NFL veteran linebacker Chris Draft will be taking his message of health and wellness to “The Hill” for special Senate and House briefings on September 22 and 23. Draft, joined by 70 youth sports leaders from across the country and Up2Us, will discuss the success and challenges with youth sports and the need to keep youth actively engaged in sporting activities.

“With more than $2 billion being cut from after-school sporting programs and activities nationwide, we find that kids are left without safe and nurturing outlet in neighborhoods across America,” said Draft, who played both collegiate football and baseball at Stanford. “We put our young people at risk of increased gang violence, teen pregnancy, school dropout rates and more.”

Statistics show that juvenile crimes are typically committed from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. “As community leaders, we have to stay committed to giving our young people the best start at life. So many character and leadership lessons can be learned through organized sports and after-school activities. I’m committed to making sure that our leaders in Washington understand the importance and impact underfunding critical programs have on communities and families nationwide.”

During the two-day event, Up2Us will also sponsor a Town Hall Meeting, and the Coaches of the Year reception in addition to the House and Senate briefings.

To find out more about The Chris Draft Family Foundation’s effort to support youth and families, visit www.chrisdraftfamilyfoundation.org.

Up2Us is a national coalition of Sports-Based Youth Development (SBYD) organizations. Since 2008, Up2Us has been leading the movement to use sports to address critical issues facing youth- issues like childhood obesity, poor health and nutrition, academic failure and antisocial behavior.