Boys & Girls Clubs of America Recieves United States Olympic Committee's Rings of Gold Award

Boys & Girls Club of America
Thursday, 25 January 2001

January 25, 2001 – ATLANTA – Boys & Girls Clubs of America (B&GCA) has been named the Rings of Gold 2001 Organization of the Year by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). The award was presented at the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association Awards Dinner on January 21, 2001 in Las Vegas.

The Organization of the Year award is given to grassroots groups that reach a large segment of the population and are dedicated to nurturing and developing the Olympic dreams and life goals of children.

B&GCA partners with companies such as NIKE, Sports Authority and Major League Baseball to provide thousands of young athletes with the chance to learn new sports, develop leadership skills and maintain healthy lifestyles. Programs such as NIKE Swoosh Clubs, Fitness Authority and Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities have an innate appeal for young participants while teaching positive use of leisure time, stress management and social skills.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America's fitness and recreation programs help both Club members and coaches. The organization has trained thousands of coaches, recognizing that they are critical to a positive, quality sports experience for young people.

"We are very honored to be recipients of this award," said Tim Richardson, senior director of sports, fitness and recreation for B&GCA. "At Boys & Girls Clubs, we provide kids with a unique opportunity to participate in a variety of sports, build leadership skills, learn about sports career opportunities and, most importantly, to have fun."

Several Olympians have started their athletic careers in local Boys & Girls Clubs including Greg Louganis (diving), Brooke Bennett (swimming), Edwin Moses (track & field), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (track & field), Shaquille O'Neal (basketball) and Steve Timmons (volleyball).

Previous Rings of Gold winners have been the Native American Sports Council, the National Youth Sports Program and the National Congress of State Games.

For more information, or to contact Boys & Girls Club of America, see their website at: www.bgca.org