Up2Us Sports Miles for Coaches
Up2Us Sports is a nonprofit dedicated to engaging, training and supporting sports coaches to transform youth, programs and communities. They strive to build an environment where everyone feels encouraged to use their unique skills and strengths to help students and communities grow and learn. Miles donated through Miles on a Mission help transport coaches to training programs that allow Up2Us Sports to provide relevant and timely training for coaches. Currently, Up2Us Sports has been preparing and supporting coaches connected with kids in areas of the country that have been strongly affected by COVID-19. They cultivate skills on how to be caring adults that help youth during times of stress and trauma. Up2Us Sports was able to book 20 flights for coaches to attend the National Coach Training Institute (CTI) in Chicago in February 2020 by using miles raised from the Miles on a Mission campaign. Travel is one of their largest expenses for the national training program. Those 20 coaches not only gained access to the training that helped them weather the COVID-19 pandemic, they also received the latest training in distance coaching, giving them the best of both in-person and virtual worlds. "One thing that stood out to me from CTI was our training where we learned about what areas of the brain people use when they are calm and angry. This led to phrases and ways to ask questions to calm kids down. A lot of the kids I coach are competitive and hot-blooded so when things don’t go their way it’s hard to get them mellow headed before this training. Now I know almost exactly what to say to make them laugh and smile when they are upset to help them get mentally back into the game or activity we are doing," said Coach Sawan Douge. Coach Grayson Corbett, a coach at the Baltimore chapter of Harlem Lacrosse, describes the impact CTI has had on her coaching and her ability to promote and encourage informal time with her athletes. During informal time, coaches are able to connect with their student-athletes without the pressures of keeping their sport performance in mind. Coach Grayson traveled from Baltimore to Chicago and explained that informal time helps coaches create a “we culture, rather than an us versus them culture.” Coach Sophia Kerdoon, a coach from Project Peaceful Warriors in New Orleans, Louisiana, explains how she uses yoga to help the youth that she serves. As a coach to predominantly young girl athletes, Sophia credits being able to travel to CTI for helping her learn how to positively handle behavioral issues and channel her athletes' energy into their yoga practice. At CTI, Sophia learned about the positive effects physical activity has on the brain. Sophia has explored behavior pull outs, which is a method to control and guide positive behaviors in the yoga setting. In a short time, Sophia has witnessed a change in behavior with her student-athletes. As of July 30, 2020, Up2Us Sports has raised 519,000 miles through Miles on a Mission campaigns to support their work in developing students and enriching communities.
By the numbers
Up2Us Sports Miles for Coaches
Up2Us Sports is a nonprofit dedicated to engaging, training and supporting sports coaches to transform youth, programs and communities. They strive to build an environment where everyone feels encouraged to use their unique skills and strengths to help students and communities grow and learn. Miles donated through Miles on a Mission help transport coaches to training programs that allow Up2Us Sports to provide relevant and timely training for coaches. Currently, Up2Us Sports has been preparing and supporting coaches connected with kids in areas of the country that have been strongly affected by COVID-19. They cultivate skills on how to be caring adults that help youth during times of stress and trauma. Up2Us Sports was able to book 20 flights for coaches to attend the National Coach Training Institute (CTI) in Chicago in February 2020 by using miles raised from the Miles on a Mission campaign. Travel is one of their largest expenses for the national training program. Those 20 coaches not only gained access to the training that helped them weather the COVID-19 pandemic, they also received the latest training in distance coaching, giving them the best of both in-person and virtual worlds. "One thing that stood out to me from CTI was our training where we learned about what areas of the brain people use when they are calm and angry. This led to phrases and ways to ask questions to calm kids down. A lot of the kids I coach are competitive and hot-blooded so when things don’t go their way it’s hard to get them mellow headed before this training. Now I know almost exactly what to say to make them laugh and smile when they are upset to help them get mentally back into the game or activity we are doing," said Coach Sawan Douge. Coach Grayson Corbett, a coach at the Baltimore chapter of Harlem Lacrosse, describes the impact CTI has had on her coaching and her ability to promote and encourage informal time with her athletes. During informal time, coaches are able to connect with their student-athletes without the pressures of keeping their sport performance in mind. Coach Grayson traveled from Baltimore to Chicago and explained that informal time helps coaches create a “we culture, rather than an us versus them culture.” Coach Sophia Kerdoon, a coach from Project Peaceful Warriors in New Orleans, Louisiana, explains how she uses yoga to help the youth that she serves. As a coach to predominantly young girl athletes, Sophia credits being able to travel to CTI for helping her learn how to positively handle behavioral issues and channel her athletes' energy into their yoga practice. At CTI, Sophia learned about the positive effects physical activity has on the brain. Sophia has explored behavior pull outs, which is a method to control and guide positive behaviors in the yoga setting. In a short time, Sophia has witnessed a change in behavior with her student-athletes. As of July 30, 2020, Up2Us Sports has raised 519,000 miles through Miles on a Mission campaigns to support their work in developing students and enriching communities.