Background
Professional athletes are typically trained within Young Athletes Training Schools, creating a narrow pathway into professional sport in China. Many talented young people outside this system lack access to resources and opportunities.

Challenge
Under Armour’s global mission was to “make you better”. But how can this belief be made real for a new generation of athletes in China? In a system where access to professional training is limited, the challenge was to turn this belief into a clear and accessible pathway for emerging talent.

Concept
UA NEXT is a youth training programme by Under Armour that provides young athletes with access to professional resources and opportunities. We identified emerging talent across China and, through their stories and training data, created a campaign that invited others to join the programme. Selected athletes were supported through tailored training pathways, with top performers sent to the Under Armour Human Performance Team in the US for further assessment and training. As an ongoing initiative, UA NEXT aims to help more athletes outside the system reach the professional stage.

Impact
690M+ impressions, 1.8M+ UGC, and a community of 70K+ young athletes across China.