ESPN presents ‘Youth Sports Week’ as part of Take Back Sports initiative

The NY Pulse
4 days ago
4 min read

Nearly one million youth reached in first year as ESPN expands access from April 13 - May 1, with increased storytelling and community impact across ESPN platforms

“Youth Sports Week”, a three-week initiative from April 13 – May 1 is dedicated to celebrating the positive impact of youth sports on young athletes, families and communities. As part of ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative, powered by Disney, the effort will spotlight the people, programs and organizations working to ensure sports remain accessible, positive and impactful for the next generation.

“Sports have the power to shape confidence, character and community at an early age, but with only 38% of kids playing sports on a regular basis, ESPN recognizes the critical need to build systems that make those opportunities accessible to more young athletes,” said Kevin Martinez, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, ESPN. “Through Take Back Sports and ‘Youth Sports Week’, we’re working alongside partners and communities to ensure youth sports remain a positive and meaningful experience for families across the country.”

Throughout the initiative, ESPN will present content and storytelling across ESPN platforms, including SportsCenter, ESPN Digital, the ESPN App and ESPN social platforms, amplifying voices across the youth sports landscape while driving awareness around the importance of participation, coaching and community engagement.

Take Back Sports Impact Report

In its first year, Take Back Sports has reached nearly one million individuals nationwide, including 935,000 youth reached through grants, 125,000 supported through sports-based mental wellness programs and 96,000 provided access to multisport play. The initiative has also trained 67,000 coaches and strengthened 2,300 recreational leagues nationwide.

Additional details can be found in the Take Back Sports Report.

Take Back Sports Ambassadors

As part of Youth Sports Week, ESPN will expand its Take Back Sports ambassador roster, a growing group of athletes and voices—Stephen Curry, Peyton and Eli Manning, A’ja Wilson, Lamar Jackson and Francisco Lindor, among others—committed to improving the youth sports experience, beginning with newly announced athlete ambassadors:

Cody Rhodes, WWE Superstar
Aaron Donald, NFL Legend and Super Bowl Champion
J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons Cornerback
Kerri Walsh Jennings, American beach volleyball player and three-time Olympic gold medalist

JesserCo and Bucketsquad Founder, Jesser, will also join the initiative as its first Creator Ambassador, expanding the program’s reach to new audiences through digital storytelling.

Additional details on the full ambassador lineup can be found here.

YMCA Community Partnership

ESPN is deepening its commitment to community-based programming through a collaboration with the YMCA of the USA. Select YMCA locations in eight markets across the United States will host multisport sampling events designed to encourage participation and introduce young athletes and their families to a variety of sports experiences.

Additional partnerships and activations, including youth-focused programming with the NFL, will be featured throughout the initiative.

Public Service Campaign

In partnership with Good Karma Brands, multiple Take Back Sports PSAs will air across ESPN platforms throughout Youth Sports Week, featuring athletes Peyton and Eli Manning and Stephen Curry, as well as ESPN host Scott Van Pelt. The PSAs reinforce the importance of ensuring youth sports remain positive, accessible and impactful for young athletes nationwide.

Digital Resources

ESPN has also introduced a youth sports parenting quiz designed to help families identify their parenting style and provide actionable guidance to support a more positive and effective youth sports experience.

Expanded tools from the Positive Coaching Alliance will be available on TakeBackSports.org for parents, coaches and communities, including Spanish-language resources launching during Youth Sports Week. The Spanish version of the website, TakeBackSports.org/es, will further the reach and impact of the Take Back Sports initiative. The website also will provide Spanish speaking parents and coaches with access to information, videos, a sports parent quick quiz and Spanish resources, including Five Tips for Sports Parents (“Cinco Consejos Para Padres Deportivos”) to help bring more joy, and less pressure, to youth sports communities everywhere.

Content and Programming

Throughout Youth Sports Week, ESPN will present dedicated content across ESPN platforms, including SportsCenter features and interviews, ESPN Radio coverage and additional storytelling initiatives to be announced.

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About ESPN Corporate Citizenship: ESPN believes that, at its very best, sports uplift the human spirit. Its corporate citizenship programs use the power of sport to positively address society’s needs through strategic community investments, cause marketing programs, collaboration with sports organizations and employee volunteerism, while also utilizing its diverse media assets. For more information go to www.espn.com/citizenship.

About Take Back Sports: Take Back Sports is a youth sports initiative led by ESPN and powered by Disney, designed to get and keep kids playing sports. With only 38% of kids playing sports on a regular basis, ESPN and The Walt Disney Company are helping parents, coaches and caring adults take back sports and make it fun again. Together with its league, business and community partners, Take Back Sports is working to make the youth sports system more accessible so that kids across the country have the opportunity to play sports.