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Five hundred and twenty-three athletes competed in the inaugural AAU Junior Olympic Games in Washington DC in 1967. National champions were determined in swimming and track & field. This marked the first time in the history of the AAU Sports Program that two national championships were held at the same time. Eighteen AAU records in swimming and track & field were established.

Since its beginning in Washington, DC, the AAU Junior Olympic Games have been conducted in 15 states and 24 cities across the United States.

The state of Tennessee is in the lead with five (5) AAU Junior Olympic Games to its credit. Florida is a strong second with four (4), all in different cities: Cocoa Beach, Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, and Tallahassee.

In the nineties alone, the Games have grown by more than 6,000 participants. The Games will continue to expand and flourish into the 21st century as the popularity of sport and the attention to the youth in America intensifies.

In 1997, the event broke all existing records for participation with over 12,000 athletes from all 50 states and several U.S. Territories and U.S. Military Bases around the world. One thing that remains consistent from year to year is the AAU's commitment to the youth of America. Sports for All, Forever!

Showcasing America's Talent, the AAU Junior Olympic Games prides itself with the nation's most outstanding athletes year in and year out. Evelyn Ashford, Patrick Ewing, Anfernee Hardaway, Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Cheryl Miller, Shaquille O' Neal, Kurt Thomas, Chris Webber have all participated in the Games.

The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.

The AAU was founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in amateur sport. During its early years the AAU served as a leader in international sport representing the U.S. in the international sports federations.

The AAU worked closely with the Olympic movement to prepare athletes for the Olympic games. After the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU has focused its efforts into providing sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the grass roots level. The philosophy of "Sports for All, Forever," is shared by nearly 400,000 participants and over 50,000 volunteers.

The AAU is divided into 58 distinct Associations. These Associations annually sanction more than 32 sports programs, 250 national championships, and over 10,000 local events. Programs offered by the AAU include: AAU Sports Program, AAU Junior Olympic Games, AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award, AAU Sullivan Youth Excel Program, and the AAU Complete Athlete Program.

Programs administrated on behalf of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports include President's Challenge and the Presidential Sports Award.

In 1996, the AAU partnered with Walt Disney World. Later that year, the AAU relocated its national headquarters to Orlando, Florida. More than 40 AAU national events will be conducted at the new Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. Disney's Wide World of Sports will feature a double-deck 7,500 -seat baseball stadium and baseball quadraplex, a fieldhouse that accommodates up to six hardwood courts, a softball quadraplex, two youth baseball fields, a tennis complex, a track and field complex four multi-purpose performance fields sized for international soccer and sand volleyball courts.

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