Team USA Becomes Part of Obama's Let's Move Initiative

First Lady Michelle Obama joined U.S. Olympians, Paralympians and London hopefuls to announce a nationwide commitment to get more than 1.7 million American children active as part of her Let’s Move! initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation. Through commitments to the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), U.S. Paralympics, the U.S. Olympians Association, and USOC National Governing Bodies for sport, including USA Cycling/USA BMX, USA Soccer, USA Swimming, USA Track & Field, US Tennis Association, USA Field Hockey and USA Volleyball, these organizations will provide beginner athletic programming to more than 1.7 million kids in 2012. PHA has also created a website, www.ahealthieramerica.org/olympics, to help families find affiliated sports programs in their area.

Mrs. Obama, who will lead the Presidential Delegation to the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London this summer, is working to turn the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games into action by getting more kids healthy and active. In March, Mrs. Obama welcomed Samantha Cameron to the United States by hosting a mini-Olympics event for local school children and two weeks ago, Mrs. Obama spoke at the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games.

“This year, 1.7 million young people will be participating in Olympic and Paralympic sports in their communities – many of them for the very first time.  And that is so important, because sometimes all it takes is that first lesson, or clinic, or class to get a child excited about a new sport,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “So this summer, together with our children, we can support Team USA not just by cheering them on, but by striving to live up to the example they set. In the end, some of these athletes will bring home the gold, but all of them will make our country proud, and all of them will inspire a generation of young people to get active, to strive for excellence, and to pursue whatever dreams they may hold in their hearts.”

“We’re incredibly honored to have Mrs. Obama join us in Dallas to celebrate the accomplishments of America’s finest athletes and announce new ways we can all work together to increase access to sport for young children,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “The Let's Move! initiative is an important one and something the entire Olympic family in the United States is eager to support.”

“This summer, Team USA will inspire us all with their skill, their grace and their abilities. Because of today's commitments, the inspiration will not end after the closing ceremonies,” said PHA President and CEO Larry Soler. “The First Lady's leadership has brought together a group of organizations that are committed to helping more than a million young people engage in sports in ways that were previously unavailable to them.  It's important for us to remember that being active and moving more doesn't mean you have to train like our nation’s elite athletes - but being active is part of a healthy lifestyle. And the more opportunities our kids have to move, the healthier lives they will lead.”

“It was extremely important to my parents that I was active from an early age,” said Natalie Coughlin. “I started swimming competitively at age 6 to make friends, be active and be healthy.  It wasn't important to my parents that I win ribbons or trophies, but it was important that I was active and dedicated to something in addition to school.  Not only did it feed my competitive drive and help me be healthy, but it made me a better student and a better kid. To join with the First Lady and spread that message is truly an honor.”

Mrs. Obama has been leading a nationwide effort to combat childhood obesity so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight.  The Let’s Move! initiative is a comprehensive, collaborative, and community-oriented initiative that has sought to engage every sector of society to tackle head-on the many different factors that lead to childhood obesity.  Today’s announcement is a significant step towards providing children across the country with many different opportunities to become physically fit and stay active.