Mayors Deedee Corradini, Sharpe James, and Thomas Menino addressed members of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) on April 21 during the organization's annual conference at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Addressing an audience of physical educators, college and university faculty, researchers, coaches, athletic directors and trainers from around the country, the mayors discussed strategies to make cities more "fitness friendly."

Pointing to studies that show that obesity is on the rise, the mayors emphasized that fitness needs to become a part of every American's lifestyle. The mayors called for more funding for sports programs, especially for children. By getting kids involved in exercise now, we can limit the risks of heart disease, developing diabetes, high blood pressure and a host of other problems for them as they become older.

Physical education classes have been cut dramatically in schools around the country, making it ever more vital that cities lobby to bring physical activity back into schools and to provide additional outlets for children to be active outside of school. Mayor Corradini's remarks, well received, generated particularly enthusiastic applause when she called for funding to be restored for physical education programs throughout the nation's schools.

The USCM was invited to present to the group because of its concern for youth fitness exemplified by the many youth-oriented initiatives launched this year including the Mayors' OlympiKids for Fitness Program, the Mayors' Sports Challenge, and the Mayors' Youth Fitness Board.

Sadly, the day was overshadowed by the news of the shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Mayor Corradini referred to the tragedy in her comments and noted that perhaps sports could have helped the student gunmen to express their feelings before resorting to violence.