Ep. 175: Play for All: How Nike Is Expanding Access to Youth Sports

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at Nike, shares how the company is helping make youth sports more accessible in communities everywhere. We explore why sport, play and movement are essential building blocks for lifelong physical health, mental well-being, confidence and connection – and how Nike is equipping parents, coaches and mentors with free, evidence-based tools to help every child thrive through play.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring: Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Learn more about Nike’s free coaching resources.

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management.

Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org.

Transcript

Announcer (00:00):

Welcome to Well Beyond Medicine, the world's top-ranked children's health podcast, produced by Nemours Children's Health. Subscribe on any platform at nemourswellbeyond.org or find us on YouTube.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (00:12):

Each week, we'll be joined by innovators and experts from around the world, exploring anything and everything related to the 85% of child health impacts that occur outside the doctor's office. I'm your host, Carol Vassar. And now that you're here, let's go.

Music (00:28):

Let's go Well Beyond Medicine.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (00:36):

It's my pleasure in this episode to introduce Vanessa Garcia Brito. She is Vice President and Chief Impact Officer of Nike. And we'll learn a little bit about how Nike ended up on a children's health podcast momentarily. She's a lawyer by training and experience. She began a career as an advocate for human rights with a focus on international and intellectual property law. She's a firm believer in business as a positive force for society, and that's why she's on the podcast. She's continued this journey, leading partnerships and strategic communications for the Girl Effect and creating Nike's first-ever purpose communications team. And that's just a little bit of your resume. Vanessa, welcome to the podcast.

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (01:23):

Oh, thanks so much for having me, Carol. I'm really excited to be in conversation with you today.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (01:28):

Everyone knows Nike for Just Do It, but there's another phrase long associated with Nike. And that is, if I can quote, "If you have a body, you're an athlete." That's a pretty simple but powerful idea that guides your work in youth sport and community impact. Talk about that.

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (01:48):

Oh yes. So our mission at Nike is to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. And if you have a body, you're an athlete. So our work is focused on fulfilling that mission. It truly informs and inspires all of our work in social and community impact. It's one of the reasons that our focus is on redefining the future of US sport so that all kids out there really feel embedded into sport, and that we can bring the benefits to as many people as possible. Sport goes so much further than what people might think about. And it's one of the things why we also, and I also love that phrase so much, because beyond the organized sport or the more conventional definitions around that, it really is telling everyone you belong in movement and movement belong is something that's right for you as well.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (02:45):

And that should be a lifelong goal from the time you're first walking, first making those first steps that mom and dad are so proud of, all the way into your 80s, 90s, and even your 100s, right?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (02:57):

Absolutely. I think there's some movement or sport for every season of your life.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (03:03):

And youth sports can really set the stage for that, for that lifelong idea that I do belong here. You might not be going to the Olympics. You might not become a pro basketball player or pro football player, but movement every day is just so important, and youth sport sets the platform for that. It's really the way that people learn how to move for a lifetime.

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (03:29):

For sure. It's the entry point for so many of life's skills. It's the first time that a lot of kids, maybe, learn how to play with others or connect with others, negotiate, discover what their body's capable of, those amazing limbs, and how to breathe and how that's all connected. And there's so many life lessons that you can get from sports early on, not just how to win, but also how to fail and how to pick yourself back up. And also, even that it's not all about the effort. It can just be fun. And I think that's one of the messages that we would love to get across to everybody also. One is: your life can be the sport. Life is full of hurdles and challenges and ups and downs, et cetera. So it's really great for helping you navigate through your everyday. And also, it can just be fun. That is a really valuable experience for kids of all ages, adults of all ages. And also, it's a lifelong love that you can bring from your earliest days to your latest as well.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (04:36):

I remember many years ago, decades ago, playing youth sports, soccer in particular, and I played that into my 50s. Absolutely loved it. However, we know that research is showing today one in five kids throughout the world does not get the recommended amount of physical exercise. Why do you see sport and movement as not just play, not just setting the stage for lifelong health, but a gateway to unlocking a child's fullest potential, both mentally and physically?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (05:12):

Sport can really be transformative for youth. The research also shows that sport and movement, kids who get access to that earlier, they're happier, they're healthier, they do better in school, and they have more opportunities in life. And we want that for all kids. And it is true, but kids today are probably experiencing some of the most stress and trauma in their lives that perhaps even before, and that can lead to, for instance, dysregulation. And what we know from our partners at the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport, movement and sport itself can really help bring the brain regulation back into their lives, specifically rhythmic, consistent, patterned movements that you get through sport. It's an area where that's consistent. It's also an area where you have a place of belonging. And you might have that coach that you need, that adult in your life that is also consistent and reliable, that sees you, who can also provide some guidance for you.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (06:24):

