Learning Objectives: Describe the importance of working with a team of statewide organizations to promote tobacco-free lifestyles with professional athletes/teams. Understand how to work with youth recreation groups on a statewide and local level to promote tobacco-free messages and policies. Describe a model tobacco policy for youth sports and recreation organizations.
Abstract: The Minnesota Department of Health's SmokeFree Soccer Initiative is funded through CDC's Tobacco-Free Sports Initiative to build relationships with organizations and promote tobacco-free messages and policies. Our Initiative includes statewide and local organizations including representatives from Minnesota Youth Soccer Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners, Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation, the Minnesota Thunder, the American Lung Association of Minnesota, and Dakota County Public Health Department. By collaborating, we have reached thousands of youth participating in sports such as soccer, hockey, football, and basketball as well as parents with tobacco-free messages.
Our presentation will address our efforts in working with the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) to promote their tobacco-free policy and increase awareness of tobacco-free lifestyles. MYSA's policy covers over 84,000 players, coaches, administrators, referees, and spectators. It is a model for other recreation groups.
Our panel will emphasize efforts in promoting tobacco-free messages and policies at the state and local level. We will address the importance of working with youth recreation groups and professional sports teams.
Presentation highlights include: ·How Minnesota teamed up to promote Tobacco-Free Sports for World No Tobacco Day. ·Promoting tobacco-free messages and policies with youth recreation groups. ·Components of a successful policy, including a checklist on how to pass a local park policy. ·Tobacco-free messages promoted at Schwan's USA Cup, the largest youth soccer tournament in the world. ·Efforts of a local health department working with MYSA clubs. ·Ways to reach youth through working with professional sports teams.
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