Community Outreach Program

North America Sports is proud to integrate the community into the amazing world of triathlon! This program is founded to promote the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and is made possible through the NA Sports Community Fund.

Triathlon is not just about logging miles and miles of training. It is about commitment, dedication and perseverance. These are qualities necessary to successfully navigate all of life’s challenges, and triathletes are the true embodiment of these character assets.

In an age of video games and television, the rate of child obesity is on the rise and these athletes can serve as a positive a role model for today’s youth. Research has shown that participation in sports leads to improved physical, mental and social well-being as well as a positive self-image.  In addition, physically fit children have been shown to perform better in school.  

The Adopt an Athlete program will bring triathletes into schools to educate students on the benefits of leading a healthy and fit lifestyle. They will also demonstrate how this involvement in sport can help to build strong character.  Our focus is to improve health while developing positive personal characteristics including discipline, courage, integrity, fairness and respect.  This program is designed for, and caters to, Elementary to Middle School classes with students ages 6 – 12.

The goal of NA Sports and its Community Fund is to reach out to the communities in which our events take place. We focus on the six Ironman event locations:

• Tempe, Arizona (Ford Ironman Arizona)
• Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene)
• Lake Placid, New York (Ford Ironman Lake Placid)
• Penticton, British Columbia (Subaru Ironman Canada)
• Madison, Wisconsin (Ford Ironman Wisconsin)
• Panama City Beach, Florida (Ford Ironman Florida)

If you are a registered athlete in one of these races who resides in ones of these cities or a city in the surrounding area of those listed above, then you are eligible to enroll in the Adopt an Athlete Program*.

Both teachers and athletes may enroll individually and there will be a match process based on requests and locations. The fastest way to get started is if athlete already knows a teacher who is willing to host them. In this case, the athlete will fill in their own personal information as well as that of the hosting teacher.

If you are an athlete registered in one of the events listed above and do not have a teacher, you will be matched with one based on location and teacher availability. If you are a teacher who would like to participate, we encourage you to sign up and an athlete will be assigned to your classroom.

*If you do not live in one of the six Ironman host cities listed above but are registered for one of the Ironman events listed above, you may still qualify to participate. Outside of the six cities, you must provide a teacher/classroom to host you.  When you enroll, fill out your information as well as the teacher’s and both parties will be contacted. 

As an out-of-state participant, athletes will follow the same rules and expectations minus any information regarding the Kids Fun Run, as that only applies to host cities.

• The program begins upon the first visit of the athlete to the classroom and ends with the “Kid’s Fun Run” held the day before Ironman.
• The adopted athlete or teacher sign up as a pair or are assigned to each other.
• Each teacher and athlete receive a phone call from the program director with notification and to answer any questions.
• Athlete contacts teacher to set up visitation dates and times. This is decided solely between teacher and athlete. A minimum of three visits is requested with one post-race visit but this is defined by the teacher and school schedule.
• Athlete receives “Adopt an Athlete Kit” via UPS. The kit includes; instructions, visitation ideas, Kid’s Fun Passport, Evaluation card, Essence of Ironman DVD, Kids Fun Run flyers, a polo shirt, and official IM sponsor gear to use as prizes for students.
• Teachers receive via email; a welcome letter with contact information and instructions, letter for parents, and an evaluation card
• During athlete’s visit, they will encourage kids to accumulate and log hours of activity. This can be soccer practice or running at recess.  To do this, each student is provided a “Fun Passport”. The passport includes ideas of active things to do as well as coupons to local activity centers.
• The program can also involve the entire family! Parents, guardians or coaches can assist the children in documenting their hours by joining in on their activities or encouraging them.  Hours logged are based on adult supervision and the honor system. 
• Various sponsor gear is used to award or just toss out to the students upon each visit.
• The athlete will encourage the classroom to participate in the Kids Fun Run held the week of the Ironman at the race venue. Adopted classrooms will have a meeting place where they can meet their adopted athlete to lead them in stretching and help pin numbers on. Kids can run the course with their ‘adopted’ athlete!
• Athletes should encourage class to spectate on race day or follow their progress on www.Ironman.com.

• To enroll in the program athletes must be officially registered in one of the current year's NA Sports Ironman events:
  • Ford Ironman Arizona
  • Ford Ironman Coeur d’ Alene
  • Ford Ironman Lake Placid
  • Subaru Ironman Canada
  • Ford Ironman Wisconsin
  • Ford Ironman Florida.
• NA Sports reserves the right to deny or disqualify anyone from the program
• An enrolled athlete is expected to behave in a professional manner as a representative of NA Sports and the sport of Ironman.
• Make a minimum of 3 pre-race visits and one post race visit in a timely and professional fashion
• Respect the teacher and classroom setting