward to working with these phenomenal athletes again in the future.
AFH University athletes in Baton Rouge have been committed to the recovery of their community. Athletes have continued to put in work by using their platform to give HOPE to the citizens of Baton Rouge during the flood’s aftermath.
Southern Softball: Cristo Rey Charter School received 2 feet of flood as a result of the flooding. Last Saturday, Southern Softball helped them make their new building a home by setting up classrooms, the cafeteria, and creating an inspiration wall for students to come back to on their first day of school at the new location.
LSU Softball: The ladies of LSU and Southern Softball assisted in the cleanup of an affected home.
Southern Baseball: Assisted with a school clean in partnership with City Year at Banks Elementary School. The team also helped with the cleanup process at Living Faith Church by moving debris and furniture, mopping, cleaning windows, and painting.
LSU Volleyball: Volunteered at BREC Highland Road Community Park emergency camp. The ladies led a of class of 71 kids in the basics of volleyball.
Keep up the great work, athletes! We are very proud of your devotion to the Baton Rouge community.
Over 600 varsity college athletes who are part of the Athletes for Hope University program have been impacted by the flooding in Baton Rouge, LA. A large group of these athletes have spent considerable time giving back to those in need in the Baton Rouge community.
“We are really grateful for the support that this community shows to our team and all of LSU Athletics. We are more than happy to give back in any way possible and look forward to continue helping rebuild the community in the near future”- Kelly Quinn, LSU Volleyball.
Below are a few examples of the tremendous work that AFH U teams have done in the Baton Rouge community over the past few days:
Thank you, athletes, for doing what you do best – inspiring others. We want to support you in your efforts. If your team needs help in identifying a way to give back to the community, please contact us.
