MAKING FITNESS FUN SINCE 2009
Austin Youth Fitness was founded by beloved AISD teacher and coach, Larry Chauvin. With a mission to “Make Fitness Fun” for his students, Larry started AYF’s very first after-school “Run Club” in 2009 at Casis Elementary.
Over the years, AYF has grown to offer a variety of youth sports and rec programs, and expanded to numerous school campuses, as well as city parks, all across Austin. In addition to our signature “Fit n’ Fun Running” after-school clubs, AYF offers biking, yoga, and sports skills training, as well as holiday-camps and week-long summer camps, keeping kids moving and having fun year round.
Allison Phillips joined forces with Larry in 2010, shortly after he started that very first run club at Casis. Alli’s five children were students at Casis, and with a career in fitness, and a passion for running and triathlon, Alli began coaching Casis Run Club with Larry, and over the years helped him introduce and develop new programs, most significantly AYF’s Biking and Beginner Biking programs.
Larry retired from teaching and moved with his family to Crested Butte CO in 2024, and Alli acquired full ownership of AYF in 2026.
Alli's primary role continues to be “Programs Director,” she manages the "AYF Team" of coaches, and still serves as a coach herself, which she considers to be her “calling" and "most important job."
Although AYF has grown tremendously over the years, it is still a “small family business.” Alli’s eldest daughter, Laney, with a degree in Community Health, is AYF’s Business Manager, and Alli’s other children, Ellie, Sally, Lucy, and Liam, all serve as AYF coaches as well.
AYF’s mission remains “Making Fitness Fun,” and in partnership with the David Phillips Foundation, AYF now also works to “Make Fitness Accessible.”
Specifically, AYF and DPF work together to bring programming to Title-I schools and low-income communities. Further, guided by the principals that movement and play are critical to development and learning, and time in nature is essential to physical growth and overall health, AYF strives to “level the playing field" for children by offering inclusive, non-competitive programs, that foster children’s natural love for movement and outdoor play, and instill life-long healthy lifestyle habits.
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