Photo Credit: Rachel Delira
Diamond Hill North Side Youth Association has proved that a small organization can make a big impact on healthy behaviors, thanks to overwhelming support from the community and more than 150 children and their parents.
DHNS offers pee wee football, cheer, basketball, and other athletic programs in the North Fort Worth area with a mission to “foster physical and intellectual development of their youth, as well as engage kids in leadership, sportsmanship, self-respect and life enrichment.” The association recently became a Blue Zones Project® Participating Organization, meaning they have put a number of best practices in place to improve the health and well-being of their young participants.
“It made sense with our mission,” Roxanne Martinez, president of DHNS, said about choosing to become a participating organization. “We see the benefit in doing so – not just for the kids, but for the whole family.”
By partnering with Blue Zones Project, this youth sports family has sparked an interest in eating wisely, moving naturally, and finding the right tribe. DHNS has implemented many aspects of the Power 9® to their organization – nine principles practiced by those who have lived the longest in the original Blue Zones areas. Whether it’s walking together during practice or offering healthy options at game day concession stands, the youth association inspires a life of health and wellness.
In the past, Martinez recalls seeing kids come in with fast-food meals in hand. After introducing their healthier nutrition program, parents are choosing to bring healthy snacks instead. And rather than sitting idly in their lawn chairs for Wednesday practices, parents arrive equally as excited to get moving with their Moai walking group. The word "moai" comes from Okinawa, Japan, and means "meeting for a common purpose." These regular meetings also allow members to focus on building social connections, which is just as important as exercise and healthy eating.
Other healthy best practices DHNS has incorporated into its youth programs include:
- A player fuel-up station with free fruit available on game days;
- Tobacco-free fields;
- Encouragement of proper hydration, with an emphasis on water versus sports drinks;
- Participation in social circles that contribute to healthy behavior;
- Sharing Blue Zones Project events and materials in newsletters and across social media.
Martinez has been a part of DHNS for 12 years and has noticed the positive difference Blue Zones Project has had on the organization. Parents are making healthier decisions for themselves and their children. By focusing on everyone in the family – not just the children -- the children perform better on the field. On a broader spectrum, the youth association has become a resource for keeping the community more connected. “It’s brought our organization closer together and increased our team spirit,” Martinez said. “It’s not just about kids in sports, it’s bigger than that.”