Goal
D-UP's primary goal is to teach healthier eating and increase activity habits to children in Guilford County; to help them maintain weight or reduce the rate of weight gain by using basketball as a platform.
Philosophy
D-UP's philosophy is to help children gain the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to establish physical activity and healthy eating habits as they learn the fundamentals of basketball with professional, encouraging, and enthusiastic coaches. Our personnel is committed to keeping FUN in fundamentals while meeting each child at her or her need and doing repetitive drills to maximize training. We challenge each child to improve his or her own level of performance and we encourage and award participation, achievement, and success. It is of great importance to our founders, board of directors, staff, and volunteers to make ever D-UP moment an opportunity to instill "Life Skill" values such as courage, integrity, kindness, perseverance, respect, responsibility, self-discipline, resilience, and self-esteem.
Overview
Basketball is an excellent conditioning sport and participation improves physical fitness, coordination, and self-discipline. It gives children valuable opportunities to learn about sportsmanship, leadership, and teamwork. There is no "I" in teamwork, but the skills needed for basketball can be practiced individually. D-UP has taken a radical approach of combating childhood obesity by incorporating pedometers in all of the programs to increase the awareness that physical activity or the lack of it is a major component of obesity. There are a variety of programs; form toddlers dribbling the basketball for the first time to youth basketball lovers who have the desire, will, and discipline to take their game to the next level -- making them better team players. The major focus of the programs regardless of the level is designed to introduce a variety of exercises, activities, and drills that:
I. Teach the fundamentals and basic skills of basketball, the guidelines for safe play of basketball, and the glossary of terms of basketball.
II. Give guidance and education on nutrition, personal wellness, and proper technique of fitness.
