Central Islip, N.Y. - Up2Us, a coalition of more than 650 nonprofit organizations that believe in the power of sports to fight childhood obesity, end academic failure, and reduce gang participation, will have Ronald Washington Jr., who played for the Queens College men’s basketball team, serve as a Coach Across America coach at Westhab's Elm Street Youth Center during the Summer of 2014.

After the end of the Spring semester, Washington, from Bronx, N.Y, joined the Up2Us Coach Across America program through efforts by ECC Commissioner, Dr. Robert Dranoff, who secured National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) funding for the third straight year to provide career development for one student-athlete in the conference.  Andrea Slavin, formerly of Queens College, and Johannah Mitchell, a St. Thomas Aquinas College alum, were the ECC representative selected to the Up2Us Coach Across America partnership the past two summers.  

The Up2Us Coach Across America program is a national initiative supporting a workforce of coaches who focus on positive youth development through sports.  Up2Us currently places 400 coaches in more than 300 low-income communities across 28 states to positively impact 55,000 children and youth.  These coaches serve kids through a wide range of traditional and non-traditional sports inspiring academic improvement, healthy lifestyles and positive self-esteem among youth.

ECC Commissioner, Dr. Robert Dranoff stated, "The relationship we have built with Coach Across America over the past three years has been so positive for our student-athletes, the ECC and for CAA, and the young people they serve.  We are very pleased to have connected this year with Ron Washington from Queens. He clearly is excited with the opportunity to learn and to serve kids in the community." Dranoff continued, saying, "The chance also to assist Westhab, an organization which makes such a contribution to the families and young people in the city of Yonkers, is another great opportunity for everyone involved with the ECC."

Washington will work with the Elm Street Youth Center, located in Yonkers, New York. The Elm Street Youth Center is located in Nodine Hill, a neighborhood suffering from extreme poverty and economic distress. Opened in 2006 to address the lack of after-school programming in the community, the ESYC operates within a school building and is open to the community year-round, free of charge. He is coaching the ESYC's baseball and basketball teams in which he works with elementary and middle school children, many of whom have never participated in structured team sports activities.

"Ron Washington came to Westhab seeking an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of urban youth, and he is doing just that," said John Perssinen, Communication Coordinator at Westhab Inc.  "He takes his work seriously, he knows how to communicate complex ideas into easily relatable information that the kids understand, and he has great positive energy and enthusiasm, which the kids pick up on and emulate."

Check back on www.eccsports.org throughout the summer for a blog written by Ron on his experiences with Westhab and Coach Across America.