youth sports
Delivering criticism to athletes
I recently asked a group of coaches to give me their main challenges with athletes. Almost immediately, the majority of coaches agreed they see many athletes shut down upon receiving negative feedback or criticism. They believed the biggest influence...
Study: Children under 12 shouldn’t play tackle football
A study released Tuesday concluded that children who participate in tackle football before the age of 12 are at a greater risk for incurring later-life brain issues. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Translational Psychiatry. It...
Study: Participation in youth sports continues to decline
Nationwide participation in youth sports is down nearly 8 percent over the last decade, according to a new study published by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association and The Aspen Institute. In 2008, close to 45 percent of kids ages 6 to 12 ...
Five key ways volunteers contribute to youth sports
By Scott Hallenbeck, USA Football CEO & Executive Director Volunteers are influential, powerful and game-changing. They foster positive experiences for student-athletes so they can acquire the inherent values football teaches. Without them, t...
Study highlights pressure in youth sports
A new study examining youth sports takes a close look at the pressure kids face and how it contributes to declining participation. Yellowbrick in Illinois surveyed 1,000 Americans to get a sense of how the pressure to succeed in youth sports has...
The dangers of elitism with youth, high school athletes
The dark side of youth and high school sports occurs in the shadows. The root cause is “elitism” — the marketing of 9-year-old players as “all stars,” the parental boasting of their kid's talent, and the social validation children receiv...
MLB managers Girardi, Matheny discuss youth sports
Days before the start of the 2017 MLB season, two of the game's most accomplished managers shared their thoughts on parenting and some of the most common issues in youth sports. New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi and St. Louis Cardinals manager...
LeBron James: If you care for kids, give them guidance
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James had some thoughts on coaching and leadership Sunday evening, which he shared via Twitter. James, who last week was ranked 11th on Fortune's list of "world's greatest leaders," said leaders — especially thos...
