Young athletes are the future of sports, and Under Armour has unveiled new initiatives to support their journeys.
The sportswear company’s mission is to help millions of youth by 2030. To achieve this, it announced that it’s working to improve training and access to sports for teenagers including a new collegiate program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), AdAge reports.
“Under Armour is committed to sports at all levels and will continue providing our innovative products to all athletes, while also continuing to offer events and experiences that recognize and elevate athletes as they work towards their daily goals,” said an Under Armour spokeswoman. “We understand that to get to the collegiate level, you need to have access to sport at a young age, which is why we are making this commitment to support more youth athletes on their journey to compete.”
Support For HBCUs
The new program, set to start in February, will provide HBCUs with scholarships and it may also include some uniform outfitting, according to Under Armour.
Under Armour has shown continuous support for HBCUs over the past few years — from partnerships with Howard University and Hampton University to NBA star Stephen Curry’s deal with them being an agent for change. As previously reported by AfroTech, the launch of the Curry Brand set out to help provide opportunities for youth sports in underserved communities worldwide. Curry also told NBC Sports that he wanted to give back to HBCUs through the help of the partnership.
More New Programming
In addition to its committed efforts for HBCUs, Under Armour will have new programming aimed at young athletes like female football players — which starts in March — and a networking program for both coaches and kids.
Under Armour's Marketing
Another new change is Under Armour’s marketing to catalyze more hands on deck for the advancement and success of young athletes.
“It’s not about pushing product—we’ve done that. We want to inspire people with this creative to join us with this movement,” said Giselle Lewis-Archibald, global creative director at Under Armour. “We want to make sure people feel inspired.”