Sportsmanship In Youth Athletics

This book examines the issue of sportsmanship in youth athletics and its surrounding arguments. Sportsmanship in Youth Athletics familiarizes readers with ethics involving sports, rules and regulations, and the roles of the youth athlete, the parent, and the coach. Methods to make improvements in order to promote sportsmanship in youth athletics are also explained. Color photos and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-follow text. Features include a timeline, facts, additional resources, web sites, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index.

Although the physical and psychological benefits of youth participating in sport are evident, the increasing professionalization and specialization of youth sport, primarily by coaches and parents, are changing the culture of youth sport and causing it to erode the ideal mantra: “It’s all about the kids.” In Best Practice for Youth Sport, readers will gain an appreciation of an array of issues regarding youth sport. This research-based text is presented in a practical manner, with examples from current events that foster readers’ interest and class discussion. The content is based on the principle of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), which can be defined as engaging in decisions, behaviors, and policies that meet the physical, psychological, and social needs of children and youth based on their ages and maturational levels. This groundbreaking resource covers a breadth of topics, including bone development, burnout, gender and racial stereotypes, injuries, motor behavior, and parental pressures. Written by Robin S. Vealey and Melissa A. Chase, the 16 chapters of Best Practice for Youth Sport are divided into four parts. Part I, Youth Sport Basics, provides readers with the fundamental knowledge and background related to the history, evolution, and organization of youth sport. Part II, Maturation and Readiness for Youth Sport Participants, is the core of understanding how and why youth sport is different from adult sport. This part details why it is important to know when youth are ready to learn and compete. Part III, Intensity of Participation in Youth Sport, examines the appropriateness of physical and psychological intensity at various developmental stages and the potential ramifications of overtraining, overspecialization, overstress, and overuse. The text concludes with part IV, Social Considerations in Youth Sport, which examines how youth sport coaches and parents can help create a supportive social environment so that children can maximize the enjoyment and benefits from youth sport. In addition to 14 appendixes, activities, glossaries, study questions, and other resources that appear in Best Practice for Youth Sport, the textbook is enhanced with instructor ancillaries: a test package, image bank, and instructor guide that features a syllabus, additional study questions and learning activities, tips on teaching difficult concepts, and additional readings and resources. These specialized resources ensure that instructors will be ready for each class session with engaging materials. Ancillaries are free to course adopters and available at www.HumanKinetics.com/BestPracticeForYouthSport. Best Practice for Youth Sport provides readers with knowledge of sport science concerning youth sport and engages them through the use of anecdotes, activities, case studies, and practical strategies. Armed with the knowledge from this text, students, coaches, parents, administrators, and others will be able to become active agents of social change in structuring and enhancing youth sport programs to meet the unique developmental needs of children, making the programs athlete centered rather than adult centered so that they truly are all about the kids.

Aware that his own children needed to learn good sportsmanship and respect for others, Brian Shulman, father of three, founded Learning Through Sports, a company that has inspired millions of children through learning resources that combine athletics and academics. After years of research and through partnerships with some of the largest athletic associations in the country, Brian has quickly become America's foremost authority on sportsmanship education. He champions good sportsmanship in public appearances nationwide, creating relationships with athletic and educational organizations, and building coalitions to address the vital need. A former football star and team captain at Auburn University where coaches were his strongest influences, Brian has observed a shameful decrease in good sportsmanship, from youth leagues to the professional ranks in every major sport. "In our increasingly combative society," he says "sports seem to be dividing us more than uniting us. As the games ta

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.

The modern day youth sports environment has taken the enjoyment out of athletics for our children. Currently, 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 13, which has given rise to a generation of overweight, unhealthy young adults. There is a solution. John O’Sullivan shares the secrets of the coaches and parents who have not only raised elite athletes, but have done so by creating an environment that promotes positive core values and teaches life lessons instead of focusing on wins and losses, scholarships, and professional aspirations. Changing the Game gives adults a new paradigm and a game plan for raising happy, high performing children, and provides a national call to action to return youth sports to our kids.

