Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders, Today
Today’s Need for Tomorrow’s Success:
Limited access to indoor physical spaces for our youth within San Francisco has created a vacuum effect within our underserved and historically disadvantaged communities. Causing a strain on our most vulnerable communities and businesses to look elsewhere for adequate means to facilitate youth and adult fitness and expression. We have struggled to find a sustainable and adequate space to offer services for our sessions and events due to the lack of availability and access to private and public spaces. Science driven data has directly correlated our physical, social and emotional health to youth and adult academic, financial and socioeconomic growth. This is all made possible through access to adequate facilities and equipment, which have been scarce in these historically disadvantaged communities.
Our Vision:
Our long-term goal is to transform and restore our underserved communities and neighborhoods throughout the Bay Area to their fullest potential. Empowering youth/adult leadership within these communities that will create lasting and sustainable generational impact.
With full access to our facility we will offer youth and adult athletic programing, coaches training sessions, group and personal training sessions. We will host sporting events for local teams/schools that struggle to find access to gym space. Our space will ease the struggle of many of our local schools that cannot find adequate space for their students to enjoy physical activity. Our space will be a hub for our community to gather and support one another through physical fitness.
What The Data Shows:
Fostering Connection of HEALTH to WEALTH - “As people age, the evolving variation in individual health outcomes may offer additional statistical information to estimate parameters of household savings and consumption behavior that so far have proven to be somewhat elusive. Thus, incorporating health uncertainty and risk into economic models should eventually enrich our understanding of basic tenets of household behavior.” “the data cell in the first row of the first column implies that median wealth when household heads reported excellent health in 1984 was $68,300 (in 1996 dollars). Across all age groups, those in excellent health in 1984 have 74 percent more wealth than respondents in fair or poor health do. A parallel table showing income rather than wealth would display similar differentials. These differentials rival in size wealth and income differences by schooling, a subject receiving far more attention from economists. Median incomes of 1984 college graduates were $77,000 compared to $28,000 among high school dropouts--virtually the same as the income gradient from excellent to poor health.” - Healthy Bodies and Thick Wallets: The Dual Relation Between Health and Economic Status - James P. Smith
High school athletes are more likely than non-athletes to attend college and achieve college degrees. Team captains and most valuable players achieve in school at an even higher rates per the U.S. Deptartment of Education study taken in 2005. High school athletes are more likely to expect to graduate from a four-year college (73% girls, 59% boys) compared to non-athletes (67% girls, 53% boys), according to data collected for the Healthy Sport Index (Women’s Sports Foundation, 2018).
Per Youth Sports Benefits - “Project Play” by Aspen Institutepeer reviewed study “children of color show higher rates of obesity. In 2018, a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed overweight and obesity rates increased in all age groups among children ages 2 to 19 (Prevalence of Obesity and Severe Obesity in U.S. Children, 1999-2016). The rates generally increased with age, with 41.5% of teens being obese by 16 to 19 years old. Of particular concern were continued racial and ethnic disparities.”
Creating Lasting Bonds - Developing positive relationships with sports at an early age leads to healthier lifestyles (Benefits of Youth Sports in Child Development). Truth, honesty and patience through healthy forms of communication builds positive outcomes for all. A humble, knowledgeable, growth mindset is infectious.
“Participation in organized sports can lower stress, anxiety and depression in children and teens while improving health, concentration, confidence and self-esteem,” Dr. Sherwood said. Long term, Dr. Sherwood said, participating in sports is associated with less substance abuse and the ability to make wiser life choices.” - Weighing the Pros and Cons of Organized Sports For Kids
Community educator–led strength training programs that use basic equipment offer a feasible model for improving musculoskeletal fitness among rural older adults. The present study adds to this limited yet important area of research by examining functional fitness and physical activity outcomes among older adults participating in a randomized controlled community-based strength training program led by Extension educators. Effects of StrongPeople Strong Bodies on Functional Fitness: A Community-Based Randomized Trial
Our Team
Matt Thomas
Founder & Executive Director
With a vision for building something meaningful, our founder brings a blend of big-picture thinking and hands-on experience. They set the tone for everything we do. As a former Middle School and Elementary School physical education teacher in San Francisco Matt has a deeply rooted connection to the city in which he was born and raised. Understanding the challenges that face our historically disadvantaged communities, Matt looks to bring focus back to those communities and instill agency in the process.
Big Ideas,
Real Impact
Thoughtfully programmed to elevate what matters most.
Driven by curiosity and built on a foundation of transformative relationships, this is where bold thinking meets thoughtful execution. Let’s build something meaningful together.
Ready to Reimagine Fitness With Us?
Complete the form below and let’s pioneer the next wave of growth together.