Youth Development
We believe that teaching youth to develop into healthy, productive and empowered individuals is an important venture. Our team specializes in teaching important life principles through sport in a variety of youth development settings, including after-school programs, summer camps and juvenile detention centers. We also train coaches and youth workers to use these best practices in their own work.
After School Programs
We’ve partnered with local middle schools by providing a variety of after-school programs to their students:
- Project Leadership: Our faculty and graduate students shared a variety of sports and life skills teaching to support male students
- She Hits Hard: Our faculty and graduate students ran a boxing body empowerment club to support female students
- Online yoga: Our faculty and students offered an after-school online yoga program for girls
These programs provide direct service to students and schools. They also provide research and training opportunities to NIU students who volunteer with us.
Research and Evaluation
Because of our team’s strong reputation and high profile, we are often asked to support community-based programs through consulting and evaluation. Chicago-area partners include Beyond the Ball and the Chicago Fire P.L.A.Y.S. program. At the national level, our executive director, Paul Wright, serves on the research council for the Laureus Foundation, one of the most influential organizations in the field.
Our team also publishes widely on sport-based youth development. See selected publications.
"PALS has been transformative for my educational journey at NIU, especially in merging sports and emotional intelligence. As I integrate these principles, I foresee a positive impact not only on the students’ athletic skills but also on their emotional well-being. This approach also extends to their families, fostering a school community where children are not just present but actively thrive, marrying the worlds of sports, emotional intelligence and academic development."