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The Dark Side Of Youth Sports By Shane Murphy, Ph. D. There is a strong tendency in our society to view participation in sports in the most favorable light. Children are encouraged to participate in organized youth sports programs because they are thought to promote such fundamental values as character, teamwork, determination and commitment. But this bias can be troublesome if it prevents us from seeing that problems in youth sports exist. More >> Development Of the Young Athlete: Guidelines For Parents By Shane Murphy, Ph. D. An interesting and useful way of thinking about the development of the young athlete has been proposed by Jon Hellstedt. Because it is impossible to look at the development of the young athlete without also taking into account the changes experienced by the parents and siblings, Hellstedt looks at the development of the young athlete as an issue for the entire family. Read Full Story>> Books The Cheers and Tears: A Healthy Alternative to the Dark Side of Youth Sports Today Shane Murphy, Ph.D. (Jossey-Bass, 1999) Important book about the state of youth sports in this country by a leading youth sports psychologist and MomsTeam expert.		Biography Dr. Murphy is a licensed psychologist, Associate Adjunct Professor in Psychology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut and in Clinical Psychology at Capella University. He is the founder of Gold Medal Psychological Consultants, which teaches business and sport organizations the competitive skills that lead to success. Dr. Murphy was sport psychologist for the U.S. Olympic Teams at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul and the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, and a consultant to the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) on mental preparation for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. Read Full Biography>> Articles When Is Your Child Old Enough for You to Get Involved in Youth Sports? Five Ways For Sport Parents To Set A Good Example The Dark Side Of Youth Sports Escaping The Parent Trap Successful Development Of the Young Athlete: Guidelines For Parents Youth Sports Motivation Questionnaire (To Be Completed By Youth Athlete) Youth Sports Motivation Questionnaire (To Be Completed By Parents)