Fighting the Youth Mental Health Crisis: Adelphi Joins $2M “Empower Every Coach” Initiative

Adelphi University has been selected as an inaugural partner in the Empower Every Coach (EEC) program, a national initiative focused on advancing systems-level change in youth sports across the United States.

Through this initiative, more than $2 million in funding has been awarded to 10 organizations, including Adelphi, leading bold efforts focused on policy, research, narrative change and organizational practice to help make quality coaching accessible to all young people.

Building on the Million Coaches Challenge milestone achievement of training more than one million coaches in youth development and mental health practices, the EEC cohort focuses on what comes next: strengthening the systems, structures and supports that make quality coaching accessible to all young people.

As part of the partnership, Adelphi will receive $250,000 to support the University's mental health guidelines project led by Meredith Whitley, PhD, professor of health and sport sciences, a leading scholar in sport for development, which intentionally uses physical activity, play and structured sports as a vehicle to drive social change, peace building and community development.

"To combat the escalating youth mental health crisis, this project establishes a pathway to transform a fragmented, high-pressure sports ecosystem into a psychologically safe environment by equipping adult leaders with actionable, evidence-based guidance," said Dr. Whitley. "We are deeply grateful for the continued support of Movember, and we are thrilled to be an inaugural partner in the Million Coaches Challenge Empower Every Coach cohort. Joining this national cohort of 10 organizations allows us to collectively advance systems-level change in youth sports through policy, research, narrative change and organizational practice."

In addition to Adelphi, the 2026 Empower Every Coach Learning Community includes the following partners and projects: The Ad Council, Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, FundPlay Foundation, National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), The Sport Industry Research Center at Temple University, LiFEsports at The Ohio State University and the Ohio High School Athletic Association, Positive Coaching Alliance, United States Soccer Federation, and University of Washington Center for Leadership in Athletics (UW CLA) and National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Facilitated by Aspen Institute's Project Play, partners will collaborate over the next 18 months through quarterly convening, shared learning opportunities and collective problem-solving designed to accelerate systems-level impact across the youth sports ecosystem.

About Million Coaches Challenge

The Million Coaches Challenge is a national initiative launched by the Susan Crown Exchange in 2021 to transform youth sports by training coaches in evidence-based youth development practices. Backed by leading organizations across sports, research and youth development, MCC works to equip coaches with the tools to create positive, inclusive environments where young people can thrive on and off the field.

About Susan Crown Exchange

Susan Crown Exchange (SCE) is a grant-making foundation with a mission to prepare youth to thrive in a rapidly changing world. SCE supports organizations that promote social and emotional learning and youth well-being, explore the relationship between technology and society, and build critical life skills through youth sports.