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Sore Losers
I don’t know what happened, but it seems like too many people are taking sportsmanship too far. Take the case of the Gloucester Dragons Recreational Soccer program in Ottawa, Canada. The group created...
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False Security
As long as recreation agencies conduct background checks on volunteer coaches, participants are perfectly safe, right? Baloney! That’s like saying plugging a flat tire will make it usable for another...
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An Even Playing Field
Why do teachers get paid a debatably decent salary, but most coaches are not paid at all? Imagine what would happen if we paid our volunteer coaches. I understand the argument that many times coaches...
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Repurpose Sports Equipment
A couple of years ago, I visited Zambia, where construction was beginning on the $140-million Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, South Africa; it was one of a handful of new stadiums erected to host World...
View ArticleA Rewarding Experience
The next time a parent gives you an earful about how your program operates, be thankful. That’s right … thankful. Admittedly, overseeing a youth-sports program comes with a truckload of frustration,...
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Take Away All-Star Games
Note: Mark Moore is a guest columnist to PRB. Fred Engh’s regular monthly column will appear again beginning in April. Many recreational leagues sanction sport teams with a private sports organization...
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Drug-Testing Volunteer Coaches
The Tennessee State Soccer Association–the state’s largest youth soccer organization, with more than 40,000 players ages 4 to19 and roughly 600 select coaches–has implemented a drug-testing program for...
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Practice Pitfalls
Being a physical-educator by profession, I am more sensitive than most to the health benefits that organized sports provide–when they are conducted the right way. Keep 'em active during practices. But...
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Follow The School Model
Have you ever stood on the tee at a local charity golf event with trembling hands and a jack-hammering heart, fearing how ridiculous you would look swinging the club and never connecting with the ball?...
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A Healthy Debate
When children run, jump, twist, and turn while playing sports, most don’t consider something could possibly go wrong. Horribly wrong. Heart health awareness is important in youth sports. It’s alarming...
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Step Up To The Plate
When I founded the National Alliance For Youth Sports in 1981, one of the driving forces behind that decision was due to the alarming number of youth-sports programs that resembled those in the...
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Pushing The Limits
It all began in the sandlots–kids chose sides, set up makeshift bases, picked positions, and created their own rules. Miraculously, all of this was done without the help of any adults. Too many pitches...
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Cashing In On Kids
In recent years, there have been far too many stories of youth athletic contests that disintegrated into bloody brawls involving parents, coaches, and officials. Gambling has no place in youth sports...
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Stand Up To Steroids
Several years ago, my organization conducted a survey of young athletes and found that a jaw-dropping 3 percent admitted they were using steroids. Winning isn't important enough to risk using steroids....
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Girls Deserve Better
Some people out there actually think it is “unladylike” for girls to play certain sports, like football. Girls can play football, too. These naysayers believe girls don’t have the physical strength,...
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Leading The Way
In every segment of society, there are people who stand out as leaders. They have the vision, passion, and work ethic to make things happen. Miste Adams Is this true in the parks and recreation...
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Rise Above
Lying, cheating, and attempting under-the-table cash payouts. Carmen Scott No, I’m not talking about a criminal who has just been convicted; I’m talking about someone who has been witnessing these acts...
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Take It Day By Day
As one might imagine, overseeing a youth-sports program that caters to more than 6,000 children, ranging from 3 to 18 years old, requires having a solid foundation of policies in place–and the courage...
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Oh, To Be Czar Of Youth Sports
Red-faced coaches screaming at officials, out-of-control parents and players kicking the ideals of good sportsmanship to the curb–Kyle Kebaugh saw it all as a young athlete. Kyle Kebaugh “I would say...
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The Best And Worst
In speaking with recreation professionals over the years, I have found it interesting–and alarming–that there is an almost universal agreement that parents pose the most challenges. Tim Kerbs Photo...