This handbook was generated by a survey of the specific needs of the coaching community serving young children as athletic coaches. The survey revealed a need for information that addresses the needs of beginning level volunteer coaches. The first section discusses the benefits of competitive sports for children and youth and the role of the youth sports coach. In the second section, the ways children grow and develop are considered with guidelines offered for selecting skills to be taught, rules and strategies, and preventing athletic injuries. Goalsetting, motivating, and teaching values and sportsmanship are included in this section as well as suggestions on how to analyze sport skills. Practical advice is offered in the third section on planning, practicing, running competitions, and dealing with parents. The final section offers information on emergency procedures, legal liabilities, sports for disabled children, and co-ed competition. Program evaluation procedures are also discussed in this section. (JD)

As adult role models, we want our young athletes to learn about sportsmanship, overcome adversity, and achieve emotional growth-but are we teaching them the right lessons?With 15 years of experience officiating nearly 5,000 different games, from youth tournaments to varsity high school championships, veteran referee Jeff Eckert has seen it all. In #SPORTSMANSHIP: Go Viral With It!, he shares important insights about sportsmanship-good and bad-and the surprising ways it affects our children, our communities, and the game itself.In this book, you will learn:? Why 7 out of 10 children quit the sports they love before high school? The surprising ways we parents sabotage our young athletes? How to set a great example and stamp out poor sportsmanship before it can go viral? The single most important "car ride home" conversation you can have #SPORTSMANSHIP: Go Viral With It! is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to help stamp out unsportsmanlike behavior, encourage youth leadership, and positively impact those around them. With entertaining anecdotes, expert advice, and real-world solutions, this book gives parents, coaches, and other role models the tools they need to demonstrate and encourage humility and good sportsmanship-on and off the field-and be the catalyst that makes good sportsmanship go viral.Praise for #SPORTSMANSHIP: Go Viral With It!:"An educational and fun read for any parent, fan, coach, or teacher. Thanks, Jeff, for the reminder of why we need to take this message 'viral.'"-Bill Severns, former professional baseball player and author of Keepers of the Sandlot"The game-time scenarios add perspective to the educational value of the book and engage the reader with each story by providing a road map for athletes, coaches, parents, fans, and officials. The KSHSAA hopes all readers will find connection points from these stories and better understand that appropriate sportsmanship #StartsWithMe."-Bill Faflick, Executive Director, Kansas State High School Activities Association"This book shows a way forward, a way that enables us to enjoy athletic competition and show commitment to competing in an honorable way."-Barry Mano, President, National Association of Sports Officials

Unsportsmanlike behavior by student athletes or parents at youth sporting events happens with regularity these days. Much recent research reveals that young people are dropping out of sport at alarming rates due to the often toxic elements in the culture of youth sports. The timely, innovative essays in Youth Sport and Spirituality present a wide-ranging overview that draws on resources from Catholic spiritual and theological traditions to address problems such as these, as well as opportunities in youth sport in the United States. The book consists of two sections. In the first, prominent scholars in philosophy, psychology, theology, and spirituality reflect on how youth sport contributes to the integral development of the person and his or her grasp of spiritual values. The second half of the book consists of chapters written by coaches, athletic directors, and specialists working with youth coaches. These practitioners share how their approaches to working with youth in sport contribute to the integral development of their players and their openness to transcendent values. The essays examine coaching as ministry, youth sport and moral development, and how parents can act as partners in youth sports, among other topics. The book will interest coaches, athletic directors, and youth ministers in Catholic elementary and high schools in parish settings, as well as undergraduate and graduate students in education who are preparing to teach in Catholic schools. Contributors: Patrick Kelly, SJ, Daniel A. Dombrowski, Nicole M. LaVoi, Mike McNamee, Clark Power, David Light Shields, Brenda Light Bredemeier, Richard R. Gaillardetz, Kristin Komyatte Sheehan, Dobie Moser, Jim Yerkovich, Sherri Retif, James Charles Naggi, and Edward Hastings.