{"id":2531,"date":"2023-06-22T13:57:13","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T13:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blog\/?post_type=well_said&p=2531"},"modified":"2023-06-27T09:02:10","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T09:02:10","slug":"blue-kc-in-the-community-june-2023","status":"publish","type":"well_said","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blog\/well-said\/blue-kc-in-the-community-june-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue KC in the Community – June 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What do you remember about your childhood, and why are some details elusive, like the color of the family car, while others are vivid, like the song playing during your first kiss?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to memory and how it shapes us, studies show that emotional events are the most impactful. For a lot of kids, sports can fall into that category. The pressure to play well and win, coupled with the influence and feedback of a parent, even when well intentioned, can negatively shape a child\u2019s internal narrative of self-worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this in mind, the Kansas City Royals and Blue KC \u2013 Official Health Insurance Partner of the Royals \u2013 are expanding our Shut Out the Stigma<\/strong><\/a> partnership. Now in its third year, Shut Out the Stigma is broadening its focus to educate parents, coaches, and guardians on the pressure kids face on and off the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dear Mom & Dad<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roughly 27.4 million children between the ages of 6 and 17 play sports. And chances are, a parent or guardian comes to watch. The conversation in the minutes after the buzzer sounds is critical and can make or break many young athletes\u2019 self-confidence and self-worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To highlight the effort to change these conversations, Blue KC and the Royals recently unveiled its Open Letter<\/strong><\/a> campaign, featuring a series of larger-than-life letters written by youth athletes to parents, guardians, and coaches. Each letter delivers a powerful 10-foot-high-by-7-foot-wide message about the difficulty of having to constantly succeed. The letters are installed at the Mid-America Sports Complex in Shawnee, Kansas, and the Capitol Federal Sports Complex in Liberty, Missouri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below, watch an inspiring video of a young boy reading from one of the \u201cOpen Letter\u201d submissions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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