Let's talk about something that was happening when I was a child and is still happening today, unfortunately, girls. Girls dropping out of sports at higher rates, especially at adolescents around that 12, 13, 14 years of age. What's behind that and what's Nike doing to address barriers like body confidence, representation, and access to role models that the girls can relate to?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (06:52):

Yeah, Carol, it's true. It's unfortunately an ongoing issue. And if we step back, the reality is that the stats for all kids are pretty bad. Boys and girls have a hard time when it comes to participation. But when it comes to girls, they are facing some specifically social and cultural complex issues that are buttoning of barriers to both entering sport and staying in sport. And that covers the gamut around access, also experience, and also perception. One of the key areas that we focus on is making sure that girls know that sport is a place where they belong. And also, we focus on ensuring that the experience that they're getting, both in their programming, making sure that the programming is something that's designed specifically for girls and their interests and their particular age groups, that's all of those are really important elements, as well as having access to coaches who share their backgrounds, can identify with them, can provide the kind of guidance that they are seeking.

(08:01):

And in particular, when we talk about adolescent girls, they're facing all sorts of body confidence challenges. We did some work not so long ago with the burden around body confidence sport. And what we heard from girls all over was that they really needed coaches who were speaking to them about the issues that they were facing as they transitioned from girlhood to adolescence. And one of the keys, as well, that we found to be really powerful is starting to focus less on what your body looks like and what your body can do.; And really mainstreaming some of the conversations that they need. They're going through a really tough and challenging time, but that's not when they need less sport; that's when they need more sport. And so we're also trying to work on demystifying areas that have been probably around for too long as to whether you can continue to play sport as we go through that transition, to help them restore that healthy relationship with their bodies, especially in adolescence, and also manage stress, self-doubt,-

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (08:58):

Do you see sport for boys or girls, women or men, as a healing practice, especially with kids, to help them restore that healthy relationship with their bodies, especially in adolescence, and also manage stress, self-doubt, or maybe even trauma?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (09:15):

Yeah. I'm going to borrow a phrase that we learned from our partners at the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, and that's that nothing heals like sport. It really provides that connection between your mind, body, and spirit. Rather than being outside in, it's a very inside-out experience. And as they go through all these different challenges with mental health and wellbeing, it's really something that you can choose that is much more upstream before those types of situations and experiences start to evolve. It gives kids, really, truly, of all ages, more confidence both in their bodies, but also in their communities. And I think that creating that culture of movement also does a lot to determine that culture of connection, which is so important no matter what stage in life you're in.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (10:15):

Give me some examples of what Nike is doing in the community now to support kids, and support the adults who support the kids, to make sure that they're comfortable in their bodies, that they know their bodies can take part in sport no matter what their ability might be.

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (10:36):

Yeah. One of the key areas that we focus on is ensuring that we have evidence-based coaching resources that are free and available to all. It's in many ways built into our DNA. Nike was built on a relationship between a coach and an athlete.-plus years later, we know that it really, really works anda caring adult

(10:54):

And 50 plus years later, we know that it really, really works and it really, really matters. And in that space, also we're working on inviting not just more kids into support, but more people into coaching. There is a coach inside every single one of us, and that can be as formal as any individual is ready for. It can stem from just being the adult in a young person's life, and that young person might be your child, but it doesn't have to be. All you have to be is a caring adult. And being someone in someone's cheering corner, cheering them on, is a big deal that actually doesn't take a lot of training for anyone who is interested and not sure where to start. We have nike.com/coaching, and you can just start there. Can you be the cheerleader, the first young person in sport and movement, and invite them in? And it can go all the way through to becoming a coach.

(11:54):

There are so many volunteer coaches across the country, and we're so grateful for them. They're incredibly generous with their time, with their skills, with their care, with their grades, but not a lot of training is available to them. And that's really important. Because there is a way to provide quality, well-informed coaching that is helping kids unlock their potential versus breaking that relationship for them. And so, for anyone who is interested and not sure where to start, we have nike.com/coaching, where there are all sorts of free resources. It's available to anyone who's interested. And again, whether you're just looking to tap into that coach mindset, just start that conversation all the way through to whether you're ready to embark on something a little bit more formal.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (12:45):

How do I know that I have a coach inside of me? I'm not the most outgoing, despite the fact that I host a podcast. I'm not the most outgoing of people. How do I know that I have that coaching ability inside of me and that I can access these resources and really make a difference in my community for the kids in my community?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (13:05):

Well, I think everybody has that little voice inside their head. Yeah. You know that voice. Sometimes it can be kind, and sometimes you've got to nudge it back into kindness. But if you're having that conversation, that's pretty much all it takes. It starts there. One, if you are a breathing, living human, there is a coach inside of you. And I always encourage everybody to actually start with yourself. The first person you can be coached for is yourself. It's the most important conversation you can be having is the conversation that you're having with yourself. And when you're doing the coaching, that is coaching. And you already have a focus group of one. You know, when that conversation is landing, and you're hyping yourself up, then you're ready for the day and those things that you need to hear, those things that you need to say.

