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How it works
Addict2Athlete blends recovery education, skill building, and individually tailored fitness training and mentoring to help people avoid self-damaging behavior and sustain positive change.
Built in Pueblo since 2009
Addict2Athlete was developed locally for people working through substance use who are also involved with the justice system. It has served clients since 2009 and was adopted by the 10th Judicial District Probation Department in 2014.
The program pairs the Addictive Voice Recognition Technique (AVRT) with substance use education, skill building in relationships, communication, and self-awareness, and fitness training built around each person.
Every session, three parts
Learn
Education and skill building on addiction, thinking patterns, and the skills that keep you out of high-risk situations.
Move
A designed workout with individual adaptations: cross training, spin, or running.
Reflect
Cool down and talk through the lesson. The workout often changes how people feel about what came up.
The weekend session can make up a missed weekday or reinforce the week's lessons, and it gives people positive time together during otherwise unstructured hours.
Exercise
Cross training, spin, and running.
Cross training, spin, and running.
Any age, any fitness level
Adaptable to physical restrictions and injuries
Builds confidence and self-esteem
Supports neurological regulation
Builds strength and experience
Curriculum
Education, activity, and group discussion.
Self-awareness
Behavior
Thinking patterns
Relationships
Goals
Conviction
Hope
Endurance
What the 8 Weeks will look Like
Week 1
Criminal history and self-control
Addictive thinking, AVRT, and avoiding high-risk situations. Fitness baseline test.
Week 2
Attitudes and values
Core values and practicing lower-risk thoughts. Cardio base building.
Week 3
Companions
Evaluating relationships and building positive support. Plyometrics.
Week 4
Anger and triggers
Self-control and problem-solving. Talk it out, train hard, talk again.
Week 5
Family and relationships
Healthy communication and resolving conflict. Partner cardio.
Week 6
Education and employment
Channeling tenacity into school and work. Double every previous effort.
Week 7
Leisure and recreation
Planning a sustainable fitness lifestyle and goals. Each person teaches an exercise.
Week 8
Alcohol and drugs
How substances affect performance and personal risk factors. Max cardio.
Proven results
An independent evaluation for the 10th Judicial District Probation Department compared Addict2Athlete graduates with individually matched probation clients from November 2014 through December 2016.
Fewer negative outcomes
Share with a negative probation case status (revocation, absconding, or active warrant)
A2A graduates
21.5%
Matched comparison
35.3%
For participants under 30, the gap was even wider: 23.8% of graduates versus 46.5% of their matched comparison group.
Measurable fitness gains
Average reps in one minute, first session versus last
Sit-ups
23.8 → 31.0
Push-ups
27.3 → 30.8
Jumping jacks
58.5 → 65.9
Squats
32.9 → 39.1
Every improvement was statistically significant.
64.8% graduated
79 of 122 probation clients completed 16 or more sessions.
Works across groups
Benefits held for men and women and across racial and ethnic groups.
Carefully matched
Graduates were compared one-to-one on gender, age, race and ethnicity, supervision level, and treatment level.
Source: Evaluation of the Addicts to Athletes Program, November 2014 to December 2016. Prepared for the 10th Judicial District Probation Department by the Center for Research Strategies and Infinite Frontier Consulting, supported by Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant #2016-MU-BX-0115.