ST. LOUIS – Chris Draft, NFL linebacker with the St. Louis Rams, announced today that he is partnering with the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA), including Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder as well as the other Lieutenant Governors across the country, on the “Winning with Asthma” Coach’s Clipboard Campaign. Draft will serve as the national spokesperson for the campaign. “Winning with Asthma” is a free online program for coaches, fitness leaders and others to learn more about asthma and how they can support young athletes who suffer from the disease.

“As an athlete who has suffered from asthma since college, I feel it is important that coaches, teachers and parents know how to manage young athletes’ asthma symptoms,” Draft said. “I am so excited to be a part of this program, helping kids with asthma know that with proper management, they can be active and play sports just like anyone else.”

“We are very pleased to be working with Chris Draft on the Winning with Asthma program,” said Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder. “Our mission is to educate parents, coaches and students on the effects of asthma and how to identify symptoms of the disease.”

Asthma is the most common chronic disorder in childhood, affecting an estimated 6.8 million children under 18 years old. For some children with asthma, everyday activities can be challenging if their asthma is not well-controlled. Sports and other physical activities can also pose a problem if asthma symptoms aren’t managed properly or coaches don’t know what to do in case of an asthma attack.

Founded in Utah and Minnesota, the “Winning with Asthma” campaign was created for coaches to learn about asthma, how it affects an athlete’s ability to compete and how they can help athletes manage their symptoms while playing at their best.  To date, over 8,000 coaches have graduated from the program.  

The free online course utilizes a 30-minute educational video followed by a survey. Upon completion, each participant receives an asthma pamphlet and a clipboard outlining what should be done during an asthma attack.  

The NLGA “Winning with Asthma” program expansion was to seven states including Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

The NLGA is the professional association for the elected officials who are first in line of succession to the governors in the 50 states and five territorial jurisdictions (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).

As an asthma sufferer and athlete, Chris Draft developed the the Asthma Team™ as part of the Chris Draft Family Foundation. The Asthma Team™ is a partnership between families, children and organizations across the country that are working diligently to teach their community that asthma is manageable and that asthma attacks are preventable. For more information on the Asthma Team™, visit www.chrisdraftfamilyfoundation.org. 

To learn more about the “Winning with Asthma” program or to take the online course, visit www.winningwithasthma.org

This campaign expansion was funded by the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) and a contribution from AstraZeneca.