Soccer Smoking & Prevention
Prevent Smoking Among Soccer Players
| Celebrity Hockey, Baseball, Softball, and Soccer Stars Nebraska Buffalo County Tobacco-Free Coalition and Buffalo County Community Health Partners Division of Health Promotion and Education Nebraska Health and Human Services System Lincoln, Nebraska (402) 471-2101 Tri-City Storm players have joined the tobacco-free bandwagon in a big way. The players appear in a poster that proclaims "Hockey, Yes! Tobacco, No!" They distribute the posters at schools and special events. The Nebraska Buffalo County Tobacco-Free Coalition also has sponsored a Storm game and produced public service announcements, radio ads, and billboards. In addition, the coalition bought the rights to place its name and the "You Smoke, I Choke" slogan on 50,000 popcorn bags sold at the Storm games. In rural areas of Nebraska, high school athletes and coaches are the stars of tobacco-free activities. They wear T-shirts with an anti-tobacco message and make on-the-field presentations to Little League Baseball teams, girls' softball teams, and boys' and girls' soccer teams about the dangers of using tobacco. Their presentations have attracted positive media coverage by TV and radio stations as well as newspapers. The program has been so successful that three other rural Nebraska communities have replicated it. The coalition is now striving to improve tobacco-free policies for teams, coaches, and spectators so that tobacco use is banned during practice and play. Players on the Tri-City Storm Hockey Team are role models for kids in this anti-smoking poster, displayed at schools and special events throughout Buffalo County, Nebraska. Spokane Tobacco Free Kids Spokane Regional Health District Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Spokane, Washington (509) 324-1452 Athletes from the Spokane Youth Sports Association have teamed up with Spokane Tobacco Free Kids and the Spokane Shadow soccer team. Youth participate in an annual tobacco-free event supported by the soccer players and community organizations. The Spokane Shadow and Spokane Tobacco Free Kids also sponsor an annual Tobacco Free Day event where all game participants receive incentives to be tobacco-free. At half time, participants enjoy a tobacco-free skit in which the Spokane Shadow mascot and Ciggy Butts engage in a soccer shoot out. A Shadow player then talks with kids about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. This event includes children from area middle schools as part of their tobacco education and career education days. The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook 15 "If someone tells you that you cannot do something, that is a better reason to try and work harder and prove them wrong. Bo also said that you should not do drugs or smoke. If you do, nobody would like to be around you because your teeth will be yellow and your breath will smell. If you do those things then you will die quicker than normal." -Anne, 7th Grade "If you smoke, it will shorten your life span by almost seven years. Plus, if you want to be a professional in any sport, you are going to have to breathe with no troubles. Bo said that you can do what you want as long as you put your mind to it and never stop until you make your goal or become good at what you are trying to do." -Robbie, 7th Grade "It is important to not do drugs or use tobacco because it ruins your life and your family would be so disappointed and never trust you again. Anyways, it destroys your athletic abilities. I love soccer, but I love skateboarding more. I want to try lacrosse. I love sports, so I'm going to stay away from drugs." -Josh, 7th Grade "I want to be an actress when I grow up and star in movies. Some people have told me I can't act. Others have told me I can. I have learned to let the bad comments pass but let the good and encouraging stay in my heart. Bo's speech gave me a boost of confidence. I will reach my dream. Thank you, Bo." -Hailee, 7th Grade Vermont Voltage Tobacco Free Kids 16 The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook Tobacco Free Kids Vermont Voltage Soccer Team Enosburg Falls, Vermont (802) 527-2499 Schoolchildren in Vermont and New York are being inspired in many ways by Bo Vuckovic, owner of the Vermont Voltage professional soccer team. Since the team launched its Tobacco Free Kids program, Vermont Voltage players have visited more than 40 schools throughout the state and some schools in upstate New York. They talk with children about the importance of being tobacco-free, eating healthy foods, taking care of their health, doing their homework, being a team player, setting goals, following their dreams, and many other important subjects. Each child is encouraged to write an essay about being tobacco-free, and those who write the best essays receive Voltage season passes. Team members also are proud that all of their Voltage game jerseys have a Tobacco Free patch on the sleeves. Because all Voltage games are televised, the patch gets wide exposure. In addition, the Vermont Voltage soccer team runs a soccer camp during the summer, and every child attending the camp receives a camp T-shirt with the Tobacco Free logo. For more information, check out the Vermont Voltage's Internet page at www.vermontvoltage.com. Trajan Langdon Radio Ad Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Juneau, Alaska (907) 465-2780 Skiing and dog mushing aren't the only sports popular in this state, where short days and cold weather limit most people's outdoor activities. Basketball is big here, and so is an anti-tobacco radio ad featuring basketball hero Trajan Langdon, who was a standout player at Duke University and also a star of his high school basketball team in Alaska. In the radio spot, Langdon emphasizes how being an athlete and using any form of tobacco are totally incompatible. Schoolchildren in the Tobacco Free Kids program are inspired by healthy role models on the Vermont Voltage soccer team. |
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