Health & Wellness

The physical, mental, and social-emotional health of our student-athletes is our top priority at The BASE. By providing a loving and supportive environment centered around growth and positive relationships, we create the foundation for young people’s health and wellbeing. Through sports and athletic training, paired with nutritious foods and educational programming, our youth maintain good health and learn to make healthy choices in their daily lives.

Our multi-faceted Health & Wellness program features resources and activities to promote good nutrition, healthy behaviors, and overall physical health. Youth ages 4-19 engage in fitness and hands-on workshops designed to inform them about the risks and benefits associated with diet and exercise.

Program resources include:

Fresh Produce & Healthy Meals: Fruit, sandwiches, and healthy snacks are provided daily for student-athletes and fresh produce is made available for families weekly.

Nutrition Education: In collaboration with partner organizations, licensed nutritionists provide workshops for general education and sports performance. Topics may include daily nutrition, preventable diseases, and pre- and post-game fuel and recovery. As they see the connection between nutrition and sports performance, our youth are engaged and eager to learn how to take care of their bodies.

Strength & Conditioning: BASE instructors guide student-athletes of all ages through a range of exercises and provide information to prevent injuries and optimize performance. The strength & conditioning program incorporates flexibility, strength, speed, acceleration, and cardiovascular conditioning, promoting physical health and supplementing our sports instruction.

Mental Health& Wellness Support: Group sessions and one-on-one relationship building with BASE coaches and staff promote motivation, resilience, goal setting, and more. Referrals are provided for mental health counseling and family interventions.

Partnerships: The BASE partners with leading organizations from Boston’s thriving health sector to provide resources and improve health outcomes in our community. From funding to project planning to providing direct services, our partners are key drivers in our Health & Wellness strategy.

History

In 2020, The BASE partnered with the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation to help ensure access to healthy foods in our local community. As a result, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been able to provide access to fresh fruits and vegetables, full bags of assorted groceries, packed lunches and local market gift cards to our student athletes, their families, and the greater Roxbury community.

This work has continued to grow through 2024, primarly through the support of the Point32Health Foundation and various individual donors, and a vital programmatic partnership with Boston Community Pediatrics.