words

sometimes when i sit down for a day of work, i flip through our feedback forms from kids to get a little pick-me-up, boost of energy, reminder of what this is all about. this morning i came across these words used to describe the program:

FUN!

FUN!!!!!

challenging

da bomb

fun while running

exciting

worthwhile

active

confidence

goals set

loved it

ready for next year

5k!

awesome

makes my heart smile.

tuesday greetings.

a tuesday wish headed your way. for happy runs...

may you let loose and flail your arms.

may you find a treacherous path and give it your all.

and if something should knock you over, may you get back up and find your place of comfort.

finding kind

one of the topics covered in the rsr curriculum is bullying. for boys, for girls, even for coaches. a very hot topic these days, we aim to help kids spot it and stop it. we encourage coaches to share their own personal bullying experience as a kid or adult- an enlightening revelation for the kids.

we think this film looks fantastic. our youth sport agencies could be fantastic screening centers. our youth sport agencies could be trend setters, statement makers!

Steps

We have had a lot of questions lately asking about the steps in getting started. Here is a breakdown:

STEP 1: Purchase Coordinator Manual, available here or by emailing here.

STEP 2: Decide on your program time/location/season. We recommend coordinating your start & end date with an organized 5k run. If you don't have a 5k run, we provide you with the tools to coordinate a Final Run for your kids.

STEP 3: Select coaches and hold a registration for your participants.

STEP 4: Turn in registration form to NAYS. Download and fill it out here or request it by email here.

STEP 5: RUN WITH IT! This 12-week program meets twice a week for 1 1/2 hour sessions to prepare kids for the Final Run (5k) and go through the character-building curriculum.

The greatest thing you can do for your community is bring your own EXCITEMENT. We know how hard our youth sport coordinators work, well not exactly how hard, but we have an idea! Our most successful programs are those run by Coordinators who are psyched about the program themselves. We would love to work with you!

(on another note. i kept titling this post step by step and i couldn't stop singing nkotb while typing it. notice the title has been changed...)

and the list goes on...

in addition to the 2 dozen sites highlighted here, we are THRILLED to welcome the following agencies into the Ready, Set, Run club:

Storm Lake Community Education - Iowa

West Valley City Family Fitness Center - Utah

Glynn County Recreation & Parks Dept - Georgia

Mesa Parks and Recreation - Arizona

NSA Panama City Child and Youth Programs - Florida

Palm Beach Gardens Recreation - Florida

35 South Youth Sports Network - Texas

USAG Hohenfels CYSS Youth Sports & Fitness - Germany

Poquoson Parks & Recreation - Virginia

Jefferson City Parks & Recreation - Missouri

Bellevue Recreation Department - Ohio

Sugarloaf UMC - Georgia

City of Fort Lauderdale Parks & Recreation - Florida

City of Miramar - Florida

this bring us into 38 agencies in 16 different states and 4 different countries. makes this director down-right giddy. let's get more kids RUNNING and goal-setting!!!

media blitz

we are in the midst of blitzing the media with stories about our worldwide launch sites that will be kicking off this fall & next spring. fun stuff.

if you are one of our launch sites and you haven't communicated your launch date, please email me at readysetrun@nays.org. if you are not yet signed up and you want to get in on this exciting program, email me too. i love me some new launch sites.

one of the many benefits of working with a global organization like NAYS, is utilizing our awesome resources. we have a stellar communications department that specializes in creating BUZZZZ. we also have a logistical team who will answer any question you may have. (ok, most questions you may have.) so take advantage. our goal is to work TOGETHER to get the kids in your community running & goal-setting. you do the leg work, we help support your legs.

Grant Opportunity for school sites. RSR would be PERFECT for this!

Win $50,000 in Clorox’s Power A Bright Future school grant program

View All News Stories Parents, teachers and administrators across the country can nominate their school for a chance to win a grand prize grant worth $50,000 or one of four grants worth $25,000 through the Clorox Company’s third annual Power A Bright Future program. Power A Bright Future celebrates all activities, from academic to extracurricular. Clorox seeks nominations to help provide resources to school programs that give kids the opportunity to grow and develop. The four categories – Play, Create, Explore and a Judge’s Choice – all focus on different aspects of educational experiences. These grants will be awarded to help fund important programs in schools that are vital for educational development. Click HERE to enter the contest or to obtain additional information. Nominations will be accepted until Oct. 17. Voting will take place Oct. 24 to Dec. 9 and winners will be announced in January of next year. To view a video highlighting last year’s winners click HERE.

Posted:8/31/2011