(14:02):

And you also know when that voice, again, needs a little bit more training and guidance and pushback. And that's the beginning of, for lack of a better expression, the coach's voice. You've got that coach's voice. You can get to that coach mindset. And I really want to demystify it for people. There is a spectrum from just tapping in and knowing that the encouragement that you're providing to a young person is part of that experience, not all the way through to more formal, where you're standing in front of a team, you're taking them through their strategy, and leading them through a tournament or whatever that may be. I would say there's also, in the same way, there's a coach inside every one of us; there's a coaching experience that can be right for you, no matter where you are in your life.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer(14:55):

Let's talk about the kids. How do you know if a kid's coachable?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike(15:02):

I have yet to meet a kid that is not coachable. I think that if you can be present in their life, I think the process is what moment in their life are they're in and what kind of coaching do they need? And it's one of the reasons that we talk about both not just organized sport, there's play. Sometimes a kid is just ready to play

(15:28):

And sometimes people who are playing are just ready to talk. And even before the talking, maybe they're just ready to be seen. And actually, that's really connected to that other conversation about coaching. One of the most important things that anyone can do is see the kid, right? Everybody needs to be seen, and everybody can do the seeing. That's the step zero before you even get further beyond that. And I would suggest that the more, if there are behaviors that make someone worried that maybe that kid is uncoachable, it's all the more signals that they are going to be for a coach in their life.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (16:06):

And need a coach in their life.

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike(16:07):

And need a coach.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer(16:09):

I was listening to the radio about a month ago when we were starting to put together our time together today, and I noticed that Nike has made a slight change to "Just Do It," And it's the Why Do It campaign. And it kind of flips the question on its head and the tagline on its head. And we want to ask the question of why not? How does this connect to your work in youth sport? And how do you hope it's going to motivate kids to see a movement as part of who they are and not just something really formal that they have to do in gym class or something like that?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike(16:52):

What I love about the why not is that it really puts all the power into your hands. Say you decide. And one of the biggest, why wouldn't you want to open up the world of possibilities? Why not just go for it? And again, why not? Yes, for some people, it's output. But for all of us, it's also experience. And the why not is really like, why wouldn't you take the opportunity to get to know your full potential and also go after it? So my vibe is that it's empowering for all youth, that they see this as an invitation, but also something that they can control. It's really in their eyes, and it's beautiful to move to reflect as well. And just imagine. And imagine what could be possible, and why not go after it?

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (17:54):

One of the things that we met at the Aspen Institute Health event back in the summertime. And in your talk there, you spoke about Nike bringing together communities in places like Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington State to share assets and to look at perspectives and skills in the youth sport area. What have you learned from some of these conversations that you can maybe bring to the rest of the nation, the rest of the world?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (18:23):

Yeah. Yeah. It is a beautiful initiative because there's so much hope in our local communities, and there are some incredible organizations that, when they come together, it's incredibly powerful. That's what we're seeing. It's taking away the verses, the competition, and seeking resources, and actually coming together to really get greater investment. And that is something that really can happen anywhere in the world. And we hope that will happen in as many places as possible, because the skills, knowledge, and assets that already exist in our communities, and I think that proximity means they really understand what those kids need. And also what they need together to reach even more kids with quality experiences.

(19:21):

That's true all over the world. It's creating a forum and providing a platform for them to be able to develop that network. We hear from organizations all the time how excited they are to be in community with each other. And they get a lot more from each other, frankly, than you would ever expect because they're so talented. The experiences that these people have...it's amazing. And if anyone is seeking a reason to believe that people can come together and transform lives, you just have to go to one of these meetings. They're not giving up. They're in it every single day through rain, or shine, or snow. Those are really different cities, and they're dealing with all sorts of things, but they're unstoppable.

(20:27):

I wish that, above all those things, we could find a way to scale that energy and belief, because when you're in it with them, it's the why not question, frankly, and nothing seems impossible. But one of the biggest learnings really is bringing the people together, bringing the people who have the experience who are closest to those communities, who are in the work with those kids, and bringing them together. They know what they need. And also being a coalition versus being in a competitive space within each other is much more powerful and will have much more impact for these kids.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (21:08):

It's clear to me now, you're an athlete yourself. And it's clear to me that Nike is truly committed to youth sport and to including everyone in the world of sport. Because you are at such a high leadership level within Nike. What's next for Nike and their community outreach in the programs that you have put in place? And maybe give us a little preview of what you have in store that we haven't heard about.

