Mallory Weggeman: Thanks, everybody!

Hey guys! It's Mallory Weggemann here. I just wanted to take a moment to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who cheered me on during the US Swim Team Trials in Bismarck, North Dakota! I couldn't have done it without you, and I really appreciate all the support you gave to me and the other competitors!

So much hard work and preparation goes into the days, weeks, months and years leading up to competitions like this, and it's so rewarding to see so many people who are passionate about something that means so much to me!

Swimming is my passion, and for me to reach this level of competition and see my dreams become reality, I have had to live a healthy lifestyle and make positive choices each and every day — even from the time I was young. I want other kids today to make those same healthy choices so that they can make their dreams come true, too!

That's why I was so inspired by the huge number of kids who came over to Ask, Listen, Learn's exhibit at Aqua Zone! It was so great to hang out with them, sign autographs, take pictures and talk with them about the different ways to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking. Plus, I was pretty impressed by how good they were at Ask, Listen, Learn's interactive game! It's encouraging to see young people learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle because that is the first step toward living a happy life and reaching your goals.  If you haven't stopped by the Ask, Listen, Learn booth at Aqua Zone, go over and check it out before you leave!

When I was younger, my dad would always say to me, “You are the best, you can make a difference, and you can change the world.” I would say the same thing to you! So, go be the change you want to see in the world and be an example to other kids by saying “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking!

Thanks again for all of your support, and I wish you the best of luck in making your dreams come true! See you after the summer games!

Ask, Listen, Learn at the Swim Trials!

Day Four

Ask, Listen, Learn ambassador Mallory Weggemann was kind enough to stop by and sign autographs for fans - check it out!

Ask, Listen, Learn with Debbie Phelps in New York!

June is a busy month for Ask, Listen, Learn!  Earlier in the month we sat down with Debbie Phelps and local DC bloggers.  Yesterday we traveled to New York with Debbie and appeared on TODAY  to talk about our Ask, Listen, Learn program and the vital role parents, educators, and coaches play in influencing youth to adopt healthy lifestyles and steer clear of underage drinking.  

The Big Countdown to Aqua Zone

It's a busy week of preparation here as we get ready to head to the 2012 Olympic Swim Trials.

Held this year from June 25^th to July 2^nd, the best swimmers from all over the country will be assembling in Omaha, Nebraska to determine who will be representing the United States in London this summer.

Among the competing swimmers will be Gold Medalist Rebecca Soni and U.S. Paralympic National Team swimmer Mallory Weggemann, both ambassadors of the Ask, Listen, Learn program. Both will be dropping by our exhibit to sign autographs and meet fans. Ask, Listen, Learn  ambassador Debbie Phelps is also speaking on her lessons learned as the mother of 3 U.S. Swimmers.

Ask, Listen, Learn teaches kids to say 'YES' to a healthy lifestyle and 'NO' to underage drinking. With the tens of thousands of fans who'll be present at the CenturyLink Convention Center, the Swim Trials will be an ideal venue for our message.

While at the Ask, Listen, Learn exhibit, kids can play the Ask, Listen, Learn game, pick up Ask, Listen, Learn branded swimming gear, and pledge to say 'YES' to a healthy lifestyle and 'NO' to underage drinking.

We're excited to be a part of Aqua Zone to share our message with the tens of thousands of fans who will be coming though the CenturyLink Convention Center. Stay tuned to Facebook and twitter and the blog for more updates before and during trials!

Games for Health Conference: Exergaming on the rise

We recently had the opportunity to attend The 8th Annual Games for Health Conference.  Hundreds of game developers, health professionals, and leading researchers got together in Boston to discover, brainstorm, and debate how videogame and videogame technologies can work to improve health and healthcare. 

The conference proved to be both engaging and informative.  There was plenty of research on gaming and its potential uses in health, from prevention to treatment.  Several of the discussions focused on the use of exergaming as a tool to increase physical activity.  A key take away from the conference is that this combination of exercise and videogames (exergaming) is becoming more and more prevalent, particularly in the physical education field.  Our Ask, Listen Learn game was highlighted in the News from the Field section of the most recent edition of the Games for Health Journal distributed at the conference.    

The concept of combining games and exercise to achieve positive health outcomes is of particular interest to us.  Our Ask, Listen, Learn Interactive Game provides users with the chance to exercise while answering questions about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the dangers of underage drinking.  This free resource is available to Physical Education teachers and other health education professionals.  If you're interested, learn more about the Ask, Listen, Learn game!

A Father's Day message from Tyson + Bryan!

Hey guys! It's Bryan Clay and Tyson Gay here, and, in honor of Father's Day, we wanted to team-up to talk to you about the importance of another incredible group of Superstars: dads.

We are both blessed and fortunate enough to be fathers ourselves. And, as dads, we know the joy and fulfillment that comes along with that role, like watching our kids grow up and become stronger and more independent, teaching them our values and helping them learn from their experiences. But, making sure our kids are being placed in the best possible position to become successful and happy in life is a huge responsibility for us as dads. It is a role full of difficult decisions. Actually, you could say fatherhood is all about making decisions.

But, parents aren't the only people who have to make tough choices and accept both the rewards and consequences of those choices. Kids do, too.

Youth face incredible pressures today from all directions — from friends, parents, teachers and coaches, to name a few. The two of us, along with the other Ask, Listen, Learn Superstars, have been privileged enough to visit middle schools all across the country and hear some of the difficult situations kids are placed in and the often daunting decisions they are confronted with.

The choice of whether to drink alcohol before you are old enough to do so is among the most common and troubling decisions we've discovered they are presented with.

As world-class athletes, it would have been difficult for us to reach high levels of competition had we made unhealthy choices like drinking underage. But, we also understand how hard it can sometimes be to say “no,” especially if the pressure comes from someone close to you. So, we've listed our 10 favorite ways for kids to say “yes” to a healthy lifestyle and “no” to underage drinking at the bottom of the page to help you stay on track to the healthy, successful life you've envisioned for yourself.

Always remember that, as fathers, we constantly want what's best for our kids. And even though it doesn't always seem like it, we are pretty wise guys, and we love to give advice. So, talk to Dad (or any adult with whom you feel comfortable) about the best ways to make healthy choices become healthy habits in your life. And when it comes to drinking underage, we both know you are smart enough to say “yes” to a healthy lifestyle and “no” to underage drinking!

Happy Father's Day!

-Tyson and Bryan

DC Bloggers treated to an afternoon with Debbie Phelps

Good Luck, Tyson!

Tomorrow we'll be cheering on our Superstar Tyson Gay in the Adidas Grand Prix. The event is at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York, and Tyson will be competing in the Men's 100m. 

Tyson has been training hard and living a healthy lifestyle, so we know he'll do his best. With all our support from the Ask, Listen, Learn team, we wish you the best of luck, Tyson!!

Thank you, Apollo Middle School!

We had a really awesome Ask, Listen, Learn event in Hollywood, Florida this morning. Paralympic champion Mallory Weggemann and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz entertained the room of 315 8^th graders at Apollo Middle School with our presentation about healthy lifestyles.

Everyone had a great time running as fast as they could on the game, though we're sure the times will only get better with practice in PE class and after school! The students also enjoyed hearing what Mallory had to say about training hard for the Swimming Trials coming up in Bismarck, ND!

Thanks to all the teachers and students for having us- keep up your good work the last weeks of school, guys!