U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, second from left, holds a signed memorandum on youth sports in the Indianapolis Colts practice facility on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. (Photo by Jack Forrest/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Four federal agencies are collaborating on connecting sports to academic success, health and job opportunities, particularly for youth living in public housing.
Flanked by members of the Warren Central High School girls flag football team Tuesday inside the Indianapolis Colts practice facility, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, who played eight seasons in the NFL, signed the memorandum of understanding with officials from other agencies.
“It’s one thing to tell young people, ‘Go outside and play, go do this,’” Turner said. “But it’s another thing to provide them with the tools that they need to lead a healthy lifestyle and to be successful.”
The plan among HUD and the federal education, labor, and health and human services departments seeks to identify areas where underserved families live to implement youth sports programming that advances “life skills and financial literacy development,” educational engagement and career prep.
The agreement doesn’t identify specific planned areas, programs or goals.
HUD Great Lakes Regional Administrator Duey Stroebel told reporters that getting “as many (kids) as we can” to participate in the program would be a sign of success. Football will be one sport emphasized, he said, but also “all athletics.”
“It brings working as a team, discipline, time management, whatever sport you’re talking about,” Stroebel said. “Those are just great life skills to impart at a young age for our youth that hopefully they can carry on to other aspects of their life.”
The partnership aims to make progress using existing federal systems, like youth and local workforce development programs, as well as with local and private collaborations. It doesn’t require any additional financial commitment from the partner agencies, either.
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Courtesy of Indiana Capital Chronicle
