General

Brooke de Lench
Brooke de Lench

Athletic Success: An Accident of Birth?

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 20:36. | 0 comments

If your child plays hockey or softball and is celebrating a birthday this month, congratulations, your kid is very lucky!

Why is that, you may ask?

Numerous studies have shown give kids in sports where teams are grouped by age born early in the age-group year (January for hockey and softball, May for baseball, and August for soccer) a number of advantages over their younger teammates.  Should success in sports really depend on the month of an athlete's birthday?
Read more »

Love of Sport Must Come From Child, Not Parents

Four-time Olympic medalist Angela Ruggiero says the love of sport must come from within each child; it can't be from the parent.  She urges parents to expose their kids to lots of different sports when they are young.  Once they find one they love, parents can help them be the best they can be at that sport by making sure, before every season, they still want to play, and, if they do, accepting the responsibililties that go along with being on a team, even if it means going to hockey practice at 5 a.m. in the morning when they would rather sleep.
Read more

Be Realistic, See Big Picture In Assessing Child's Athletic Talent, Says Olympian Ruggiero

The simple fact is that not every athlete, no matter how talented their parents think they are, is going to be an elite athlete at the professional or Olympic level, says fourt-time Olympic women's ice hockey medalist, Angela Ruggiero.  In evaluating their child's level of talent, Ruggiero says, parents need to see the big picture, because while their child may be a star on their team, there are likely many on teams elsewhere in the country, indeed in the world, who are better.
Read more

Achieving Athletic Success: 10 Essential Ingredients

Four-time Olympic medalist Angela Ruggiero lists 10 essential ingredients for achieving athletic success:

  1. Play a sport you love;
  2. Supportive parents
  3. Eat right;
  4. Set goals, don't have them set for you;
  5. Strength and conditioning training;
  6. Stay hydrated;
  7. Be willing to make sacrifices;
  8. Develop a good support system (coaches, trainers, school etc.);
  9. Listen and be good to your body (don't ignore chronic injuries; recognize that injuries are a part of sport); and
  10. Have fun!
Read more

When Is Right Time To Hire Sports Agent?

Sports agent Sheryl Shade says that there are no easy answers to the question of when to hire a sports agent, and that the timing will vary, depending on the sport, the athlete, and their goals.  First thing to do, she says, is talk to the athlete's coach.

Read more

Struggling With Body Image: Helping Your Daughter Love Her Athletic Body

Two-time Olympic track cyclist Erin Mirabella advises parents that if their athletic daughter has body image issues, they should drive home the message that she is beautiful just the way she is, and as far as beauty goes, what really matters is on the inside.
Read more »
Brooke de Lench
Brooke de Lench

Article Exposes Flaws In Way American Youth Sports System Develops Talent

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Fri, 06/04/2010 - 19:19. | 0 comments

A piece by Michael Sokolove called "How a Soccer Star is Made" in the New York Times Magazine  is a must-read article for sports parents, not just for the fascinating glimpse it provides into the way a famous Dutch soccer club grooms athletes for pro careers but because it exposes serious flaws in the way the American youth sports system develops talent.

Read more »
Brooke de Lench
Brooke de Lench

Raising A Gifted Athlete: Supporting Child's Dream, Knowing Role

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Tue, 05/04/2010 - 14:26. | 0 comments

What is it like to be the parent of a gifted athlete? Last week I learned a little more when I attended a panel discussion hosted by the Cambridge Center for Adult Education (CCAE).

Read more »

Should Sports be 'Dumbed Down?'

Submitted by The Coach Pickles on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 21:24. | 2 comments

The idea of “dumbed down” sports is a scary concept for some. It can be hard for many adults, especially coaches, to accept. The mere idea of doing so can bring their coaching into question and evoke feelings of hesitation, resistance and fear. Many are often quick to admit, “My dad never ‘dumbed down’ sports for me, and I turned out fine.” However, watch a seasoned coach try to teach a young child without “dumbing down” sports, and they fail miserably. Still, purists claim “dumbed down” sports coaching is anything but natural.

Read more »

How to Make the Olympic Team

Angela Ruggiero, US Women's National Hockey Team Member, discusses how to deal with scouting pressure and the process of making the Olympic team.

Read more
12next ›last »
Syndicate content