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (21:36):

I don't know if it's something that you haven't heard about because we're pretty focused on the future of youth sport. We're excited to be bringing back to be bringing and hopefully expanding the coalition. So that's right on the calendar, happening just in a couple of weeks, where we're reconnecting, and actually, we'll be going through all those different learnings and also looking to see how we do better, how we do our best? And I think that is a mindset, a Nike mindset, we have very much of the faculty and the coach. We're never resting on our laurels. We're constantly interviewing, running the tape. Where could we be better? Where did we need more training?

(22:16):

Is it better nutrition? Is it better with this? Et cetera. We do the same in our space. We're really excited about the coaching work. We've got some great initiatives across the world, frankly, not just with community organizations but with our many partners all around. But I think one of the greatest innovations is also consistency. And we sometimes forget just how important that is because it's the only way that we can talk about the last 30 years, the last 10 years. And so you can expect more future of your sport from us.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (22:51):

In terms of future sports specifically, what's the future?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (22:59):

An expansion of what sport means. Again, running is my boyfriend. I travel with them everywhere. Hother's okay with it. And it's so great. So I'm never not recruiting runners. And there's so many fun and different ways to be enjoying movement and whether that is dance or probably sports that we haven't even thought about yet. And as expansive a definition as possible, there's no reason to be putting those limitations on what sport can be. Whatever it is, we hope that it will be fun, inclusive, where all people, and certainly all youth, see themselves. And that it's unifying. I think that's one of the great things about sport. You can watch your favorite team and know what a loss means for someone without cheering for that. You can also know the joy of it.

(24:10):

People gather in our own office, the games will be on, and from all the different floors, we're huddled there. And that's true, also useful. It brings out the community, brings up parents, it brings out the siblings that together in a sense I hope continues to be part of whatever sport becomes. But I think, Why Do It? Why Not? I think that really creates an ample opportunity there.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer (24:40):

Do you have personal experience with involvement in youth sport, either from your own childhood or perhaps with children in your life, and how does that manifest?

Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Nike (24:51):

So, dancing was our sport in our house. I come from very humble beginnings. We lived a tee, tiny, square of a spot. And every Saturday, my mom would clear out some of the furniture that we had, and it was dancing time. And she would ask us how our week was, and she would ask us to then process all of those emotions through whatever song she would put on. And really, dancing was something; it was our go-to, whether for the dark times, for the happy times, for the in-between times. So that would really stay with me that you could manage your emotions and also both, and come out the other side, regardless of where you were. I am the proud auntie of several nephews and nieces. One, my niece plays volleyball. I am her biggest cheerleader. My sister-in-law would say she's her biggest cheerleader, but that's a dispute for another time.

(25:53):

And I see it. I see it. She's 12 years old. She's exactly in that age group that we talk about. My younger nephews, oh gosh, they love to move. They love to play. They love to run. And it's how they learn. It's how there's joy there, their life skills. I see them develop how they negotiate through things happens there. So I've got a front row seat at all of that. And also all the kids, I feel like they're my kids. And the most beautiful thing is that you see the power of sport not over the span of days and years, you see it over the span of minutes. It doesn't take a long time for the walls to come down, the smiles to light up. Now for the change, we want that impact. We need that consistency. But if you're looking for a reason to believe, it's minutes. It's minutes.

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer: (26:56):

It’s minutes, for sure, with lifelong and profoundly positive effects on children’s health. Vanessa Garcia Brito is Vice President and Chief Impact Officer for Nike. 

Music:

Well Beyond Medicine

Carol Vassar, podcast host/producer:

Thanks to Vanessa for sharing the youthsport initiatives that Nike has to offer. If you’re a coach, or wanna be a coach, and want to learn more about how to up your coaching game, the link to Nike’s youth sport coaching resources is available in the show notes for this episode. 

From food to sports to everything in between, there is so much that affects children’s health, and the chances are really good that we’re talking with the experts about it here on the Nemours Well Beyond Medicine podcast. Check all of our podcast episodes via your favorite podcast app and smart speaker, the Nemours YouTube Channel, and on our website: nemourswellbeyond.org. Visit there to leave a podcast episode idea, a review, or subscribe to the podcast and our monthly e-newsletter. That address again is nemourswellbeyond.org.

Our production team this week includes Susan Masucci, Lauren Teta, Cheryl Munn, and Alex Wall. Audio production by yours truly. I’m Carol Vassar. Thank you for listening. Join us next time as we begin a two-episode arc about how whole child health is more than a concept, and is, in fact, in action at major pediatric healthcare systems, including Nemours, Children’s Wisconsin, and Cincinnati Children’s. Don’t miss it. Until then, remember, we can change children’s health for good, well beyond medicine. 

Music:

Let's go Well Beyond Medicine.