Smoke Free Soccer: Coaches Manual
Foreward
Dear Coach,
There’s a question on a lot of your players’ minds—if not now, then
soon—it’s, "Should I smoke or not?" The answer seems like a no-brainer,
but to young people it’s a hard decision they have to deal with every day.
And between being bombarded by seductive ads and being pulled by peer pressure,
3,000 young Americans decide to start smoking every day. And 1,000 of them
will die prematurely from tobacco-related disease. That’s a statistic none
of us wants to see go up. And that’s where you come in.
Next to a parent, a coach or a teacher is the most influential person
in a young person’s life. So don’t downplay your impact. About 80% of adult
smokers started smoking before they turned 18. You can change that. Just
talk to your players. Tell them how smoking affects their play on the field
and their lives off it. Tell them about how it shortens their breath; how
it slows their reaction time; how it only leads to disease. Tell them, "You
smoke, you choke." You’re their coach. They will listen.
Thank you, Coach. The lessons you teach your players will last them a
lifetime. With your help, that can be a long, long time.
Sincerely,
Richard Carmona, M.D.
Surgeon General
U.S. Public Health Service
Department of Health and Human Services
Page last updated 02/28/2007
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