All Articles by Brooke de Lench

There are a number of reasons you might consider attending some of your child's practices in addition to his games. Watching your child practices gives you a chance to see how he is developing as a player and is an excellent way to let your child know that you care about his participation in sports and that every aspect is important, not just the games, not just whether his team wins or loses, or how he performs.

Proper conditioning can reduce the risk of injury in all sports, including baseball and soccer. It is particularly important for female athletes, who are predisposed to instability or dislocation of the kneecap (patella), pain and problems under the kneecap, and non-contact injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), especially in sports like soccer and basketball that require twisting and cutting.

Does your child's middle school have a no-cut policy or does it limit the number of children who get a chance to participate in interscholastic sports? What are the reasons for cutting kids who want to play sports from teams up to high school sub-varsity? Are there reasons why cutting is a bad idea? The founder of MomsTeam, Brooke de Lench, explains why she fought for a no-cut policy at her sons' middle school.

As the case involving sexual abuse by former House Speaker Dennis Hastert highlights, it is not unusual for athletes to tolerate years of abuse before coming forward because sexual abuse has a high shame factor. But there are a number of values parents can instill, skills they can teach, and behaviors they can model to minimize the chances that their child will become a victim of abuse in sports.

If the world were a perfect place, talking to a youth sports coach would be as natural and stress free as talking to your child's teacher. Unfortunately, there is not much that worries and confuses some parents more. Here's advice on how to take the stress out of the experience.

Almost half of 11th and 12th grade athletes report having been subjected to hazing, according to a 2000 study.

Abuse in youth sports takes four basic forms: physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Emotional abuse is the most common form and leaves scars no less real.

In the wake of the Penn State and USA Swimming sex abuse scandals, parents need to be on the lookout for the warning signs that their child's coach may be sexual abusing them.

One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk that your child or a teammate will be a victim of sexual harassment or abuse is to set boundaries at the pre-season meeting of parents and coaches.

In the wake of yet another sex abuse scandal in sports, here are some steps experts say parents can take to minimize the risk that their child, or a teammate will be a victim of sexual abuse or harassment.