Soccer Smoking & Prevention
Prevent Smoking Among Soccer Players
| A Healthier You 2002T program is Olympic gold medalist Johann Koss. motivating Utah residents not only to He became involved with Olympic stop using tobacco but also to get reg- Aid in 1993 when he visited ular physical activity, eat less fat and the African country of more fruits and vegetables, drink little Eritrea and was profound- or no alcohol, wear seat belts and hel ly moved by the plight of mets, and get all recommended the children. Olympic screenings and immunizations. To Aid programs empha nudge people along this healthier size the importance path, doctors in Utah will be giving of healthy individu their patients written prescriptions for als and the pre- regular physical activity, good nutri vention of tion, and other healthy behaviors. (See disease. 2002 Olympic Salt Lake City tobacco- free policy, page xv; Rx for Improved Health, page xvi.) Another supporter of initiatives for tobacco-free environments is Olympic Aid, a humanitarian organization that provides relief to children in war-torn countries and supports every child's right to play. Olympic Aid recognizes that play, including sport, provides many benefits to children and is essen tial to their healthy physical, social, and emotional development. The organization is driven by athletes such as its current chairman, four-time Left: Olympic gold medalist Johann Koss's achievements on ice have been eclipsed by his efforts on behalf of Olympic Aid, a humanitarian organization that provides relief to children in war-torn countries and supports every child's right to play. Olympic Aid emphasizes the importance of healthy individuals and disease prevention and stands behind efforts to promote tobacco-free environments. Photo courtesy of Olympic Aid. Below: Stacy Dragila, gold medalist and world record holder in women's pole vaulting, encourages kids not to use tobacco. She spoke out against secondhand smoke at a WHO press conference during the Sydney Olympic Games. Photo by Victah Sailer. Extreme Sports and Beyond The tobacco-free movement is gaining support in other sporting arenas beyond baseball, football, and soccer. For instance, athletes have spoken out against tobacco and drug use at the ESPN Winter X Games, which in 2001 alone attracted more than 83,000 spectators to Mount Snow, Vermont. (See Vermont program, page 27.) Pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, who started the extreme sports movement, has turned away big-money offers from tobacco companies. He'd rather use his celebrity status to teach kids about the dangers of using tobacco. In other sports, NSTEP and the CDC are promoting their anti-tobacco messages to rodeo, motor sports, and horse racing professionals and fans. Snowboarder Rosey Fletcher is a four-time US national champion and World Cup winner. Photo by Donald Miralle/Allsport. Celebrity drivers such as Steve Knight of KnightHawk Racing are helping kids steer clear of spit tobacco. The National Spit Tobacco Education Program (NSTEP), with CDC support, sponsors KnightHawk Racing's efforts to educate kids and adults about the harms of using spit tobacco. KnightHawk Racing is the leading team contesting the American Le Mans Championship Series in the LMP 675 class. Photo courtesy of KnightHawk Racing. The Tobacco-Free Sports Playbook |
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| Soccer Goalies Improve Overnight |
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| Total Soccer Fitness |
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