Jan. 6, 2015
Originally published in Track & Field News
adidas Set To Unlock The Health Potential in U.S. Schools
 
Global Sports Brand Announces Partnership With Interactive Health Technologies (IHT)prize zone
LAS VEGAS, January 6, 2015 – adidas has today announced a new partnership set to pave the way for a new age of fitness technology in schools. During a presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the global sports brand revealed collaboration with Interactive Health Technologies (IHT) that aims to empower young people to become self-motivated in managing their own health.Healthy living is a key issue facing children today, and this partnership is set to give kids individualized goals for PE that will help them realize their own potential. adidas is a leading brand in sports innovation and its miCoach training service has helped elite professionals and consumers maximize their potential through technology and expert guidance. This same commitment to unleashing human potential through custom personal guidance will now come to the U.S. school system through the partnership with IHT.Since starting three years ago, IHT has pioneered a heart rate monitoring system and customized curriculums in middle schools and high schools throughout the U.S. During the 2014 school year, 240,000 children have been connected to the IHT system and they are now on track to have a daily interaction with over one million students a day by 2016.

Jen Ohlson, Co-Founder & President of IHT said: “We are delighted to be partnering with adidas and leveraging the miCoach service on this new venture. When we started on this journey, we knew that there was a lot to be done in order to change the way that health is seen in the United States and beyond. We have already made great strides in developing a system that brings together exercise and academics in a program making a real difference.”

The partnership with adidas will allow IHT to continue to grow and provide innovative health solutions to even more schools throughout the U.S. and beyond. adidas will bring existing expertise in the area of performance and heart rate monitoring, alongside a monthly challenge program including a summer institute for PE teachers that will allow IHT to bring heart rate technology to more students more efficiently than ever before.

Stacey Burr, VP and General Manager – adidas Digital Sports said “We are really excited about the new partnership with IHT. Our miCoach training system is all about unleashing the very best in human potential in a way that is simple and personalized through the use of heart rate.  We found our goals to be aligned with those of IHT and feel that the collaboration represents a fantastic opportunity to help thousands of school children achieve this. By bringing the adidas miCoach system together with IHT, we can help more young people unlock their potential leading to active and healthier lifestyles.”

###

About adidas miCoach
miCoach is a digital training service for anyone who wants to train for his or her favorite sport, general fitness or just for fun. Bringing the knowledge and experience of adidas’ elite coaching partners to the masses, miCoach provides users with real-time coaching and all the tools they need to track performance and monitor progress to get the results they want. The breadth of the offer includes a free-to-access web platform and training community with hundreds of free training plans, free mobile apps on iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8 as well as a comprehensive range of devices for tracking all aspects of performance, both in game and in training. Visitwww.micoach.com.

About IHT
IHT’s Spirit System is an integrated web-based heart rate and assessment system that connects students with daily fitness and academic outcomes from K-12th grade. Through heart rate monitors worn in PE classes students are empowered to self-manage their well-being.  The Spirit System curriculum and email feedback provides teachers and parents the tools to support students.  By moving away from the “one size fits all” approach to physical education and assessment, IHT individualizes the process, creating greater autonomy and personal responsibility while validating the importance of daily physical activity within the school day. Visit www.ihtusa.com

Follow miCoach on facebook.com/adidasmicoach and @adidas_micoach on Twitter.

Follow IHT on facebook.com/IHTUSA and @IHTSpirit on Twitter.