Do Players On High School Varsity Deserve At Least Some Playing Time?

Submitted by Emily Cohen on Sat, 04/21/2012 - 01:36. | comments

I'm writing this blog under the protestations of my 15-year-old son. He would prefer that I don't write this at all, or that I write it anonymously, so that he doesn't suffer the playing-time repercussions from his coach, but it can't get any worse than it is. And, frankly, I will be completely quiet if someone - anyone - can explain to me the benefits - to the coaching staff, the team record, AND the kids - of having an entire group of players (say, 5 or 6) ride the bench the entire season and see no playing time.

Is it okay for bench-warmers on a high school varsity baseball team to get no playing time whatsoever, even when their team is way ahead? One sports mom is looking for answers.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Tracy Bowman (Sports Dietitian): Nutrition Lecture To High School Track Team Was Life-Changing Moment

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 20:08. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam has asked 30 experts to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Today, we hear from sports dietitian Tracy Bowman, owner of Performance Nutrition and Wellness in Johnstown, Pennyslvania.

By Tracy Bowman, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN

A lecture to her high school track team on the relationship between diet and performance was a life-changing moment for one dietitian.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Eric Laudano (Athletic Trainer): His Quick Action Saved A Coach's Life

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 18:11. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam has asked 30 experts to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Today, we hear from Eric Laudano, Head Athletic Trainer and Manager of Sports Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and a MomsTeam expert.

By Eric Laudano, M.H.S, ATC

It's not every day that an athletic trainer gets to save a life, but that's exactly what happened when he was callled to help a college coach lying unconscious, not breathing, and without a pulse in the parking lot outside the school's basketball center.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Kemi Oguntala (Pediatrician): Impacts Lives of Teen Athletes In Many Ways

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 17:26. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam has asked 30 experts to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Today, we hear from Kemi Oguntala, MD, a pediatric and adolescent medicine physician at a teen clinic in South San Francisco, California.

By Kemi Oguntala, MD

How did I get into my field?

I'm a pediatrician with extra training in adolescent medicine. I run a busy teen clinic in the Bay Area, where I'm called Dr. O, the Teen Doc.

A pediatrician who runs a teen clinic in the San Francisco Bay area talks about how she is able to help so many adolescent athletes, including those with eating disorders suggesting a diagnosis of the female athlete triad.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Stuart Glassman (Physiatrist): Helped Concussed Student-Athlete Obtain Academic Accommodations

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 20:11. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam has asked 30 experts to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Today, we hear from Dr. Stuart Glassman, a board certified specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry) in Concord, New Hampshire.

By Stuart Glassman, MD

A physiatrist talks about how, working with school guidance counselors, teachers and a high school principal, he was able to help a student-athlete who had seen her grades suffer after suffering a concussion obtain needed academic accommodations.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Dan Newman (Athletic Trainer): His Favorite Calls From Athletes Are About Nothing

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 18:50. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam asked 30 experts in 2012 to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Today, we hear again from Dan Newman, head athletic trainer at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

By Dan Newman, MS, ATC, LAT

An athletic trainer says his favorite calls or texts from an athlete who he helped recover from post-concussion syndrome are not about his injury, but about nothing.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Meredith Dotson (Athletic Trainer): Lessons Learned From Athletes One Of Best Parts Of Job

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Sun, 04/15/2012 - 18:01. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam asked 30 experts in 2012 to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Today, we hear again from Meredith Dotson, an athletic trainer in the Sports Medicine Clinics at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

By Meredith L. Dotson, MEd, ATC, CES

For one athletic trainer, the lessons she has learned from athletes about hard work and perseverance over the years has been one of the best parts of her job.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Lisa McDowell (Sports Dietician): Realized Power of Nutrient Dense Diet When Father Had Cancer

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Sat, 04/14/2012 - 12:25. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam asked 30 experts in 2012 to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Today, with the National Hockey League playoffs about to begin, we hear again from Lisa McDowell, sports dietitian for the Detroit Red Wings.

By Lisa McDowell, MS, RD, CNSD

A sports dietitian realized the power of nutrient dense when her father was being treated for pancreatic cancer. She now helps elite athletes, including members of NHL's Detroit Red Wings, to fuel with the rainbow and eat highly concentrated, natural food; a diet which has helped improve performance, prevent injury, and speed injury recovery.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Hilary Levey Friedman (Sociologist): Picking Teams Based On Player Size Not Age Could Reduce Injuries, Level Playing Field

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 19:08. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam asked 30 experts two years ago to write a blog answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year. Because the project was a huge success, and because the blogs are timeless (and, as the saying goes, if you haven't seen them before, they are, well, new to you), we are reprising many of them this month.

Today, we hear again from sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman.

By Hilary Levey Friedman

Forming sports teams by size, rather than age or grade, may not only reduce the advantage kids born earlier in the year have over younger teammates (the relative age effect), but the number of injuries.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

Barbara Wertz (Athletic Trainer): Helped Athlete and His Parents In Concussion Recovery

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 18:20. | comments

In recognition of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTeam asked 30 experts to write a blog a couple of years back answering two questions: first, how or why did they get into their field, and second, how have they made a difference in the life of a youth athlete in the past year.

Here's the blog we posted from Barbara Wertz, Outreach Athletic Trainer at Susquehanna Health's Sports Medicine Center in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

By Barbar Wertz, ATC, ATC/L

In her role as outreach athletic trainer for a Pennsylvania high school, Barbara Wertz was part of a multi-disciplinary team which helped a student-athlete recover from a sports-related concussion and resume playing sports.