Yesterday, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed MLS Cup Champions the LA Galaxy to the White House. President Obama honored the teams 2011 season and their MLS Cup victory and the First Lady hosted a question and answer session where the players discussed getting active, eating right and keeping healthy with an audience of young, talented soccer fans from around the country.

During the event Mrs. Obama announced the U.S. Soccer Federation’s commitment to “increase opportunities for kids to get involved in a variety of sports.” She noted that the Federation will host more clinics and after-school programs in cities and towns across the country:

First Lady Michelle Obama talks with members of the Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy, in the Blue Room of the White House prior to hosting a “Let’s Move!” soccer event with students from across the country, May 15, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Because the Federation also knows and these guys up here – the LA Galaxy players – know that being active and learning new skills doesn’t just help you become a better soccer player or a better athlete. It gives you the energy that you need to keep you from getting sick, to do well in school, to be able to focus on your bigger dreams – because there is life after soccer. There is something more important than sports, and that’s becoming a well-rounded person.

And being healthy and eating the right foods, and staying active is a part of that. And that’s what everybody here is trying to promote. And that’s why I’m so pleased with our U.S. Olympic Federation and all the teams that have made a commitment to invest in kids like you across the country. 

The First Lady, who will lead this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games delegation in London, drove home the importance of learning a sport, mastering that sport and most importantly striving for success because you love that sport.

First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a “Let’s Move!” soccer event with students from across the country and the Major League Soccer champions, the LA Galaxy, in the State Dining Room of the White House, May 15, 2012. The children participating come from the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Soccer for Success programs in Washington, D.C., Houston and Miami and America SCORES programs in Washington, D.C., St. Louis and Denver. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

Read full remarks from the event here.