Can a new Heisman program empower the next generation of youth sports?

Yahoo Sports3h ago11 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

The Heisman and Aspen Institute are launching a new initiative to empower high school team captains as civic leaders. The Captains Leadership Academy will focus on training athletes to tackle challenges like access to youth sports and mental health.

Key points

Heisman and Aspen Institute are collaborating on a new initiative
The initiative aims to empower high school team captains
Captains Leadership Academy will focus on civic leadership
Training will address youth sports access and mental health
Vincent Minjares emphasizes the societal impact of youth sports

Mentioned in this story

HeismanAspen Institute

BOSTON — The value of a captain to a team, just like the value of sports in one’s life, can be understated and overlooked.

Heisman and the Aspen Institute are combining forces in an effort to exemplify the virtues of both across high school athletics.

A new national initiative, to be announced Tuesday May 5, aims to develop high school team captains into civic leaders "capable of driving change" in their teams, schools and communities, according to a release shared with USA TODAY Sports before the official announcement.

The Aspen Institute Captains Leadership Academy will provide athlete-leaders with training, mentorship and tools to "address real-world challenges — from access to youth sports to mental health and community well-being."

“The academy speaks directly to the potential impact of youth sports participation on American society,” says Vincent Minjares, program Manager of the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program. “Improving the leadership ability of sports captains strengthens the quality of the sports experience of themselves and their teammates, while also facilitating the transfer of sports-based leadership development (of) future careers and community impact.”

While Aspen’s Project Play, which is known for studying sports participation in communities and initiating solutions to the barriers to access to it, will provide the programming with support from Heisman.

Heisman, through the Heisman Foundation, will serve as founding partner through the largest single grant in its history supporting youth development through sports and education, according to the release.

A number of Heisman Trophy winners, including Tim Brown and Charlie Ward, have expressed interest in participating in the program, according to Jeff Price, Heisman’s CEO.

“We're here to support, to help build it and to make sure that we have access to the winners,” Price tells USA TODAY Sports. “We want this to be something that isn’t (going) through the motions and you walk away with a certificate. This should be a real leadership development cohort that gets built.”

Here’s an explainer about the initiative, and what it might mean for you and your family:

Q&A

What is the Heisman and Aspen Institute's new initiative for youth sports?

The initiative is the Captains Leadership Academy, designed to develop high school team captains into civic leaders.

How will the Captains Leadership Academy support athlete-leaders?

The academy will provide training, mentorship, and tools to help athlete-leaders address challenges such as access to youth sports and mental health.

When was the Captains Leadership Academy announced?

The Captains Leadership Academy was set to be announced on Tuesday, May 5.

What impact does the Aspen Institute believe youth sports participation has on society?

The Aspen Institute believes that improving the leadership abilities of sports captains can enhance the quality of sports experiences and facilitate community impact.