Ready, Set, Gold! is a community health, fitness and social and emotional learning (SEL) program that promotes healthy and active lifestyles to children in Southern California schools. RSG! is a public-private partnership between the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG), The Foundation for Global Sports Development, and several public-school districts. RSG! believes that every student should have equal access to resources that support physical health and academic achievement.
SCCOG is a 501(c)(3) organization that was originally founded in 1939 to bid for opportunities to host the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In order to invest in the Olympic legacy of Southern California, which boasts the largest population of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the world, SCCOG created RSG! in 2006. Currently RSG! operates in five school districts at 72 schools, boasts a roster of 40 Olympians and Paralympians and serves 8,720 students in-person and 15,000 plus virtually.
The program matches Olympic and Paralympic athletes with schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District to promote fitness and nutrition. Students are educated on the importance of exercise and are motivated to adopt healthy habits into their daily lifestyle. The athletes also emphasize the importance of goal-setting and self-discipline, and encourage students to achieve their dreams.
LEARN MOREEvery year, RSG!’s roster of Olympians and Paralympians are matched with participating schools, connecting teachers and students to inspiring athlete mentors.Olympians and Paralympians collaborate with teachers at their placement school to schedule and co-teach five lessons.Each lesson includes a fitness element that is measured on the California FitnessGram, a required annual assessment, and a growth mindset component to support students in setting and achieving academic and fitness goals.RSG! predominately works with students in grades five through nine.
INCLUDE
The LA Sports Council is led by a diverse Board of Directors that is INCLUSIVE of prominent sports industry leaders representing teams, leagues, venues, annual events and businesses. By uniting the LA sports industry and beyond, we are a resource for members of the greatest sports community year round. We believe that a strong and connected sports business community means a strong community across the region.
IMPACT
As the premier Los Angeles sports trade association, the LA Sports Council strives to make a significant IMPACT in the Los Angeles community. Our ongoing programs and events, including the LA Sports Awards, LA Sports Innovation Conference and exclusive Board member engagements, drive awareness and funds to meaningful causes such as Ready, Set, Gold! and other charitable initiatives. With this common goal, the LA Sports Council is fulfilling its commitment to bettering the Los Angeles community and celebrating its successes on and off the field.
The RSG! virtual program was developed in response to the emergent needs of distance learning, and has been a game changer for so many young people. The 30-minuteVirtual Ready,Set,Gold!lessons give students the opportunity to exercise with a talented Olympian or Paralympian at home. The virtual curriculum focuses on results-based physical activity conducted without equipment, and SEL topics for teachers to leverage. The fitness portion of the lessons range from endurance and flexibility to balance and strength training, and is developed by Dr. Karen Bloch who led the Sports Medicine and Performance Department for Team USA Water Polo. The thematic units include lessons on goal-setting, perseverance, and leadership –all brought to life by the real personal experiences of RSG!’s Olympic and Paralympic mentors.
Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games (SCCOG) is a 501(c)(3) organization that was originally founded in 1939 to bid for opportunities to host the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In order to invest in the Olympic legacy of Southern California – which boasts the largest population of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the world – SCCOG created the Ready, Set, Gold! program in 2006 with the mission of promoting healthy lifestyles and inspiring, motivating, and educating students about health and fitness as lifelong goals.
Ready, Set, Gold! pairs Olympians and Paralympians with Southern California schools to help students prepare for the FitnessGram, a California state fitness test administered to students in the fifth, seventh, and ninth grades with the goal of encouraging regular physical activity, resulting in healthy lifelong habits. During the school year, RSG! athletes conduct five visits to their school, sharing their Olympic or Paralympic story and how it shaped them into the champion they are today. The athletes coach students on the different components of the FitnessGram along with growth mindset topics such as goal-setting, perseverance, and resilience – skills that helped them become world-class athletes.
Ready, Set, Gold! remains the only program of its kind in the country and is scalable and replicable. The program is endorsed by the Los Angeles City Council, LAUSD and LA 2028, and operates under the auspices of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games.