On the Scene in Dallas - Michelle Obama Praises "Power of the Games"

(ATR) First lady Michelle Obama is teaming up with Olympic and Paralympic sports to get more than 1.7 million children active this year at the beginner level.

Obama announced commitments to her "Let’s Move!" initiative at the 2012 Team USA Media Summit in Dallas, Texas. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation.

Obama, who will lead the presidential delegation to the 2012 London Olympics, was flanked by about 30 U.S. athletes – some already Olympic gold medalists and others hoping to make their first Olympic team – during a presentation at the Hilton Anatole.

"When I’m sitting in that stadium in London, cheering on Team USA, I’ll be thinking about all those young people cheering them on at home," said Obama, who was introduced by Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin. "I’ll be thinking about the power of the Games to truly inspire a generation and I’ll be thinking about how our Olympic and Paralympic athletes can serve as role models for our young people and as examples of the values we want our kids to learn."

The U.S. Olympic Committee, U.S. Paralympics, U.S Olympians Association, and national governing bodies for the sports of cycling/BMX, soccer, swimming, track and field, gymnastics, basketball, tennis, field hockey and volleyball have made commitments to the Partnership for a Healthier America. The website will help families find affiliated sports programs in their area.

Sports Pitch In

These commitments include the enrollment of 530,000 new learn-to-swim participants in the "Make A Splash" program at 500 local partner sites; the introduction of 620,000 youth to tennis by training 4,000 physical education professionals in the "10 & Under Tennis" curriculum; and a free 30-day membership to tracks and free races/clinics at 350 BMX tracks nationwide, which should engage about 88,000 young people – a 40 percent increase over 2011 – according to the White House.

"Many of these kids will be playing some of these sports for the very first time," Obama said, "and that is so important because sometimes all it takes is that first lesson or that first clinic or that first class to get a child excited about a new sport. All it takes is one opportunity.

"And once they’re engaged, that’s when coaches and instructors can step in and become mentors. That’s when discipline and teamwork can become daily lessons. That’s when being active can become a lifelong habit."

Obama, who has made combating childhood obesity a priority, said that the sports organizations were originally challenged to jump-start 1 million kids, but surpassed that goal by 700,000.

"We’re incredibly proud to support the first lady in this incredibly important initiative," said Scott Blackmun, CEO of the USOC.

Security Blankets Hotel

With the Media Summit offering a preview of the Olympics, the media were even given a taste of London security when they went through a "mag and bag," courtesy of the U.S. Secret Service. The tightened security began before the 8 a.m. session even though the session with Obama did not begin until 2:30 p.m.

The ballroom, which was less than a quarter full for a Monday morning press conference with USA Swimming, was nearly full for Obama’s appearance, with about 30 television cameras set up on a platform in the back. The first lady did not answer questions.

Prior to Obama’s appearance, Kim Rhode, a shooting gold medalist who has won Olympic medals in every Games since 1996, held her session with the print media. Rhode brought her four medals into the ballroom, but was not allowed to show off her gun.

She said the Secret Service "were on me pretty good when I got into the hotel with my guns; they wouldn’t let me bring them into this room."

Government Involvement

One of President and Mrs. Obamas’ closest advisors, Valerie Jarrett, is chair of the White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport, which was formed with great fanfare while Chicago was bidding for the 2016 Olympic Games.

In the aftermath of Chicago’s embarrassing first-round loss in the IOC balloting in October 2009, there have been no public signs of activity by the office on the Olympic and Paralympic front. The USOC does not receive funding from the government.

"That’s an office that’s run by Valerie Jarrett and we haven’t been in active communication with them," Blackmun tells Around the Rings. "It’s obviously a subject of discussion as we head into the next quad, both for us and for the administration.

"I don’t know what’s on their agenda right now. I know that they’re so committed and focused on "Let’s Move!" and I think that’s understandable. Given the significance of that problem, they put their eggs in that basket. I think they’re very focused on sports and health right now, and I think that’s a good place for their focus."

With reporting in Dallas from Karen Rosen.

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