Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an organization that promotes and develops amateur sports and physical fitness programs in the United States. The AAU is a nonprofit, volunteer group.
The largest program sponsored by the organization is the Junior Olympic Games. In this annual competition, young people compete in such sports as basketball, gymnastics, swimming, track and field, and wrestling. The AAU sponsors other athletic competitions at the local, state, regional, and national level. It also conducts adult sports programs and physical fitness programs for youth and adults. In addition, the AAU annually presents the James E. Sullivan Award to the nation’s outstanding amateur athlete. The award is named for an early AAU executive.
The AAU was founded in 1888. It has headquarters in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
