About
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Youth Sports Programs include activities such as the AAU Junior Olympic Games, track and field, swimming, diving, boys’ and girls’ basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball (beach and indoor), gymnastics, and many other sports. Participants can take part in options like archery, badminton, fencing, field hockey, football (including tackle, flag, and football cheer), lacrosse, ice hockey, wrestling, martial arts such as judo, karate, taekwondo, kung-fu, and grappling, as well as activities like dance, cheerleading, esports, chess, table tennis, pickleball, and surfing. Additional offerings include sport stacking, feats of strength, powerlifting, weightlifting, kettlebell sports lifting, paddleboard, target shooting, golf, jump rope, cornhole, baton twirling, futsal, and various forms of hockey including collegiate, inline, and junior hockey, along with the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships and the AAU Junior Olympic Games.
The AAU was founded in 1888. Its stated mission is to offer amateur sports programs through a volunteer base for all people to have the physical, mental, and moral development of amateur athletes and to promote good sportsmanship and good citizenship. The organization follows the philosophy of “Sports For All, Forever,” shared by nearly 800,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across more than 50 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts. AAU President Jo Mirza is listed as part of the leadership.
The AAU is described as one of the largest non-profit, volunteer, multi-sport event organizations in the world and is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. More than 60 AAU national events are conducted annually at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The AAU Junior Olympic Games are described as the largest youth multi-sport event in the country and host the largest track and field meet in the country. The AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships are described as the largest volleyball event in the world, with more than 2,700 teams participating annually and 5,000 teams expected in the 2023 event.
Multi-sport AAU membership cards allow youth athletes to participate in 41 sports at the local, regional, and national level with one membership. General liability and participant accident insurance are included as a benefit of membership, and an Extended Coverage benefit extends insurance coverage to athletes and teams participating in non-AAU events. All non-athletes (coaches) undergo mandatory background screening, and free coaches’ education is provided for all AAU non-athletes (coaches) through the Positive Coaching Alliance Double-Goal Coach online courses. Ready Nutrition is identified as the Official Sports Drink of the AAU.
The AAU Cares program, created in 2016, focuses on giving back to the communities in which the AAU hosts events. The AAU Urban Initiative, created in 2015, provides a holistic approach to athletics and provides participation opportunities to urban environments that were historically underserved. In Hurricane Harvey and Irma relief efforts, AAU-related support included 170,000 meals to children everywhere, 10,000 non-perishable food items, 3,000 clothing items, and 5,000 bottles of water.
The AAU James E. Sullivan Award has been given out since 1930 to recognize America’s top athlete at the collegiate, Olympic, or similar elite level. The AAU Gussie Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award, established in 2017, recognizes athletes who have paved the way for significant change in amateur sports. The AAU is a member of the International School Sport Federation (ISF), which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
Last updated May 13, 2026.
The AAU was founded in 1888. Its stated mission is to offer amateur sports programs through a volunteer base for all people to have the physical, mental, and moral development of amateur athletes and to promote good sportsmanship and good citizenship. The organization follows the philosophy of “Sports For All, Forever,” shared by nearly 800,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across more than 50 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts. AAU President Jo Mirza is listed as part of the leadership.
The AAU is described as one of the largest non-profit, volunteer, multi-sport event organizations in the world and is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. More than 60 AAU national events are conducted annually at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The AAU Junior Olympic Games are described as the largest youth multi-sport event in the country and host the largest track and field meet in the country. The AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships are described as the largest volleyball event in the world, with more than 2,700 teams participating annually and 5,000 teams expected in the 2023 event.
Multi-sport AAU membership cards allow youth athletes to participate in 41 sports at the local, regional, and national level with one membership. General liability and participant accident insurance are included as a benefit of membership, and an Extended Coverage benefit extends insurance coverage to athletes and teams participating in non-AAU events. All non-athletes (coaches) undergo mandatory background screening, and free coaches’ education is provided for all AAU non-athletes (coaches) through the Positive Coaching Alliance Double-Goal Coach online courses. Ready Nutrition is identified as the Official Sports Drink of the AAU.
The AAU Cares program, created in 2016, focuses on giving back to the communities in which the AAU hosts events. The AAU Urban Initiative, created in 2015, provides a holistic approach to athletics and provides participation opportunities to urban environments that were historically underserved. In Hurricane Harvey and Irma relief efforts, AAU-related support included 170,000 meals to children everywhere, 10,000 non-perishable food items, 3,000 clothing items, and 5,000 bottles of water.
The AAU James E. Sullivan Award has been given out since 1930 to recognize America’s top athlete at the collegiate, Olympic, or similar elite level. The AAU Gussie Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award, established in 2017, recognizes athletes who have paved the way for significant change in amateur sports. The AAU is a member of the International School Sport Federation (ISF), which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
Last updated May 13, 2026.
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