Young people are a key target of the Active RVA movement, so we’ve created Kids Run RVA – the umbrella program for all of Sports Backers youth running programs designed to promote a physically active lifestyle to youth in the Richmond region. We offer a host of programs and events targeted towards Richmond’s youth:
- Sports Backers Kids Challenge: an incentive-based youth running program for elementary school-aged students.
- 10k Healthy School Challenge: Competition that rallies middle and high school-aged students to run for school spirit. The schools with the highest percentage of students participating in the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k win a cash prize.
- Running in Schools: If you are a teacher or school administrator and would like more information on how to get a running/walking program started at your school, please contact our Youth Programs Coordinators Cheryl Oliver or Faith Hecht.
- Events:
Our newest running and walking initiative strives to reach Richmond’s underserved populations with programming before and after school. By increasing access to underserved children in low-income elementary schools, we can support their healthy growth and reverse the childhood obesity epidemic that plagues poor neighborhoods in greater percentages.
A primary focus area of the Sports Backers is to get more kids moving more often. Physical inactivity--a habit often established during youth--is directly associated with increases in high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Programs aimed at improving physical activity levels with youth can have a long-term impact on young people's health and well-being. Together, all of our programs will instill a consistent habit of physical activity that will continue to flourish into adolescence and adulthood.
