Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA welcomed US Olympic Coach Mike Jankowski to its growing group of Ambassadors on Thursday, September 25th, at an event in Portland, Oregon. As his first act as a Laureus Ambassador, Jankowski announced the organization will be funding Playworks, national nonprofit that improves children’s learning and physical health by facilitating safe, active, inclusive play in low-income schools and by training adult educators in schools and youth agencies of all types in how to leverage play for improved outcomes for kids. Young adults trained as Playworks coaches work full-time in partner elementary schools to teach and model new language and play activities on the playground, in the classroom, and at sports leagues. Coaches impart social, emotional and cognitive skills that engage students in ways that are healthy and fun. Jankowski was joined at the event by Jill Vialet, CEO and founder of Playworks.
Together Jankowski and Vialet hosted leadership activities for a group of Playworks Junior Coaches, fourth- and fifth-graders from Portland’s Grout Elementary School. The Junior Coaches received advice and tips on how to manage and assist their peers in facilitating games and solving conflicts peacefully during recess, lunch and after-school activities.
“As the newest Laureus Ambassador, I’m excited to join forces with Playworks to promote play for every child across the country, and especially today in my hometown of Portland,” said Jankowski. “Laureus USA is committed to providing support to sport-for-good organizations in order to help strengthen their reach and improve social, health and education outcomes for youth in under-resourced communities. I am very much looking forward to my duties as a Laureus Ambassador.”
On behalf of partners Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) and IWC Schaffhausen, Laureus USA is proud to announce its commitment to Playworks this year, supporting five Playworks regions across the country: Texas, Michigan, Arizona, Minnesota, and the Pacific Northwest.
“We’re thrilled to be in partnership with the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation because the Foundation so specifically shares our belief in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid,” said Playworks’ Vialet. “Laureus and Playworks actively promote the extraordinary capacity of play and sport to improve lives — teaching kids leadership and creative-thinking skills in the most engaging way, making collaboration a baseline for success, and improving kids’ physical health. It is a pleasure to collaborate with Coach Mike through his new role as a Laureus Ambassador in treating some of our young rockstar Portland Junior Coaches to a master-class in peer coaching for good.”
The Laureus Ambassadors, along with the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, support the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The organization’s mission is to utilize the power of sport to address social problems through a global program of sports-related community development initiatives. Laureus USA works with numerous organizations around the country to help support initiatives that affect youth such as access to quality coaches and mentors, furthering education, and increasing physical activity and health awareness.
“Mike Jankowski is the epitome of a world-class coach, and we could not be more excited to welcome him into the growing Laureus family,” said Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA. “We are looking forward to working with Mike with a joint mission of helping to drive the positive power of sports across the country.”
