FTC Says No Proof That Mouthguard Reduces Concussion Risk: Not Surprising To MomsTEAM

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Fri, 08/17/2012 - 22:19. | comments

For years, it seems, MomsTEAM has been getting e-mails from mouth guard manufacturers touting their products as reducing the risk of concussion, despite the lack of any peer-reviewed scientific studies to support their claims. Three youth football players watching action

The announcement by the Federal Trade Commission that claims by mouthguard manufacturer Brain-Pad that its product reduced the risk of concussion are not supported by the scientific evidence is just what I have been saying for years.

Emily Cohen

Coaching Apps: The Next Big Thing?

Submitted by Emily Cohen on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 16:52. | comments

The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games are now but a memory, but the accomplishments of the most notable and visible athletes, such as Alex Morgan, Gabby Douglas, Allyson Felix, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, and Usain Bolt, are clearly going to have a long-lasting impact on youth athletes with similar aspirations of glory.

The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games are over but its athletes have no doubt inspired a whole generation of youth athletes to aspire to achieve the same kind of glory. But how many parents have the kind of money to invest in private trainers and coaches that is required to achieve gold medal status? Enter the new era of personalized sports instruction via smart phone app.

Tracey Wright, D.C.

Wanderlust Kids Love Yoga, And So Will Yours!

Submitted by Tracey Wright, D.C. on Tue, 08/14/2012 - 00:44. | comments

I was so inspired by the number of children and families at the Wanderlust Festival I recently attended in Stratton, Vermont. Aside from having numerous yoga classes to choose from daily, the Wanderlust environment provides amazing opportunities to explore classes that contribute to community, sustainability, and positive lifestyle.

Looking for a healthy alternative to team sports this fall? Check out this video of what some kids had to say about yoga at the Wanderlust Festival in Stratton, Vermont this summer.

Hal Tearse

Parents Rethinking Contact Sports

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Sun, 08/05/2012 - 17:28. | comments

Local youth football organizers in Minnesota say they are experiencing a 20 percent decline in registrations this year, citing increased awareness of the potential of serious injury and parents who are apparently picking other sports for their 3rd and 4th grade children.

Hal Tearse

Changing Hockey Culture: Are We Reaching A Tipping Point?

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Sat, 08/04/2012 - 03:18. | comments

Playing the game of ice hockey within the rules would seem like a simple concept. Yet all efforts to accomplish this objective have thus far proven elusive, from the NHL all the way down to the youngest levels. In a previous post I reported that Minnesota Hockey has retained the much harsher penalties for two of the three most dangerous plays in the game. In fact, Minnesota has the toughest rules in youth and high school hockey in the country. The question is, will this be enough to change the culture of the sport?

Playing the game of hockey within the rules would seems like a simple concept. Yet all efforts to enforce the rules have thus far proven elusive. Will making the rules for dangerous play tougher be enough to change the culture? This coming season may be the tipping point.

Tracey Wright, D.C.

Yoga as a Natural and Drug-free Way to Keep Kids Calm

Submitted by Tracey Wright, D.C. on Wed, 08/01/2012 - 18:57. | comments

This is the start of a 5 part series of videos recorded while representing momsTEAM at the Wanderlust Festival in Stratton, Vermont. My hope is to inspire you to experience yoga as a family. Our world is moving so fast these days. Parents are constantly running their children from game to game, friends' houses, extracurricular activities, and appointments. When we are moving so fast we aren't always aware of what is happening within our bodies. Taking time daily to slow down and go inward has many positive attributes for the mind, body and Spirit. Knowing what benefits yoga is bringing to the hundreds of thousands of adults worldwide, it only makes sense that we would want to share this gift with our children.

Looking for a great way to calm your children without having to resort to prescription drugs? Here's a video about how practicing yoga can help.

Tim Twellman

Parents ...Your Support is Needed NOW

Submitted by Tim Twellman on Fri, 07/20/2012 - 13:32. | comments

I know I speak for your kids when I say "THANK YOU" for everything that you do for them.

These young athletes could never do what they do without the help of their parents and/or guardians.

"THANK YOU" and I know they appreciate it even if they don't say so.

It is that time of year and your son or daughter will be back in school and competing athletically in their sport of choice.

I know I speak for your kids when I say "THANK YOU" for everything that you do for them. No way they could get through all of this without your support, especially as they move on to High School sports.

Brooke de Lench

Rediscovering The Joys Of Barefoot Running: With Shoes!

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Sun, 07/15/2012 - 14:56. | comments

Earlier this month I received an email that just may change the way that I train and live my life. To put it in perspective, I need to go back in time a bit (well, more than a bit!).

Having a beautiful beach on which to run barefoot has helped generations of athletes in one Massachusetts town win state championship after championship. A new pair of running shoes is helping MomsTEAM's Founder and Publisher rediscover the joy of going barefoot.

Brooke de Lench

Practicing Yoga As Child Can Set Tone For Healthy and Active Life

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Fri, 07/13/2012 - 15:43. | comments

When the invitation came in from the Wanderlust Festival in Stratton, Vermont, I wanted to go, especially as I had spent time there visiting my father growing up and practice yoga as an adult. But it turned out that I couldn't find time in my busy schedule running MomsTEAM to get up there, so I offered the media credentials to Tracey Wright, a young chiropractor and yoga enthusiast I have known since she was a child. Tracey had gone last year and wanted to start blogging on MomsTEAM, so she was only too happy to attend in my stead.

Here's what Tracey had to say about her experience:

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MomsTEAM's newest blogger, Tracey Wright, D.C., reports from the Wanderlust Festival in Stratton, Vermont about the benefits of yoga for kids.

Brooke de Lench

New Jersey Athletic Trainers To Hold Third Annual Sports Safety Summit

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Fri, 07/13/2012 - 13:56. | comments

MomsTEAM has consistently supported athletic trainers' groups, both at the national (NATA) and state level, in their efforts to improve youth sports safety, both through education and by advocating for ATs in every high school (less than half of U.S. high schools have an AT on staff, although the percentages vary dramatically from state to state).

One of the most active athletic trainers' association at the state level is in New Jersey, which was the first state to require by law that coaches receive safety training, is among the 40 states that have enacted strong youth concussion safety laws, and has been a leader in advocating for academic accommodations for concussed student-athletes.

Athletic trainers are essential to making youth sports as safe as it can be. Educational programs, such as the Athletic Trainers Society of New Jersey's third annual sports safety summit on August 1, 2012 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, are important to educating health care professionals on safety issues, including concussions, heat illness, sudden cardiac death and overuse injuries.