Baltimore, Maryland (September 18, 2019) – On September 25, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA Mid-Atlantic) and Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) hosted the first in a series of training sessions for athletic directors from Baltimore high schools, which will focus on creating a positive, character-building youth sports environment. The workshop took place at the Baltimore City Public School Professional Development Center, with 18 athletic directors attending.

The three-year partnership with BCPS, supported by Under Armour and the Baltimore Ravens, was created to promote a Development Zone® culture where coaches, parents, and leaders come together to develop “Better Athletes, Better People” through sports. Interactive workshops will be held throughout the year for both athletic directors and coaches on topics like intentional culture building and essential leadership responsibilities. Through this partnership with BCPS, PCA-Mid-Atlantic aims to create a positive high school sports culture where student-athletes thrive on and off the field.

“Under Armour and the Baltimore Ravens have each made tremendous contributions to the city of Baltimore, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with them. The first training session with 18 of the city’s athletic directors shows the community’s commitment to making an impact where it’s needed it most,” said Jake Wald, Executive Director at PCA-Mid-Atlantic.

There are currently 40 million children involved in youth sports, which presents a tremendous platform for developing youth character and life skills. Research has shown that in order for youth to accrue benefits from sports, athletics need to be conducted in a way that creates a positive youth-development culture.

The program launched August 15 with the first fall training for coaches at Under Armour’s Odyssey Theater in Baltimore, where Under Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank spoke with attendees. Educational sessions for coaches will be held prior to the start of the season, and trainings for athletic directors will be held several times throughout the year.