June 18, 2025
Helping youth connect, move, and thrive
After the third year of Kaiser Permanente and Los Angeles Football Club’s partnership in empowering youth through soccer, here are 3 key takeaways.
Students practice managing emotions through soccer drills at an LAFC Fit field trip.
LAFC Fit, which started in 2023, is a 4-week program that combines soccer with science to teach students about health and wellness. Teachers lead students through fun lessons that mix exercise and learning. Kaiser Permanente partners with the Los Angeles Football Club and Science of Sport to bring this program to schools across Los Angeles.
Since it began, over 18,000 students have learned how moving their bodies, eating well, and being mindful can help them feel better and stay healthy. To mark the end of another successful season, we’re sharing 3 key learnings from LAFC Fit.
1. Community plays a role in good health
The people and places around you can shape your health. Through sports, kids build confidence, make friends, and feel like they belong. These experiences help create a sense of community and support better health. This is why LAFC Fit uses soccer to bring students together and teach habits they can apply to all parts of life.
“At Kaiser Permanente, we believe that health is influenced by more than just medical care. It’s deeply connected to the communities we live in,” said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, regional president of Kaiser Permanente in Southern California and Hawaii. “That’s why we invest in programs like LAFC Fit, that build healthier communities and empower young people where they live and learn.”
Dr. Sallis, LAFC team physician, gives teachers tools to promote student health and wellness in the classroom.
2. Movement builds healthy habits for life
Physical activity is more than just a way to stay fit; it’s a habit that helps keep you healthy for life. Through LAFC Fit’s lessons, students learn how moving their bodies helps them grow stronger, feel more energetic, and focus in school. This also helps them build healthy habits that last as they grow up.
At the teachers' workshop, Robert E. Sallis, MD, a sports medicine doctor at Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center and team physician for the Los Angeles Football Club, talked about why movement is important.
“When kids learn to enjoy movement early in life, they’re more likely to stay active and healthy as they grow,” he shared. “In my work with professional athletes and youth alike, I’ve seen how powerful movement can be."
Robert Fernandez is leading a group of teenagers in an energizing stretch in a park
3. Sports help students grow emotionally and socially
Sports teach more than just how to play. Youth also learn how to manage their feelings, bounce back from challenges, and connect with others. These skills are important for mental health.
At the field trip to Exposition Park, Robert Fernandez, a regional manager of employee wellness at Kaiser Permanente, kicked off the day with stretches. Afterward, the students visited stations where they practiced thinking skills and how to handle emotions.
“Seeing the students light up as they answered questions about health and wellness was incredible,” said Fernandez. “This shows that students connected with the curriculum and programs like LAFC Fit can make a difference.”
Looking ahead
LAFC Fit is more than just a program. It’s a long-term way to support youth health and well-being. The lessons go beyond school and help youth live healthier, more balanced lives.
With our partners, we’re building a future where youth can connect, move, and thrive.
