Ben Simmons & Frosted Flakes launch “Mission Tiger” to help fund youth athletics

Ben Simmons is spending his offseason showing that he wants to be known for more than basketball. Simmons has been on tour in his native Australia helping promote The Australian Dream, a documentary about Australian footballer and anti-racism advocate Adam Goodes for which Ben is an executive producer. And now, Simmons is pairing up with Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes brand “on a Mission to Give More Kids Access to In-School Sports”.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Aug. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kids may be returning to school soon but unfortunately, they might not be returning to school sports. According to a new survey of middle school teachers engaged with nonprofit DonorsChoose.org, 6 in 10 feel that their middle school athletic programs are barely funded or underfunded. A lack of funding accounts for 47% of cuts to middle school sports programs, the survey finds.

Sports help shape kids’ lives. They teach teamwork, build confidence and help fuel kids’ academic potential. Studies reveal that physically active children score up to 40% higher on tests and are 15% more likely to go to college.

Tony the Tiger® and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® want to provide more kids access to the benefits of sports with the launch of “Mission Tiger,” an initiative to help save middle schools sports. The multiyear program kicks off today with a $1 million commitment to DonorsChoose.org, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about projects from real coaches, teachers and administrators in need. Whether a team has been eliminated, needs to upgrade training equipment or needs new uniforms, “Mission Tiger” is ready to help.

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TONY’S FIRST RECRUIT

Former Tiger and NBA star Ben Simmons is teaming up with Tony because he believes in his mission. “The opportunity to be exposed to multiple sports at a young age not only solidified my passion for the game of basketball, but it also instilled the drive to work hard and compete — which ultimately allowed me to turn my passion into a professional career,” said Simmons.

Good for Ben! I think this is a wonderful cause to support. I am a staunch believer in the importance of youth athletics and I find it genuinely saddening any time I hear about a local school losing a program. I can say from my own experience that youth athletics played a crucial role in my development as a person. As a matter of fact, I’m certain that my drop off in athletic competition/activity from high school to college negatively affected my mental health. I became less trusting of others, I struggled to find motivation and desire for personal achievement, and I had no outlet to dispose of the negative energy building up in my mind, leading to depressive episodes. Only when I forced myself to get involved in intramural and social leagues did I start to realize why I was having such a hard time in the areas listed above. So I have first hand experience testifying to the power of being a part of a team, getting your daily dose of competition and being physically active, and also what can happen when you take that away from a kid (I was, after all, still a kid in college).