BASS announced today it has joined the National Youth Marine Alliance as an allied member in an effort to create a greater awareness and level of participation in outdoors opportunities for youth. This relationship was created with the goal of cultivating new and additional resources to increase youth participation.
The NYMA, established in 2007, will collaborate with BASS to raise public awareness in providing programs, campaigns and initiatives to target kids. Additionally, the NYMA will help identify grant opportunities to the BASS Federation Nation youth programs and identify other platforms for BASS to distribute youth collateral materials. Collectively this outreach will identify pathways for parents and children to participate in recreational water activities in local communities.
"It's extremely rewarding to have been a part of the steering committee that shaped the mission and vision of the NYMA," said Stacy Twiggs, senior manager, BASS Federation Youth. "We are able to connect the efforts of the BASS Federation Nation with other allied organizations to work in conjunction for youth outdoors participation and growth."
Since 1983, BASS has provided programs through the BASS Federation Nation for children to learn about conservation, natural resources, fishing and competition through the Junior Bassmasters, including the introduction of CastingKids in 1991.
"This new relationship with BASS will help the NYMA to reach a broader audience of youth nationwide," said Tom Griffin, executive director, NYMA. "Together we can help to encourage our youth to get outdoors for fun and learning. The core principals of BASS youth programs are to teach stewardship of our resources and to help build a love for the outdoors through recreational fishing."