Soccer Smoking & Prevention
Prevent Smoking Among Soccer Players
| How to Strengthen the Program After assessing two years of evaluation results, the evaluators offered many recommendations for improving the program. For example, they advised the health department to expand the program by adding additional sites so that more students can be exposed to the messages and resources. The evaluators also recommended that the program begin early in the fall for two reasons: the schools could order equipment and supplies sooner, and the students could benefit from a yearlong program. Evaluation of Indianapolis Colts Star's School Visits Indiana State Department of Health Indianapolis, Indiana (317) 233-7299 The health department teamed up with Project American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST) and the American Cancer Society in a statewide anti-tobacco campaign that had two mass media components: Anti-tobacco messages were broadcast during all Colts home games, reaching an estimated 251,800 listeners, and a Colts player delivered anti-tobacco messages to 1,675 students in six middle schools in Indiana. Colts radio network brokered the intervention, which cost $83,000. To evaluate the effects of the Colts player's visits to the school, a test- developed by an Indiana University School of Nursing professor-was given one week before the presentation to students, immediately after the presentation, and again three months later. Results showed that a one-time presentation was not sufficient in bringing about a measurable change in the children's attitudes and behaviors. However, the evaluation also revealed that it might be useful to have an antitobacco message delivered by a professional athlete to counterbalance tobacco advertising associated with sporting events, and such a presentation is likely to increase children's motivation for, and receptivity to, other anti-tobacco messages. (See Survey, page 40.) 36 The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook Florida teachers were asked to complete this information sheet as part of an evaluation of the American Heart Association Youth Fitness and Tobacco Education/Prevention Program. The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook 37 Florida middle school students filled out this questionnaire to evaluate the effectiveness of the American Heart Association Youth Fitness and Tobacco Education/Prevention Program. 38 The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook 39 This survey helped evaluate the effectiveness of visits by an Indianapolis Colts football player to middle schools as part of a statewide anti-tobacco campaign. 40 The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook Ma t e rials T h a t Sc or e "Every opportunity that our 'step team' students had to be positive role models for students at the adjacent elementary school, it just enhanced their self-esteem. They wore their SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) shirts and dog tags with pride. Not only did these students benefit, but several thousand people saw this awesome group of students stand up against tobacco." -Mary Chris Peterika Teacher Sligh Middle School Hillsborough County, Tampa, Florida "It was amazingly great to see how teenagers and younger children worked together during the kick-off event for SWAT. The older students served as role models to the younger ones. It was also great to observe the enthusiasm of the students manning the health education/anti-tobacco booths, as well as their sense of pride when playing and working out on the fitness equipment. A student artist drew the SWAT logo in the wet cement, as a symbol for other students to remember that it was their leadership and initiative that made this wish come true. I am pleased to be part of this effort." -Ercilia Rodríguez Westhoff Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Hillsborough Count y Health D epar tment, Tampa, Florida |
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| Soccer Goalies Improve Overnight |
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| Total Soccer Fitness |
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