Youth Sports

Growing Pains From the Sidelines

Janell Burley Hofmann | Posted 05.22.2012

Janell Burley Hofmann

The humbling tumble from the world of boyhood to confused, chaotic adolescence is upon us. And I am sick over it.

Parenting Is Not A Spectator Sport

Devon Corneal | Posted 05.01.2012

Devon Corneal

The first time I could really follow a game was last week, and as I was leaving the field, it struck me that what the kids are doing on the field isn't that different from what the adults are doing off of it. Parenting is sports without the pads.

Youth Baseball Costs Aren't Playing Around

The Huffington Post | Ron Dicker | Posted 04.25.2012

Fran Dicari, father of three, spent $11,704 on his brood's athletic endeavors in 2011. Dicari's shopping list would dent a lot of family budgets: N...

I Worried That Coaching My Son Would Change Everything

Janell Burley Hofmann | Posted 04.19.2012

Janell Burley Hofmann

I was worried that all the ways we have tainted youth sports made me lose my taste, my joy for competition; my first true love, my first lesson in mindfulness, my first meditation.

Observations From the Stands -- Sports Parenting From One Mother's Point of View

Emily Franklin | Posted 05.08.2012

Emily Franklin

It is my hope as a parent that I am raising my children to enjoy both team sports and independent pursuits. I believe the glory of being on the field and off should not rely on my watching.

Youth Sports: Getting It Right For Kids

Claire McCarthy, M.D. | Posted 05.07.2012

Claire McCarthy, M.D.

Although theoretically we parents are supposed to leave everything to the coaches, that's a little like saying that we are supposed to leave it to the teachers to get our kids to school and make sure they do their homework.

When the Coach Is the Bully

Barbara Greenberg | Posted 03.31.2012

Barbara Greenberg

Coaches, in a misguided attempt to motivate your child to run faster, be more alert, more aggressive, or even more involved may use harsh tactics.

2012 Youth Olympics Kick Off In Innsbruck, Austria!

AP | By ERIC WILLEMSEN | Posted 01.15.2012

INNSBRUCK, Austria -- The inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games got underway on Friday with an opening ceremony featuring classic and modern dance, alo...

In the Wake of the Sandusky Scandal, A Call for Youth Coaching Certifications

Hilary Levey Friedman | Posted 01.14.2012

Hilary Levey Friedman

At the end of every weekday millions of kids dash out of school and into the care of adults, like Sandusky, who are meant to teach and mentor them. While they are all educating children, not all of these adults are vetted.

Soccer

Nikki Mark | Posted 12.05.2011

Nikki Mark

Lesson learned. Typical jugglers, which include working moms, could all probably benefit from enjoying moments of life that really don't require us to be in control.

Are Team Sports Hurting Our Children?

Darell Hammond | Posted 12.04.2011

Darell Hammond

Seventy percent of kids give up sports entirely by age 13. When asked by Michigan State University researchers why they quit sports, kids almost universally said, "It's not fun anymore."

Words of Advice for Soccer Parents

Bruce Reyes-Chow | Posted 09.27.2011

Bruce Reyes-Chow

Parents have to help their children to discover the joy of healthy competition, but competition taken too far can lead to an attitude that everything is a competition and worth is based on winning and losing.

Why Summer Camp Isn't As Safe As You Think

Hilary Levey Friedman | Posted 10.09.2011

Hilary Levey Friedman

Top-notch camp counselors are sought out for these specialty camps so that "the best" can teach kids how to be "the best." But just who are these camp counselors, and how qualified are they to be working with young kids?

Weekend Warrior

Graham James | Posted 09.27.2011

Graham James

I was not, as they say, "athletically inclined" as a youth. I'm not going to go into too much detail (I save those conversations for my therapist) but let me give you one concrete example.

Adults Behaving Badly

Linda Flanagan | Posted 11.17.2011

Linda Flanagan

Why do full-fledged grown-ups, many with responsible jobs and mortgages and whole families to look out for, mutate so easily into cry-babies and insolent, sometimes aggressive, brats when it comes to youth sports?

Integrating Openly Gay Soldiers Into the Military Depends on Sports

Hudson Taylor | Posted 06.20.2011

Hudson Taylor

With the high rates of athletes who enter military service, sports have the potential to prepare straight recruits with positive attitudes toward gay and lesbian teammates.

Specialization vs. Sampling in Youth Sports: Which Is Healthier?

Sharon Chirban, Ph.D. | Posted 05.25.2011

Sharon Chirban, Ph.D.

As much as we want our children to be good at sports, we must also remember to be good sports parents -- which means no pushing, no pressure and doing what is best for their health and development.

Jewish Gymnast, 7, Balances Religious Faith And Sports

AP | SAMANTHA HENRY | Posted 05.25.2011

NEWARK, N.J. — When 7-year-old Amalya Knapp took the beam at the New Jersey state gymnastics finals last month, her excellent performance symbol...

Mixing the Old and the New: Twackle, "Strat" and Sandlot Day

Joe Favorito | Posted 05.25.2011

Joe Favorito

With all the stuff out there for sports and entertainment, how do we figure out what we need to follow our favorite athletes and brands, and talk intelligently around the water cooler?

Fantasy Football Surpasses All Previous Cringe Thresholds

Dave Hollander | Posted 05.25.2011

Dave Hollander

Nothing in the last five years has contributed more to the dumbing down of the American sports fan than the reductive, banal, and utterly shallow opiate of fantasy sports.