NBA COACHES
ASSOCIATION, TEAM GMs, NBA ATHLETIC TRAINERS ASSOCIATION, NBA AND
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA ANNOUNCE “COACHES FOR KIDS” INITIATIVE
More than 30,000 Boys & Girls Clubs members to attend NBA games in
2008-09 season
Dallas – Oct. 20, 2008 – The National
Basketball Coaches Association, team general managers, the NBA Athletic
Trainers Association, the National Basketball Association and Boys & Girls
Clubs of America today announced the launch of the Coaches for Kids program.
The program will provide thousands of children from Boys & Girls Clubs the
chance to see NBA games in each of the league’s 29 markets as well as the
opportunity to meet with and learn from the league’s coaches, GMs and
athletic trainers.
Beginning with the 2008-09 season, NBA coaches, assistant coaches, GMs and
athletic trainers will contribute through the Coaches for Kids program to
Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which will enable the organization to provide
tickets to NBA games for more than 30,000 children. Children attending as
part of the program will also have the opportunity to meet with the members
of the team’s basketball staff and learn the fundamentals of the game, the
values of sportsmanship and teamwork, and the benefits of a healthy
lifestyle.
“This program allows the coaches, GMs and athletic trainers to grow the game
of basketball and give back to our communities as a group,” said Dallas
Mavericks Head Coach Rick Carlisle, who is president of the Coaches
Association. “The Coaches Association, under the guidance of executive
director Michael Goldberg, wants to share the experience of the game and
educate young people about the numerous opportunities available to them in
the sports industry.”
As part of the program, the Coaches Association has announced that over the
next 15 years their membership will contribute $15 million for Boys & Girls
Clubs of America through contributions and other fund-raising activities
that will support the Coaches for Kids program.
"Boys & Girls Clubs of America is excited about partnering with the NBA
Coaches Association," said Frank Sanchez, vice president, Corporate &
Partner Relationships, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "The coaches, GMs,
assistant coaches and athletic trainers’ commitment to providing Club kids
with a rare experience - including great seats, instruction and access -
builds upon our long standing relationship with the NBA and will help to
shape the lives of Club members."
“Many of our coaches, and players belonged to Boys & Girls Clubs while
growing up,” said Kathy Behrens, senior vice president, NBA Community &
Player Programs. “This program highlights not only the great respect and
affection we have for the Clubs, but also underscores the commitment that
our general managers, coaches and athletic trainers have to giving back to
the community and to the goals of NBA Cares.”
About the NBA Coaches Association:
Founded in 1976, the NBA Coaches
Association consists of all Head and Assistant Coaches plus alumni
(approximately 250 members). The organization works closely with the NBA on
all matters that pertain to the coaching profession. NBA Coaches for Kids is
an initiative of the Association geared to “give back” to the great game of
NBA Basketball.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of America:
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has
been changing and saving young lives, providing hope and opportunity for
kids who need them most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.8 million
young people through Club membership and community outreach. Known as The
Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found all across the
country and on U.S. military bases throughout the world. Clubs provide young
people 6 to18 years old with guidance-oriented character development
programs conducted by trained, professional staff. In communities large and
small, Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full
potential as productive, caring citizens. Key Boys & Girls Club programs
emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration;
community service; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts;
sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris
Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their life. National
headquarters are located in Atlanta.
About NBA Cares:
NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on
the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United
States and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its
teams and players have donated more than $91 million to charity, completed
approximately 700,000 hours of community service and created more than 330
places where kids and families can live, learn and play. NBA Cares works
with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support
education, youth and family development, and health-related causes,
including the American Red Cross, UNICEF, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and
the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
# # #
« Return to Press Releases
