Ethan Austin:  Tell us a little bit about Up2Us

Mark MacDonald: Up2Us is a coalition of around 400 youth-based organizations serving the underserved community.  Our goal is youth development through sports. By getting kids involved in sports, we are fighting childhood obesity, keeping students off the streets and out of gangs, and increasing high school graduation rates.

EA: Tell us a little bit more about the Coach Across America Program

MM: Coach Across America is our flagship program that places recent high school and college graduates into coaching programs in underserved communities.  It’s designed for students who want to take a year to volunteer after high school or college. We recently received a grant from the Corporation of National Community Service to launch the initiative and we’re pretty excited about it.

EA: How big is the program and how can people apply?

MM: Our pilot program will have slots for 100 volunteer coaches to volunteer on a quarter, half or full time basis through Americorps.  Coaches will receive a stipend based on their level of participation.  To apply, people can visit  www.up2us.org/cfaexperience

EA: So, you said earlier that a large focus of your organization is fighting childhood obesity?

MM: Yeah, that is one of the main goals of the program. The funny thing is growing up, I played sports and I was always fit.  But I had never put it together that the reason I was fit was because I played sports.

EA: Giving your focus on fighting childhood obesity, what are your thoughts on Michelle Obama’s recent announcement of the Let’s Move initiative, which teaches kids about nutrition and being more active. 

MM: I’m very excited by it.  I actually played for Michelle’s brother, Craig Robinson, at Brown my junior and senior year, and he was one of reasons I decided to get involved with youth sports.  Coach Robinson used to tell us to come to practice everyday and create a body of work that we could be proud of – and then to carry that through everything we did each day.

EA: What kind of ways can sports be used for good?

MM: Growing up, it was just my dad and me.  Sports made me feel as though I was part of a team – part of a bigger family and community larger than myself. Sports always gave me a place to go clear my mind – to grow as an individual. I had always had a great respect for sports but it wasn’t until college that I understood how powerful a tool sports can be.  I got into Brown because of sports.  Some of my teammates were from underserved communities, getting an education because of sports.  Used the right way, people can use sports to achieve things they never thought they could.

EA:  So what’s next for Up2Us? 

Right now we’re really focused on growing our Coach Across America program.  We want to reach as many kids as possible.  Our goal is to give every child the opportunity to be part of a quality sports program.

EA:  Cool.  Thanks for the interview!