Parenting Young Athletes The Ripken Way

Troubled by what he sees as a competitive intensity in youth sports that removes the element of fun, baseball legend Cal Ripken, Jr., draws from his experiences as a father, a player, and a coach to provide insights and advice on playing well while still having a good time.

Since he retired from baseball in 2001, Cal Ripken, Jr., has devoted his time to coaching kids, including his own son and daughter, who play baseball and basketball, among other sports. With a baseball league of nearly 700,000 kids, ages 5-12, named for him, he has also had a chance to meet and work with countless young athletes. Cal Ripken’s simple yet effective philosophy for helping kids get the most out of playing sports is to keep it simple, explain the "why," celebrate the individual, and make it fun! But Ripken is troubled by what he sees in youth sports: a competitive intensity that removes the element of fun from playing. Now, drawing on his experiences as a father, a player, and a coach to his charges at his youth baseball based organization, Ripken Baseball, the legend offers his insights and advice on how to approach organized sports with your kids to ensure they have the best experience possible, stay fit, and enjoy themselves. Whether you were a star player or a kid who never learned to throw, this book will tell you everything you need to know about sports parenting from the pre-school years to middle school. It covers all the bases, including: Teaching the basics of sportsmanship How an overemphasis on technique or winning can harm your child’s game How to develop a good relationship with your child’s coach The pros and cons of travel teams and club teams The importance of returning the games to the kids and how best to behave as a parent The latest on performance and nutrition Fun games and exercises to do with your kids to encourage them Why most kids burn out on team sports by middle school and how to avoid it Few athletes embody sportsmanship and fair play as perfectly as Cal Ripken. His advice will inspire confidence in kids and parents alike.

In this book, Dr. Jim Taylor—an internationally recognized authority on sport psychology, child development, and parenting—offers a guiding hand to help parents ensure their children’s sports participation fosters nurturing experiences, encourages positive attitudes, and promotes healthy developments as they move toward adulthood.

In this inspirational yet practical book, the man Parade called “the most important coach in America,” subject of the national bestseller Season of Life, Joe Ehrmann, describes his coaching philosophy and explains how sports can transform lives at every level of play, from the earliest years to professional sports. Coaches have a tremendous platform, says Joe Ehrmann, a former Syracuse University All-American and NFL star. Perhaps second only to parents, coaches can impact young people as no one else can. But most coaches fail to do the teaching, mentoring, even life-saving intervention that their platform provides. Too many are transactional coaches; they focus solely on winning and meeting their personal needs. Some coaches, however, use their platform. They teach the Xs and Os, but also teach the Ys of life. They help young people grow into responsible adults; they leave a lasting legacy. These are the transformational coaches. These coaches change lives, and they also change society by helping to develop healthy men and women. InSideOut Coaching explains how to become a transformational coach. Coaches first have to “go inside” and articulate their reasons for coaching. Only those who have taken the InSideOut journey can become transformational. Joe Ehrmann provides examples of coaches in his life who took this journey and taught him how to find something bigger than himself in sports.He describes his own InSideOut experience, starting with the death of his beloved brother, which helped him understand how sports could transcend the playing field. He gives coaches the information and the tools they need to become transformational. Joe Ehrmann has taken his message about the extraordinary power of sports all over the country. It has been warmly endorsed by NFL head coaches, athletic directors at major universities, high school head coaches, even business groups and community organizations. Now any parent-coach or school or community coach can read Ehrmann’s message and learn how to make sports a life-changing experience.

Parenting Young Athletes tells readers exactly how to enhance the well-being of their children, both on and off the athletic field/court. The latest information on child development, sport psychology, and sports medicine is translated into a practical "how-to" guide that assists parents in assuring their sons and daughters get the most out of youth sports. The authors, seasoned experts in the field, thoughtfully address a wide range of issues including: -Promoting achievement in all areas of life -Choosing the right sport program -Understanding the unique nutritional needs of young athletes -Identifying, treating, and preventing sport injuries -Helping children cope with disappointment and performance anxiety -Applying positive principles of coaching and character-building -Addressing the special concerns of high school athletes -Recognizing and preventing bullying and abuse -Growing together as a family through sports Engagingly written, Parenting Young Athletes is targeted at parents of youngsters from elementary through high school years. Geared toward parents who have relatively little athletic experience as well as those who have a strong background in sports, the book provides clear recommendations with enlightening examples and real stories of growth-promoting sport experiences. Key concepts and principles are highlighted throughout. Parenting Young Athletes explores the joys as well as the dangers of sport participation and is a must-read for parents who hope to raise champions in sports and in life.

Baseball's all-time Iron Man, Cal Ripken, Jr., retired from baseball in 2001 after breaking countless records, including Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played. Now, in Get in the Game, he gives us his insights on hard work and success that can be applied on and off the field, based on stories from his exhilarating career in baseball. Get in the Game includes Ripken's 8 Elements of Perseverance: 1. The Right Values 2. A Strong Will to Succeed 3. Love What You Do 4. Preparation 5. Anticipation 6. Trusting Relationships 7. Life Management 8. The Courage of Your Convictions Ripken is admired not only for his relentless perseverance but also for his unparalleled integrity. From his numerous public-speaking engagements each year to his weekly "Ask Cal" column for the Baltimore Sun, Cal Ripken, Jr., is a sought-after advisor and role model to fans from all walks of life.

Today show's Michele Borba's cures for difficult childhood behaviors In this down-to-earth guide, parenting expert Michele Borba offers advice for dealing with children's difficult behavior and hot button issues including biting, temper tantrums, cheating, bad friends, inappropriate clothing, sex, drugs, peer pressure, and much more. Written for parents of kids age 3-13, this book offers easy-to-implement advice for the most important challenges parents face with kids from toddlers to tweens. Includes immediate solutions to the most common childhood problems and challenges Written by Today Show's resident parenting expert Michele Borba Offers clear step-by-step guidance for solving difficult childhood behaviors and family conflicts Contains a wealth of advice that is easy-to-follow and gets quick results Author has written outstanding parenting books including Building Moral Intelligence, No More Misbehavin', Don't Give Me that Attitude, and more Each of the 101 issues includes clear questions, specific step-by-step solutions, and advice that is age appropriate.

A coach is part teacher, part parent, part student, part mentor, and part guru. He must possess a stern hand and a comforting touchand the wisdom to discern when each is needed. Each decision he makes is a part of a perilous high wire act that can propel a team forward or send a season tumbling downward. But when does a coach truly become a coach? Is it after some athletic director looks across the desk, offers his hand, and says, Congratulations, youve got the job? Is it after that first win? That first championship? Or is it when all those nagging questions in the back of the mind finally stop nagging? Scott Illiano, head baseball coach of the West Essex High School Knights, chronicles his incredible journey from waiter in a chain restaurant to veteran coach in Our Time. Discover how an unproven coach and a patchwork group of underdogs battle injuries, biting cold temperatures, and fierce competition in their quest to win the Greater Newark Tournament, the oldest and most prestigious baseball tournament in the state of New Jersey. Twenty kids and four coaches share a dream and a whole lot of heart. Through their journey, in victory and defeat, struggle and success, readers will find out when a coach becomes a coach.