TAMIU College of Ed, Partners  Join Million Coaches Challenge

Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) College of Education is joining a national effort helping coaches access training helping them to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for young children.

It’s part of the Million Coaches Challenge, which aims to train one million coaches by 2025 to better develop skill-building techniques to help children succeed on and off the field, explained TAMIU College of Education Dean, Dr. James O’Meara.

“For too many young people, their daily lives include exposure to abuse, neglect or household dysfunction. Instances of these ACEs are unfortunately on the rise.  Challenge participants access free, virtual coach training that can equip them to deal with these traumas now being amplified by the ongoing global Pandemic,” Dr. O’Meara said.

This initiative is supported by the Susan Crown Exchange, a philanthropic group founded in 2009 whose mission is to prepare youth to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Partnering with the College of Education in this important initiative are the Boys and Girls Clubs of Laredo, Laredo Independent School District, United Independent School District, and the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, O’Meara noted. 

“With these partnerships, we have the potential to impact thousands of youngsters here in Laredo.  We join our partners in committing to this Challenge because we believe it represents an opportunity to be proactive in dealing with the epidemic of trauma that threatens youth physical and mental health outcomes,” O’Meara observed.

To learn more about the Million Coaches Challenge, go to: https://www.millioncoaches.org

For more about TAMIU’s College of Education and its undergraduate and graduate programs, visit:https://www.tamiu.edu/coedu

More on the University’s story is available at tamiu.edu and on the University’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.