About Athletes For A Better World

Mission Statement

The mission of Athletes for a Better World (ABW) is to use sports to develop character, teamwork, and citizenship through commitment to an athletic Code for Living that applies to life, and to create a movement that will play a significant role in the transformation of individuals, sports, and society.

Members of Athletes for a Better World are those individuals who affirm and seek to live by the following:

The Code For Living

Life Principles Learned Through Sports

Because I am a role model and have the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference in the lives of others, I commit to this Code. I will take responsibility and appropriate actions when I fail to live up to it.

As an individual:

I will develop my skills to the best of my ability and give my best effort in practice and competition.

I will compete within the spirit and letter of the rules of my sport.

I will respect the dignity of every human being, and will not be abusive or dehumanizing of anyone either as an athlete or as a fan.

As a member of a team:

I will place team goals ahead of personal goals.

I will be a positive influence on the relationships on the team.

I will follow the team rules established by the coach.

As a member of a society:

I will display caring and honorable behavior off the field and be a positive influence in my community and world.

I will give of my time, skills, and money as I am able for the betterment of my community and world.

Goals

The programs of ABW are designed to encourage acceptance and use of the Code for Living and reaffirm the decisions of athletes to:

Work hard at their sport
Demonstrate fair play
Come together as one team
Win or lose with grace and dignity
Give something back to the community

Objective

Through participation in the programs of ABW, athletes, coaches, and parents will become better people in all aspects of life and will demonstrate the value of Winning More than the Game.

Our History

Athletes for a Better World (ABW) was founded by Fred Northup in June of 1998. The organization arose out of a need for positive mentoring of young people in sport. As a result, ABW staff and members have been working to create a sport environment where athletes, coaches, fans, and parents provide leadership that makes an identifiable and measurable difference in society.

Since its inception in Seattle thousands of athletes, coaches, and parents in countless schools, leagues, club sports and organizations involved in more than 20 sports from youth leagues to professional teams in the US and several foreign countries have joined ABW and are following the Code for Living. ABW encourages commitment to positive values such as discipline, integrity, respect, cooperation, and compassion. By joining ABW, members are standing together for the values they recognize are essential for sport and for the world. As the ABW team increases, together, we can change the culture of sport at all levels.