For nearly 40 years, the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) has provided summer activities for more than two million children from economically disadvantaged families. This year, federal funding for the program has been cut, and more than 70,000 children could find themselves without a place to go during the upcoming summer months. In today’s guest post, NYSP National Program Director Gale Wiedow provides us with insight about the issue and the repercussions of the budget cuts.

"In the summer of 1968, representatives from the NCAA and the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports piloted the National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) concept at two university athletic facilities. On March 17, 1969, the White House announced that the federal government was committing $3 million to establish a sports program for economically disadvantaged youth, and NYSP was born.

"In the 37 years since the inception of the program, over 2 million children from economically disadvantaged families have benefited from participation in NYSP. While sports may be the ‘hook’ that gets kids to the program, they soon find that NYSP is much more than a sports camp. It is a youth development opportunity that incorporates academics (math, science and writing skills), good nutrition (the USDA Summer Food Service Program provides meals for all participants), life skills such as alcohol and-other-drug abuse prevention and other personal health issues, and the attributes of sport such as teamwork, self-discipline, dedication to excellence, physical conditioning, and the pride of doing one’s best. Colleges and universities donate their facilities and the key leadership needed to conduct the program. Coaches, student-athletes, area high school and junior high coaches, teachers and administrators provide expert instruction, and the participants in the program have an opportunity to experience life on a college campus first-hand, all at no cost to the child.

"However, in 2006, the federal government did not include funding for NYSP. This summer, the 70,000+ children that participated in NYSP in 2005 will be at home or on the streets.

"We encourage those that feel that programs for our children are important, particularly those for children that cannot afford to participate in positive, adult-supervised programs during the summer months, to let their Congressional representatives know that they support NYSP and that the federal budget for fiscal year 2007 should include an appropriation for NYSP."