USA Judo Partners with American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and Four National Governing Bodies to Increase Vaccination in Local Communities

(Colorado Springs, CO) – USA Judo is pleased to announce its participation in Coaching You Up! – a community-driven campaign promoting healthy living, access to vaccines and vaccine education for underserved communities and older adults, including those with aging and disabled populations, as well as the general population.

A Coaching You Up! booth will be onsite at the Dallas Open and President’s Cup tournaments at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas this weekend. More than 1,000 athletes are expected to compete over the course of two days in Las Colinas with Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls among those fighting for gold.

Tournament participants, family members and spectators will be able to access educational materials as well as vaccines for COVID-19 and the flu.

The vaccination clinic will be held from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is open to the general public.

“We want our athletes, their families and our fans to remain healthy throughout this cold and flu season,” said USA Judo CEO Keith Bryant. “We’re thrilled to be able to participate in this partnership and support a healthy community by providing education and vaccination opportunities to our members.”

The latest COVID and influenza vaccines will be available free of charge with private and public insurance coverage. Attendees are encouraged to bring proof of insurance or Medicare/Medicaid cards.

“We lost our three-year-old daughter Emily to the flu in a matter of hours. As one of the founding families of Families Fighting Flu we are dedicated to ensuring our community is aware of the dangers of the flu and the importance of being vaccinated,” said FFF Treasurer and Colleyville, TX resident Joe Lastinger. “Working with Coaching You Up!, through USA Judo’s event this weekend is a unique opportunity to make vaccination accessible in a different setting.”

USA Judo clubs and sanctioned tournaments also are encouraged to participate in the Coaching You Up! program where tournaments can receive funds for having onsite activations during their events. For more information on how to get your event involved, contact Connor.Jenkins@usajudo.us.

The campaign is a partnership to expand novel pathways for public health communications between the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and five Olympic sport National Governing Bodies – USA Judo, USA Boxing, USA Fencing, USA Karate and USA Curling.

The Coaching You Up! campaign launched in 2021 and has now expanded to include the five NGBs who will work together with ASCP to leverage their resources to host community vaccination clinics during local, regional and nationally sanctioned events. This partnership was made possible with a sub-grant awarded by USAging’s Aging and Disability Vaccination Collaborative and funded through the U.S. Administration for Community Living. The implementation of this program will continue to be supported by McUlsky Health Force – a strategic advocacy firm which focuses on advocacy relations, health care policy and strategic communications.

“We are proud to continue to support the work of the NGBs and ASCP member pharmacists who are coordinating a truly novel effort to ensure their 2023/2024 vaccination outreach activities are effective and complementary across a wide range of communities throughout the entire country,” said Janet McUlsky, President of MHF.

In addition, this campaign offers volunteer pharmacy students an opportunity to interact with people of different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds to conduct outreach and education for all the attending fans, friends and families. All of the participating organizations are dedicated to serving all populations, especially those from historically underserved neighborhoods, which include communities of color, LGBTQ+, and Native American; have low incomes or limited English proficiency, and those who live in hard-to-reach rural areas.

The expansion of Coaching You Up will include 50 onsite activations across the country from now through April 15, 2024. For more information visit www.coachingyouup.org.

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is the only international professional society devoted to optimal medication management and improved health outcomes for all older persons. ASCP's members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, sub-acute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and home and community-based care.

USA Judo is 501-c-3 non-profit organization based in Colorado Springs and the National Governing Body for the sport of judo in the United States. USA Judo serves more than 11,000 members annually, including athletes, coaches, referees, volunteers and supporters. A proud member organization of the International Judo Federation, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the International Blind Sports Association, USA Judo’s mission is to enable all U.S. athletes to achieve sustained competitive excellence in domestic and international judo competition, and the promotion and growth of the sport of judo in the United States.

Founded in 2004, Families Fighting Flu (FFF) is a national, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) advocacy organization dedicated to protecting children, families, and communities against the flu. Our organization includes families whose loved ones have suffered serious medical complications or died from influenza, as well as other advocates and healthcare professionals committed to flu education and prevention.