On September 28, The Coca-Cola Company, owners and players of five sport teams—the Washington Capitals, Mystics, Nationals, Redskins and Wizards—joined forces at the U.S. Capitol to announce a unique partnership aimed at educating local area youth about the importance of physical activity and a balanced diet. The collective influence of these high-profile partners is expected to amplify the need to educate and engage area youth about eating right and keeping fit.

«It is not often that all professional sports team owners in a city can present a unified front to support a cause, but the issue of childhood obesity, while a nationwide problem, is particularly an issue in the Nation’s Capitol, which is among the cities with the highest childhood obesity rates in the country,» said Dori Silverman, Vice President of Field Execution for Coca-Cola North America. «To coincide with National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, we brokered a partnership among the D.C.-area teams, which we hope will bring the community together to encourage active and healthy living.»

The announcement marked the kick-off of the «Live Positively: Get the Ball Rolling» partnership initiative for Washington, D.C. Through this new collaboration, youth from D.C., Maryland and Virginia will have the opportunity to learn about living a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating right at a series of fitness clinics led by staff and professional athletes as well as area nutrition experts.

Each sports team, along with Coca-Cola, will host a workshop clinic in October that will focus on teaching youth the importance of exercising and eating a balanced diet. Professional athletes and nutrition experts will run fitness drills and give nutrition lessons for kids to take home and share with their families. The four planned October clinics will include participation by 750-1000 youth throughout the Washington region.