Americaís football coaches are rallying behind a national campaign to restore and enhance physical education programs in public schools in order to halt a major decline in fitness among the nationís youth.

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has designated the week of Sept. 18-23 as ëAFCA Physical Education Promotion Weekí, or ëPEPí Week, and asked its membership to promote the importance of physical education as a major component in public school curriculums across the USA.

The sporting goods industry this year initiated the ëWe Need P.E.í campaign after studies showed there was a serious decline in physical activity among American youth traced, in part, to the low priority given to physical education by local school districts.  The campaign has expanded into the creation of a national organization called PE4LIFE, whose mission is to promote and expand daily quality physical education programs in Americaís schools.

The campaign supports proposed legislation pending in the U.S. Congress to upgrade physical education.  The Physical Education for Progress Act (S.1159), known as the ëPEPí bill, was sponsored by Senator Ted Stevens (R, Alaska) and is co-sponsored by 34 Senators and 33 Representatives.  It would provide $400 million over five years in direct grants to local school districts to ìinitiate, expand and improve physical education programs for all kindergarten through 12th grade students.î

ìItís important that the AFCA takes part in this effort,î says AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff.  ìWe can provide a highly-visible platform to spread the message about the importance of youngsters being physically fit, whether they are a well-conditioned football player or a student who chooses not to take part in organized athletics.

ìThe point is, those who exercise regularly generally live longer, happier, healthier lives.  Weíre asking our coaches to promote the idea that young people should have more opportunities to learn and develop healthy lifestyle habits at an early age through participation in daily physical education programs in our schools.î

Wilson Sporting Goods President Jim Baugh, who was instrumental in implementing the physical education initiatives, was pleased with the AFCAís response to the call for action.  ìWilson has partnered with the AFCA for a long time, and we know how effective football coaches can be when it comes to standing up for a worthwhile cause,î Baugh says.  ìThe Association and its membership can have a tremendous impact on turning this situation around, and we look forward to working with them.î

The AFCA has provided more than 680 head football coaches in the collegiate ranks with materials about the national campaign and the ëPEPí bill and urged them to mention the issue during one of their in-season media press conferences on campus.  The AFCA has provided a news release to the coaches for distribution at the local level.  Teaff recently wrote about the physical education initiatives in his regular column that appears in the AFCAís ëThe Extra Point,í which goes to 8,000 members.

A Web site, www.weneedpe.com, provides information about the campaign and the bill.  Startling statistics about the physical fitness of the nationís youth (they are included on the Web site) have served as a motivating force behind the effort.  Some of the data from the research:

? The percentage of overweight young Americans has more than doubled in the past 30 years.

? Fewer than one-in-four children get 20 minutes of vigorous activity every day.

? 14 percent of children ages 6-11 are overweight, and 12 percent of adolescents ages 12-17 are overweight.

? Only one state in the nation ñ Illinois ñ has a mandatory daily requirement for physical education for grades K through 12, and the creation of waivers in many school systems allows classes like band and chorus to be substituted for physical education.

? 85 percent of all five-year old children in the U.S. cannot pass a basic physical fitness test.

? 40 percent of 12-year old children display heart disease factors (i.e. obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and inactivity).

In his cover letter to each head coach, Teaff wrote: ìIt is of great importance that we get involved in this effort, because in the long run, it affects our entire society, your kids as well as mine.  As a role model and leader you can influence the entire communityís mindset: that local school districts have an obligation to make it a priority that all young people become physically active and participate in school-sponsored physical education programs.  Weíre asking each AFCA member to take part in this effort to restore the emphasis on physical education in our schools.  Being active and leading a healthful lifestyle now will make a difference in thousands of young lives years later, and thatís the message we should be sending.î

Media Resources:

Anne Flannery, Executive Director, PE4LIFE: Ph: 202-776-0377; Fax: 202-296-7462
1150 17th St., N.W., Suite 407, Washington, DC 20036
Jim Baugh, Chairman, PE4LIFE; President, Wilson Sporting Goods: Ph: 773-714-6400
Mike May, Director of Communications, Sporting Goods Manufacturers Assn.: Ph: 561-840-1165
Paula Kun, Dir., Public Relations, National Assn. for Sports & Phys. Education: Ph: 703-476-3461
American Football Coaches Association:
Grant Teaff, Executive Director: Ph: 254-776-5900
Mel Pulliam, Director, Marketing & Development: Ph: 254-776-5900
Todd Bell, Director, Media Relations & Publications: Ph: 254-776-5900