Playing for the Right Team: Less Important Than Committment to Sport and Love Of Game

Submitted by Tim Twellman on Mon, 06/11/2012 - 21:08. | comments

Does playing for the right team, club or high school guarantee getting recruited for college is a question all parents of elite athletes end up facing sometime along the way as their children continue their growth as athletes.

The answer is simply no. An athlete definitely has to play the sport they love with a commitment to being the best they can be. This can be accomplished at all levels of clubs, but the important thing is that the athlete be competitive with other top players. There is no need to jump from club to club.

Playing for the right team, club or high school doesn't guarantee getting recruited for college. It is more important that an athlete enjoy the team and loves to practice and play.

Hal Tearse

Better Enforcement, Not Rule Changes Key To Reducing Dangerous Play in Hockey

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Fri, 05/25/2012 - 02:58. | comments

Minnesota Hockey and the Minnesota State High school league increased the penalties for dangerous plays following the tragic life changing accident Jack Jablonski, a 16-year-old Benilde St. Margarets player, suffered in January of 2012. The question at hand now is should we continue with the stiffer penalties, modify them, add to them or return to the previous rule book? So far the consensus is to keep them and add to them.

It seems so simple, but as we learn in life nothing is simple. Perhaps we should look at the causes that are creating the current environment and then asertain if the penalties are warranted, are sufficient or need changing.

We won't make ice hockey safer for players by increasing penalties for dangerous play. We need to address the core issue: the violent culture of the sport.

May Is Sports Moms Month

Sandy Kimbrell: Helping Daughter Realize Her Dream Of Playing Baseball For USA

Submitted by May Is Sports Moms Month on Wed, 05/23/2012 - 19:44. | comments

Being the mother of an athlete is a challenging yet rewarding role. So MomsTEAM has declared May as Sports Moms Month and is celebrating by asking some of our favorite sports moms to share their wisdom by responding to a series of questions.

So far this month we have heard from a fascinating range of sports moms, from a mom of an Olympic athlete to moms who were themselves Olympic athletes, from a mom of two former minor league baseball players to a Minnesota hockey mom and author.

Today, we hear from Sandy Kimbrell, mother of a USA Baseball player, Anna Kimbrell: Anna Kimbrell and her mom Sandy

The mother of USA Baseball star Anna Kimbrell says she the biggest lesson she has learned from her daughter is that everyone has a God-given talent, and with proper support and hard work dreams CAN and DO come true.

Meet MomsTEAM's Soccer Expert: Tim Twellman

Tim Twellman is a retired American soccer player who spent seven years in the North American Soccer League and four in the Major Indoor Soccer League. After retiring from playing professionally, he has coached high school and youth soccer for over twenty years.

May Is Sports Moms Month

Heather McKenzie (Informatics Nurse): Days As Athlete Over, It's Time To Pay It Forward

Submitted by May Is Sports Moms Month on Sun, 05/20/2012 - 15:58. | comments

Being the mother of an athlete is a challenging yet rewarding role. So MomsTEAM has designated May as Sports Moms Month and is celebrating by asking some of our favorite sports moms to share their wisdom by responding to a series of questions.

So far this month we have heard from a fascinating range of sports moms, from a mom of an Olympic athlete to moms who were themselves Olympic athletes, from a mom of two former minor league baseball players to a Minnesota hockey mom and author.

Today, we hear from Heather McKenzie, a nurse, sports mom and cheer coach from Union Bridge, Maryland:

MomsTEAM: Were you an athlete and what sports did you play as a youth (under 19)?

A nurse and sports mom to four active young kids believes that, now that her own days as a youth athlete are over, it is her turn to pay it forward by volunteering as a cheerleading coach for her 8-year-old daughter's team.

Brooke de Lench

Heads Up: Recent Developments in Sports Safety

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Thu, 05/17/2012 - 13:39. | comments

Three hot topics are on my mind today: wearable technology, head impact sensors, and football helmets.

Wearable technology

During the past year, I have been invited many times to participate in conversations about wearable technology for athletes. With our headquarters close to the hotbeds of technology centers of MIT and Harvard, I am often asked to sit in on meetings to provide my insight.

What I know is that this is a rapidly-developing field in which we are going to see some amazing technological advances in the next decade.

Three hot topics are on my mind today: wearable technology, head impact sensors, and football helmets.

Outdoor Adventure Club Benefits Kids In Many Ways

When a mom and sports psychologist started an Outdoor Adventure Club for kids at her son's elementary school, she learned that involving your children in physical activities outside of organized sports can reap enormous benefits. Finding an activity that involves learning practical skills and teaching children how to have more confidence makes it a win-win for everyone.

NFHS Clarifies Rules On Checks From Behind in High School Hockey

In an effort to promote safer play and minimize the risk of head, neck and spine injuries, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has clarified the rules on checking from behind in high school hockey. The changes seek to stem the rising tide of violence in high school hockey, and come in the wake of several highly publicized catastrophic injuries to players after illegal checks from behind, but is better enforcement the simpler, and better, answer?

Little League Baseball Approves New Division for 11- to 13-year-old Players

Little League Baseball has approved the creation of a new division for 11- to 13-year-olds which will begin play in 2013.

Youth Volleyball: Back Pain Common But Preventable

Young volleyball players are prone to lower back pain and injuries. A physical therapist lists the warning signs of a potentially serious back problem and offers tips for keeping players on the court and back-pain free.

Sports