Second year kick-off for USADA and Discovery partnership

The USADA True Sport Awards program encourages teachers, coaches, school administrators, and other youth program leaders to motivate young people to lead safe and healthy lifestyles, free from performance-enhancing drugs, using the life lessons learned through sport as its platform. The program provides a powerful opportunity for educators and community leaders to win local program funding, support and prizes for their efforts to influence positive beliefs and behaviors in their communities. In year one of the program, which was awarded the 2010 Mom’s Choice Award® for online family-friendly resources, more than 600 educators across the country participated, and 50 winners from 19 states were awarded prizes. “With my participation in the USADA True Sport Awards program, I have a special feeling of helping our youth reach goals today for great success in the future,” commented Damon Jones of Seacoast Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Fla., one of the winners of last year’s USADA True Sports Awards. “This award has helped me show my student-athletes that ‘100% Me’ is the way to go. Shortcuts lead to short success.” In addition to the USADA True Sport Awards, USADA and Discovery Education are partnering again to offer free curricula for both middle-school and high-school students that help educators and community leaders impart the critical life lessons that contribute to the development of ethical and healthy individuals. These curricula are tied to national education standards, are implemented easily into classroom or other youth group educational settings, offer self-assessment tools, teachers’ guides and student activity materials, and are available at www.usada.org/outreach/, and at http://usadatruesport.discoveryeducation.com/. Those who teach, coach and/or influence youth groups in the middle school age range are encouraged to integrate USADA’s 100% Me curriculum, which focuses on ethics and decision-making themes for student and athletic programs, into their classroom and/or other instructional activities. With these materials, educators can promote values-based decision-making, find facts on nutrition and dietary supplements, and help students make the connection between body type and body image. USADA’s That’s Dope curriculum supports those who teach, coach and mentor youth in the high school age range in teaching important ethics and anti-doping lessons. With this powerful resource, educators, coaches, and others can teach students how to maximize energy and athletic performance safely and ethically, and get “the dope” about various products and substances from dietary supplements and energy drinks to anabolic steroids.