USA Track & Field (USATF) has joined the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) in their NGB Connection Based Coaching Challenge as a part of the Million Coaches Challenge, an initiative led by the Susan Crown Exchange to train one million coaches in youth development techniques by 2025. Millions of youth are involved with organized sports each year, and coaches play an invaluable role in the development of healthy and successful athletes at all levels and age groups. However, less than a third of the coaches in the U.S. have been trained in proper youth development practices. In an effort to support the goals of the Million Coaches Challenge, the USOPC has created a free, self-paced online course called Connection Based Coaching, which focuses on teaching social and emotional learning skills. The USOPC aims to train at least 40,000 coaches by 2025 using this curriculum, which consists of three 30-minute modules. As a part of this initiative, USATF and other National Governing Bodies (NGBs) are participating in the Connection Based Coaching Challenge to help the USOPC reach their 40,000-coach goal with up to $15,000 in funding to be awarded to an NGB with the most coaches trained. With the goal to train coaches across the country in youth development techniques by 2025, USATF would like to invite members, fans, coaches, and supporters to join the movement to ensure kids across the country have access to coaches who are well versed in youth development techniques to help kids succeed in and out of competition. Those interested in supporting USATF in the Connection Based Coaching Challenge can sign up for a free series of three 30-minute trainings on the USOPC Mobile Coach Platform by registering under track and field when selecting their NGB of choice. More information about USATF’s participation in the Connection Based Coaching Challenge as a part of the Million Coaches Challenge can be found here. To register, please click here.