The California Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being is teaming up with the Susan Crown Exchange’s Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) to launch 25x25: The California Coaches Challenge. This initiative aims to train 25,000 coaches in positive youth coaching across California by the end of 2025.
Physical activity and sports participation rates are declining nationally, and California is no exception. Today many children in California are not meeting daily physical activity recommendations, and only half of California’s youth participate in sports. With around 70 percent of children discontinuing organized sports before reaching high school, the 25x25 California Coaches Challenge aims to create a more positive and inclusive sports and fitness culture that keeps youth engaged in sport and helps them develop the skills needed to thrive.
Through the Council’s Move Your Body, Calm Your Mind campaign, MCC partners Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) and the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport (CHJS) will spearhead a statewide effort to instill the principles of positive youth development, social-emotional learning, healing-centered practices, and culturally responsive coaching in youth coaches. Coaches will learn a range of youth-centered strategies, including creating safe spaces for all young people, fostering a sense of belonging, and coaching with empathy. The American Institutes for Research (AIR), who leads the multiyear implementation study of the MCC, will provide research support for the 25x25 California Coaches Challenge.
Coaches and organizations interested in joining the 25x25 California Coaches Challenge can learn more or sign up for training by visiting https://moveyourbodycalmyourmind.org/ or emailing Info.AdvisoryCouncil@cdph.ca.gov. Trainings will be available both in-person and virtually. Organizations will be able to schedule specific training sessions for their coaches or join publicly available options. CHJS will host a public virtual training focused on healing-centered sport on Nov. 12, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
A self-paced online option is also available for the public through Positive Coaching Alliance. Both opportunities will be available at no cost.
To learn more about the Million Coaches Challenge visit millioncoaches.org.
