About Us
What is Active4Youth?
Active4Youth was founded in 2005 by Mike Bresson to revive the elementary sports programs in Spokane Public Schools that were eliminated due to budget cuts.
At Active4Youth, we believe that by teaching sports and introducing healthy activities to children at a young age, we can begin to address the alarming rise of childhood obesity while providing children with a safe place to play after school.
About the Founder
Mike Bresson is a transplant to Spokane, moving here to attend law school at Gonzaga University. A former collegiate soccer player, Mike turned to running in his mid 20s and favors half marathons, marathons and of course Bloomsday. In the fall of 2009 and at the age of 38, Mike ran his personal best in the Twin Cities Marathon, with a time of 2:22. His running goal is to run a sub 2:22 marathon before reaching the age of 40.
Although running takes a significant amount of time, Mike’s biggest joys are his wife, Heidi, their son Brookes, and his elder law practice. Heidi, a Fitness and Health teacher at Bemiss Elementary School and 3:16 marathoner, was a major factor in the creation of Active4Youth and continues to give guidance and direction. Her student population at Bemiss was truly the impetus for Active4Youth.
When asked why afterschool sports, Mike is quick to reply “Spokane has a large population of children who can’t afford to participate in organized sports. These are children that would benefit from the exposure to awesome role models while learning how to live a healthy and active lifestyle. Moreover, I wouldn’t be where I am without sports. Sports provided me with so many intangible qualities, such as self-confidence, a sense of belongingness, teamwork, sportsmanship, and discipline, all while giving me an outlet for my hyper-activity. I don’t care if a child competes recreationally or at the highest level, I just want to give that child the opportunity to experience the joy from sports I did.”