NOCSAE Meeting: Lots Of Questions, But No Answers

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Mon, 06/23/2014 - 15:39. | comments

Last Friday, I attended the summer meeting of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) at the Boston Harbor Hotel. It was hard to be inside on such a spectacular summer day, but made easier by the location of the meeting: in the Atlantic Room, directly above Rowe's Wharf, with a view of a sparkling Boston harbor filled with sailboats and power boats. Boston harbor skyline with Rowes Warf

The summer meeting of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) was held in a room overlooking Boston harbor, but the view was about the only thing that made it worth attending, says Brooke de Lench.

Super Sports Foods: Do They Really Need To Be Exotic?

Do you ever get tired of reading yet-another headline about The 10 Best Super Sports Foods, only be instructed to buy exotic fruits, ancient grains, and other unusual items? Do we really need chia, spelt, and quinoa? Is anything wrong with old-fashioned peanut butter, broccoli and brown rice? A top sports nutritionist weighs in.

Brooke de Lench

More Than International, Federal and State Laws Needed To Keep Kids Safe Playing Sports

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Sat, 06/07/2014 - 19:23. | comments

This week and last, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Child is meeting to review the progress made under provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. 194 nations will participate, except for three, which have yet to ratify the CRC: Somalia, South Sudan, and the United States.* Convention on Rights of the Child @ 25 poster

With the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Child meeting to review the progress made under provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), MomsTEAM's Brooke de Lench talks about the importance, not of just laws and treaties, in keeping kids safe playing sports, but of voluntary safety programs, such as the SmartTeam program being developed for introduction in Fall 2014.

Douglas E. Abrams, J.D.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Bram Miller (Falkville, Ala.)

Submitted by Douglas E. Abrams, J.D. on Mon, 06/02/2014 - 17:51. | comments

When Falkville High School's Bram Miller received his gold medal for winning the Class 1A state high jump title on May 2, the public address announcer told everyone in Selma Memorial Stadium that the sophomore had set a state record by clearing 6 feet, 8 inches.

The state title alone was quite an accomplishment because Bram had practiced with the track team full-time for only two weeks since finishing the spring JV baseball season. Setting the state Class 1A record added luster.

When an Alabama high jumper won the state title everyone thought he had set a state record. But he knew better. What he did next made him this month's Youth Sports Hero.

Brooke de Lench

Six Years After: Concussion Risk Management Still A Work In Progress

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Tue, 05/20/2014 - 15:52. | comments

It is hard believe that it has now been six years since I gave the keynote address at the National Sports Concussion Summit in Marina del Rey, California. Harder, yet to think we have been leading this charge since 2000.

Should Athletes Really Avoid Carbs? A Top Sports Nutrition Expert Says No

For athletes who routinely train hard 4 to 6 days a week, carbs enhance performance and should be the foundation of each meal. Research-based recommendations for an optimal sports diet include far more carbs than you may realize, says sports nutrition expert Nancy Clark.

Brooke de Lench

17th Annual Mother's Day Wish List from Brooke de Lench

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Sat, 05/10/2014 - 17:07. | comments

It's Mothers Day once again. Time for spring sports, warmer weather, longer days, planting gardens, and, of course, watching kids play sports. Each year for the past seventeen years, MomsTEAM has published my Mother's Day Wish list. As you will see, many of the wishes on this year's list will look very familiar to long-time visitors. But a couple are brand spanking new:

Every year for the past 17 years, MomsTEAM Founder Brooke de Lench has issued a Mother's Day wish list. Here's this year's list.

Douglas E. Abrams, J.D.

Youth Sports Heroes of the Month: Alex Norwood (Conyers, Ga.) and Schuyler LaRue (Maryville, Tenn.)

Submitted by Douglas E. Abrams, J.D. on Wed, 04/30/2014 - 14:13. | comments

Sixteen-year-old Atlanta-area first baseman Alex Norwood hit a dramatic grand slam in a winning cause on March 21, but his truly game-changing hit was none that never appeared on the scoreboard.

In a junior varsity game at Newtown High, the Rockdale County High junior came through in the clutch in a way that mattered even more when, between the second and third innings, home plate umpire Woody Reagin suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed. Alex Norwood and coach Jerrid Harris

This month's Youth Sports Heroes honors two high school students - one a wrestler, one a baseball player - who were in the right place at the right time to save the lives of an umpire and fan who, but for their training and quick thinking, might have died.

Carbohydrates: A Bad Rap From The Media?

If what the media would have you believe were true, carbohydrates are bad for everyone, athlete and non-athlete alike. The truth, says a top sports nutritionist, is that all the hype about carbs doesn't apply to athletes.

National Youth Sports Safety Month

National Youth Sports Safety Month: Some Progress, But Still A Long Way To Go

Submitted by National Youth Sports Safety Month on Mon, 03/31/2014 - 17:14. | comments

By Brooke de Lench

A solid foundation

When the non-profit 501(c)(3) National Youth Sports Safety Foundation (NYSSF) was formed in 1989, its mission was to provide information on the prevention of youth sports injuries. It got its start after Rita Glassman's young daughter Michelle suffered a severe back injury which ended her tennis career. Rita was the first to designate April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, which MomsTeam has been celebrating every year since 2001.

In celebration of April as National Youth Sports Safety Month, MomsTEAM is re-posting many of the blog entries contributed in 2012 by some our favorite sports medicine and safety experts and sprinkling in some new ones.

Team of Experts