PHIT America Gets Kids Moving with First-Ever PHIT Center

Jim Baugh, PHIT America founder and former president of Wilson Sporting Goods, has made it a mission to address the “pandemic of inactivity” that has led to a rise in diabetes and depression in youth
PHIT America, a nonprofit organization whose name stands for Personal Health Investment Today, has made significant strides through its school-based programs aimed at combating what it calls a pandemic of inactivity among America’s youth.
The nonprofit has announced the launch of its first-ever PHIT Center, opening January 29 at Garden Park Elementary School in Texas, following a collaboration with the Brownsville Independent School District.
If the name rings a bell, it’s because the organization derives its name from the PHIT Act, a proposed piece of legislation currently pending in Congress that it supports. If passed, the PHIT Act would allow Americans to use their pre-tax medical accounts, such as HSAs and FSAs, to cover expenses related to physical activity, such as gym memberships and fitness equipment.

The new open-air PHIT Center will offer youth opportunities to develop sports and fitness skills across various activities, including pickleball, tennis, golf, soccer, running and walking. Students will have access to the center before and after school, during physical education classes, and at recess. The facility plans to open to the community for free on the weekends.
“What PHIT America is doing for Brownsville is truly needed for the current and future wellbeing of our youth,” Garden Park Elementary School principal Cesar Murillo said. “The PHIT Center is defining the future of physical education for America. Every community in the country should emulate what PHIT America is doing in Brownsville, not only for better health but improved academics. We’re thrilled that every public elementary school in town is receiving their four physical education programs.”
Jim Baugh, founder of PHIT America and former president of Wilson Sporting Goods, shared that, alongside the PHIT Center, the nonprofit is also introducing its four physical education programs—Amped, Play Tennis, Play Golf, and Play Pickleball—into all 31 elementary schools within the Brownsville Independent School District.

“Nearly 19,000 young children will be introduced to new fitness programs to improve their physical and mental health,” Baugh said.
Baugh founded PHIT America a decade ago as a solution to address alarming statistics showing that only 24% of children aged 6–17 years engage in 60 minutes of physical activity daily and to counter the rising rates of diabetes among young people, as well as depression and anxiety.
“America has failed our kids, PHIT America is fixing it,” Baugh said.
PHIT America is just getting started, with plans to open PHIT Centers in major communities across the nation. A second PHIT Center is already in development for Brownsville, and additional centers are in the works.
PHIT America’s largest donor, Darren Pritt of the Julia Love Pritt Private Foundation, will fund the first few centers.
“We are confident companies, foundations and governments in every major community will want to invest in PHIT Centers for their children,” Baugh said.