In the Community
As the community outreach of the AIA, a significant goal of the Academy is to work with community agencies with common goals and objectives. As such, we are very proud of the partnerships that have been developed throughout the state of Arizona. Current and ongoing community activities are described below:
Please view our calendar for upcoming opportunities in our community!
Suns & Mercury Coaches Clinic
Wednesday August 20, 2008
6-8pm
Fouth Annual Steps to a Healthy Future: Celebrating Girls In Sport Symposium held at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix on March 27th, 2008
The fourth annual AIA Academy’s Steps to a Healthy Future: Celebrating Girls in Sport Symposium was held on March 27th, 2008. Each year the symposium includes presentations from world-class athletes, sports scientists, and leaders from the community on a wide variety of topics related to the female sport experience. This one day celebration of high school female athletics is dedicated to providing female high school student athletes with information about the issues that matter to them and to encourage them to continue their involvement and commitment to leading a healthy, active and addiction-free lifestyle. In the past four years, approximately 2000 student-athletes and their coaches from across Arizona have attended the event. This past year’s symposium took place at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix.
 Since the passing of Title IX in 1972, female participation in high school sports has increased by over 800%. Although the increase in participation numbers is encouraging, female participation in interscholastic sports is still significantly less than that of males. This fact is particularly worrisome given research that has shown that sport and physical activity participation contribute positively to female health and well-being. Click here to find out more about the AIA Academy’s Girls in Sport Symposium dedicated to providing female high school student athletes with information about the issues that matter to THEM.
Community-based Sport Education Best Practice Model
In partnership with community organizations, we are 
developing a comprehensive, integrated coach and
parent youth sport program. The large number of
participants makes youth sport one of the most
popular activities children engage in today and a vehicle through which it may be possible to deliver a wide range of physical, health, social, and life-skills. Eighty five percent of these children, however,
dropout of youth sport after the age of 12. Although this may represent a normal part of growing up for many children, research has shown that the main reasons for this decision are related to poor coaching. Specifically, children list (a) an over emphasis on winning, (b) not being able to be with friends, and (c) too much competition as the main reasons for the decision to dropout (Seefeldt et. al, 1992). Given the wonderful possibility to teach valuable life-skills through sport, understanding and enhancing a child’s experience in this context is imperative if we are to establish healthy and physically active individuals. Click here for more information about our Coach Education and Parent Education programming.
Internship Opportunities
The AIA Academy internship program provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain experience related to the implementation of parent and coach education programming and healthy lifestyle projects in a statewide non-profit organization. Click here for more information about the AIA Academy internship program.
Healthy Communities Best Practice Model
Although there are many settings where a healthy lifestyle can be and sometimes is promoted, growing concerns over the inactivity and obesity of America’s youth have led some researchers and public health agencies to target after-school programming as an important infrastructure for the promotion of healthy lifestyle patterns during childhood and adolescence. Recognizing this, the AIA Academy has developed a program focused upon increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy nutrition education. With two years of program development, the AIA Academy has expertise in replicable best practice programs for health promotion that can be utilized in schools, after-school programs, and at home.
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