Briana Scurry of Washington Freedom Joins First Lady to Fight Child Obesity

The First Lady, Michelle Obama, joined the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the major charitable arm of Soccer in the United States at its free youth soccer clinic in Washington, DC on Friday, Mar. 5, 2010 to highlight the Soccer Foundation’s commitment to the national fight against childhood obesity and support for the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign that emphasizes the importance of children getting 60 minutes of active play each day.

Representing Women's Professional Soccer was Washington Freedom goalkeeper Briana Scurry, the Freedom’s mascot “Glory,” and Mark Washo, President and GM of Washington Freedom. As a league, WPS has pledged its commitment to the First Lady’s national campaign to fight childhood obesity through physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.

As a professional sports league that both promotes and represents healthy, fitness-minded living, WPS has joined in this campaign with a commitment towards the goal of eliminating childhood obesity in a generation and getting more kids active, playing, or moving at least one hour every day.

With eight teams in the U.S., WPS fans spread across the country, and WPS Camps taking place in over a dozen cities, Women’s Professional Soccer has committed to work together with the First Lady and the White House to increase existing programs and creatively develop new ideas and platforms to address this issue.

“We are pleased to be part of this nationwide initiative to fight childhood obesity that the First Lady has unveiled,” said WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci at the kickoff of the campaign last month. “WPS is uniquely positioned as a sports league of role models and the world’s best soccer players who can inspire, mobilize, and teach kids about the benefits of being active, eating better, and embracing healthier lifestyles.”

“I’m really proud to represent WPS today as the First Lady unveils her nationwide challenge to tackle the issue of childhood obesity,” said Scurry at the initial kick off of the campaign in February. “All of us in the league had the opportunity to play soccer throughout our childhoods to help us stay active and healthy."

She added, "We hope we can introduce more children to the same opportunities we had and the benefits of sport and healthy living that went with it.” 

For information on the First Lady's Let's Move! campaign visit: http://www.letsmove.gov/

For the full story on today's U.S. Soccer Foundation clinic and photo gallery, visit: http://www.womensprosoccer.com/news/press_releases/100304-white-house-scurry

About Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS)

Headquartered in San Francisco, Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) is the world’s premier soccer league for women, with eight teams across the United States featuring the best players from around the world. WPS completed its inaugural season in August 2009 as Sky Blue FC of New Jersey became the first-ever WPS Champions.

In 2010, eight teams will each play 24-game schedules from Apr. 10-Sept. 12 including six original WPS teams—Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, FC Gold Pride (Bay Area), Saint Louis Athletica, Sky Blue FC (NJ/NY), and Washington Freedom—and two expansion teams, Atlanta Beat and Philadelphia Independence.

The top four finishers in the regular season will qualify for the 2010 WPS Playoffs scheduled for Sept. 19-26. For more information, visit the WPS official web site at www.womensprosoccer.com .

The previous story is printed from a press release as part of an agreement with Bleacher Report and the WPS to help promote the league. What's News is the alternate profile of writer, Todd Civin, and is used for press releases only for the WPS, The Can-Am Baseball League and the AHL.