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Take a Stab at Fencing: Your Child Will Love It and So Will You!

A father and author describes how he couldn't wait to introduce his son to a wide variety of them.  But although his son was a natural athlete, there was one problem: he had absolutely no interest in any sport until, miraculously, fencing came along. It challenged and excited him in a way those other sports could not.  He recommends finding a local fencing club and giving this amazing, addictive sport a try; a sport by the way that appeals to girls every bit as much as boys. A sport that can appeal to kids who have never found a passion for any other sport. For some, it will change their lives forever. But even for those who never become addicted, he promises that trying it even a single time will be a fun, unique, and unforgettable experience.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Reid Paswall (Somers, New York)

Varsity wrestler Reid Paswall had an idea. In November 2009, with the team's opening match only days away, he approached the Somers (NY) High School athletic director to suggest that the captains for the opener be two classmates who were not even team members. The two -- Adam Stein and Matthew Moriarty -- were special-needs students with Down syndrome. "I thought," Paswall  (in red singlet in photo) told the athletic director, "that we can have our special-needs kids go out and shake the other team's captain's hands, and . . . represent Somers."

Dad: You Love Hockey More than I Do! Don't Ruin It For Me!

The district playoffs are starting soon and for most teams the final periods are about to be played. The headline comments above were actually said by a son to his father/coach. It is interesting that a fifteen year old player is able to succinctly articulate his feelings and his anguish. In twelve words he expressed what so many have written in these pages and in youth sports publications for years.

Return to Play issues

Concussions continue to be a big problem in contact sports including ice hockey. Our research data confirms that girls have a higher incidence of concussion than boys and like the medical experts say, we do not know why at this point. Youth hockey coaches need to continually remind players that head contact is off limits, referees need to enforce the rules and coaches.parents need to support the officials. There is a multi generational attitude that ignores the long term consequences of concussions, especially multiple injuries to a single player. We tell our players that the players on the other team are just kids like themselves and nobody wants to get hurt. Play hard, play fair, and go home. 

Minimum Playing Time Rule: Enforce It Across the Board

I have done years of research in the field of youth sports. Probably as much as some researchers have. I have also coached football for many years with great success. What I mean by success is that I have winning teams with happy parents for what I accomplished with their kids and every kid gets to play the entire game.

The local youth rec. football league in our town has a minimum playing
time rule that each kid will play the whole game on either offense or
defense. It's a good rule and it works. I have yet to hear one kid or
parent ever complain about this rule.

Using Tragedy As A Teachable Moment About Sports Safety

The recent death of twenty-six-year-old open water swimmer Fran Crippen during a competition in Abu Dhuabi was a tragedy and a hard thing for parents and children to digest, but it also provides a teachable moment, providing parents a good opportunity to start a dialogue with their kids about sports safety and risk taking.

Softball Pitchers: Injury Prevention Strategies

As is true in most sports these days, softball pitchers are training - or over-training - more than ever, and more and more are playing the sports all year long without a break.  Softball teams may carry only a couple of pitchers, which sometimes results in a pitcher throwing over 1,000 pitches during a weekend tournament!  While there hasn't been an epidemic of rotator cuff injuries, other problems to the shoulder and elbow have surfaced with increased play.

Youth Basketball Survey: Keeping Kids in The Game & Having Fun Are Keys To Better Experience

Finding ways to keep kids playing and making programs more fun are seen by coaches, administrators and volunteers as the best ways to improve the youth basketball experience in a survey conducted by youth basketball expert and reform advocate, Bob Bigelow.

Reflections of a European summer and a season of Races

Graveyard Call, was the event we flew to France for.  It is an IGSA event (International Gravity Sport Association). This was where we spent our first few jet-lagged days of our 17 day adventure.  Argonay is a small village at the outskirts of Annecy, a lovely holiday destination in the French Alps.  I highly recommend Annecy for a trip alternative to Paris--though we loved Paris.

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