All Articles by Douglas E. Abrams, J.D.

Youth Sports Heroes of the Month: St. Clairsville (Ohio) High School Football Team

Early in the fourth quarter, senior running back Michael Ferns broke through the line near midfield, and nothing but daylight stood between the St. Clairsville High School star and his twelfth touchdown of the season. What happened next made the entire team this month's youth sports heroes.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Seth Goldstein (East Memphis, Tenn.)

At a the half-way point during a recent high school cross country meet, one of the runners maintaining a brisk pace with a solid chance to win or place high, suddenly stopped running. What happened next makes him our Youth Sports Hero for November.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Kyle Lograsso (Murrieta, California)

Adults often speak about "teachable moments," opportunities for perceptive teachers, coaches and parents to help young athletes draw positive lessons from a negative event. Sometimes the negative event is relatively trivial, such as losing a tough game in the final minute. But in the case of this month's youth sports hero, sometimes the negative event is much more serious.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Matt Woodrum (Worthington, Ohio)

Most athletes who finish last in a race aren't showered with accolades or become You Tube sensations, but that's what happened to an Ohio eleven-year-old when he finished a distant last in the 400 meter race at his elementary school's annual track and field day.

Youth Sports Heroes of the Month: 1955 Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars Baseball Team (Charleston, S.C.)

Little League calls them "the most significant amateur team in baseball history." The Charleston (S.C.) Post and Courier calls them "perhaps the most important team in youth sports history."  They were the Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars, a team of 11-12-year-olds who went to the Little League World Series in 1955, but, because they were black, never got to play an inning.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Meghan Vogel (West Liberty, Ohio)

When Meghan Vogel helped a fellow athlete across the finish line at a state championship track meet in Ohio, she became an instant YouTube sensation precisely because everyone would not have done the same.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Rashawn King (Apex, North Carolina)

This month's hero had much to be thankful for, and many people to thank, but his gratitude had nothing to do with the school community's support for his exploits on the gridiron or the court and everything to do with the school community's support in his battle to live.  (Photo credit: Takaaki Iwabu, News-Observer)

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Mark Mannarn (North York, Ontario, Canada)

12-year-old Canadian Pee Wee hockey player Mark Mannarn "Feel Like a Pro Day" raises money for cancer research and teaches that life lessons about how to respond to adversity can be taught by players too.

Youth Sports Heroes of the Month: Jack Jablonski (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Heriberto “Eddie” Avila (Belvidere, Ill.)

This month's column tells of two high school athletes who, after suffering catastrophic injuries, quickly forgave the opponents who meant no harm, but who will bear deep emotional scars for the rest of their lives. and how forgiveness in the face of adversity may require the greatest courage of all.

Youth Sports Hero of the Month: Allan Guei (Compton, Calif.)

What a star point guard on a high school basketball team did after won $40,000 in college scholarship money in a free-throwing contest was a testimony to his generosity and to the power of team sports to teach a critical life lesson.