PHIT America shared insights from eight successful and accomplished professional athletes, including Herschel Walker, Stan Smith and Gary Player, about the benefits of local recreational sports programs and P.E. classes.

 

The goal of the campaign is to help all Americans incorporate sport, fitness and physical activity into their daily lives. A sample of insights from each of the athletes follows:


 


  • Learning Self Discipline – Herschel Walker, Heisman Trophy Winner & NFL All Pro:  “Achieving joint success in the classroom and in competitive athletics requires self discipline.  The benefits of playing sports are priceless.  Besides keeping me fit and healthy, playing sports has also been the gateway to my success in business.  It has ‘opened doors’ for me.”

  • Sports Are Fun – Tamika Catchings, WNBA 7-Time All-Star:
    “Playing sports and being physically fit will make an impact in the lives of all Americans.  Team sports have been such a huge part of my life.  To even think about not being involved in either a team sport or an individual sport is difficult to imagine.  P.E. was always one of my favorite classes, next to math, in school.  I can’t even think about what I would be doing right now if I wasn’t involved in a sport of some kind!”

  • Getting Fit….Staying Healthy – Stan Smith, Wimbledon and U.S. Open Tennis Champ: “I am particularly concerned about obesity and its effect on young people.  If we can break that chain, then we can make some progress on this health issue.  Promoting fitness and encouraging people to play sports especially lifetime activities like tennis, will collectively help do just that.”

  • Hard Work Is a Key To Success – Michele Smith, Olympic Gold Medal Winning Pitcher: “In sports, you learn that success as an individual and as a team comes from dedication and hard work.  That’s a message which our children can learn from playing sports.  Americans must get young people playing sports and that starts with P.E. in our schools.  For me, the foundation of my success in life can be attributed to being active and playing sports.”

  • Activity Supports Academics – Gary Player, World Golf Hall of Famer: “We’ve got to get the schools to bring in physical training – in fact, double it into schools.  If you do physical training and play sports, your grades will be better.  It’s a proven fact.  And you will live longer.”

  • P.E. Is Roots of Activity – Steve Smith, NFL Pro Bowl Wide Receiver: “I think P.E. in schools is very important for our children, especially for impoverished children who don’t have access to local recreational sports programs,” said NFL wide receiver Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers).

  • Teamwork For Life Experience – Mike & Bob Bryan, World’s #1 Tennis Doubles Team: “Whether it is tennis doubles or playing with teammates in other sports, sports teaches you how to work with others in competition.  This is valuable experience preparing a child for all aspects of working together with others throughout their life.”



“At PHITAmerica.org, we have the resources to direct consumers to athletic opportunities in their cities and towns,” said Jim Baugh, founder of PHIT America.  “Just check out our PARTICIPATE section of our website.  You will see programs for more than 50 different sports or activities in your local community.  PHIT America is also supporting key legislation to increase activity and sport in our communities.  Just click ADVOCATE on our website to learn how you can help.”

In August, PHIT America launched a new grassroots program, the Mayors Fitness Challenge, a program for cities and mayors to implement a fun, 10-week fitness program.

In late August, PHIT America also announced that sports and fitness celebrities have joined the PHIT America Alliance. You can see the current celebrities who are committed to a fit & healthy America on this Celebrity web page.

PHIT America — an educational, advocacy and social media marketing campaign — is designed to reach millions of Americans and create a Movement for a Fit and Healthy America. PHIT America will combat the obesity and sedentary activity crisis — which is having an adverse effect on health care costs in the U.S. — by promoting new legislation and grassroots programs that will help get Americans more active, playing more sports, getting fit and becoming healthier.

PHIT America is a not-for-profit corporation launched January of 2013.  For more information about PHIT America, visit www.PHITAmerica.org.