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Meeting The Challenge
Taking care of nine kids at home, 3,000 at work By Fred Engh Growing up inArizona, Monty Perkins fell in love with sports at an early age. He participated in baseball, football, and basketball among...
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Life-Changing Programs
All it takes is a nudge from a coach By Fred Engh Four years ago Dave Parks, program administrator for youth sports for the city of Englewood (Colo.) Parks and Recreation Department, received a call...
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A Dynamic Duo
When Kathy Eber and her family moved to Florida a quarter century ago, one of the first calls she made was to Little League Baseball. Kathy and Aileen. Photo Courtesy of NAYS She wanted to know if...
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A Passion For Excellence
Ted Lockamon’s passion for sports was ignited at an early age. Ted Lockamon “My dad played on one of the best softball teams on the east coast, and as a child, my family spent almost every weekend...
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Do More Than Show Up
Love Ishie knows all about challenges and, more importantly, overcoming them. Recognizing kids who excel in youth sports encourages hard work and excellence. Photo Courtesy of NAYS Thanks to a...
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Family Ties
Growing up, Sheila Lillis had a front-row seat observing the power of sports and what it takes to provide quality youth programming. Sheila Lillis says every child should have the chance to be part of...
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Passion With A Purpose
Duane Smith has always been passionate about sports. So, when he chose to switch careers—moving from education to parks and recreation—he funneled that passion in a new direction, and the roughly 2,000...
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Destined To Lead
It seems Steve Herrera was destined for a career in recreation. Growing up three blocks from a community center, he spent the bulk of his free time playing sports, forging friendships, and gaining...
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Pass It On
Erin Niemeyer hit the youth-sports jackpot when she was growing up. Sport after sport and season after season, she was lucky enough to play for coaches who instilled life-defining values that continue...
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Making Memories
Kim Turner loved competing in track during her high-school days. She thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the school’s cheerleading squad, too. But her favorite memories—the ones that still resonate...
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Forging Friendships
Grateful for all of the friendships she forged while playing sports, Leslie Brinson is intent on making sure youngsters who participate in programs at the city of Bloomington’s (Ind.) Parks &...
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Focusing On Fun
Youngsters participating in sports programs at the Simpsonville Parks and Recreation Department in Kentucky will never complain about being bored. Department Director Chris Truelock makes sure of that....
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Instilling Life Values
As the nation’s third-largest county park system, Miami-DadeCountyParks, Recreation and Open Spaces in Florida provides youth-sports programming for a jaw-dropping 9,000 youngsters. That’s a lot of...
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Dedicated To The Next Generation
Recreation professionals often put in ridiculously long hours, so even the smallest gestures from youngsters in the programs can have the biggest impact. Just ask Landon Carroll, the Recreation Program...
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Role Models For Rookies
Photo Courtesy NAYS Darryl Hopkins’ first experience playing youth football at age 7 turned out to be a life changer. “The best coach that I played for growing up was the first coach I ever had,”...
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Passionate Leader
Growing up in the 1960s, Jeff Berthney’s days were filled with playing sports—from all-day sessions with neighborhood pals to taking part in a variety of organized programs. “Although my dad was in the...
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Destined To Serve
It seems Jerome Krieger was destined for a career in parks and recreation. Growing up across the street from a recreation center in St. Paul, Minn., “[It] was my home away from home,” he says. “I...
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Changing Course
Photo Courtesy Of NAYS For more than 30 years, Jere Gunderman was perfectly happy with his retail and customer-service job in the private sector. But then one night 12 years ago, a television program...
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What It’s All About
Photo Courtesy of NAYS For Christi DeLoach, sports have always been a huge—and incredibly rewarding—part of her life. Whether it’s playing and competing or organizing and supervising, they have an...
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Remaining Relevant
Photo Courtesy Of NAYS Teens who have been cut from their high-school basketball teams, or those not interested in playing at that competitive level, love participating in a popular high-school...
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Making Positive Memories
Photo Courtesy of NAYS Growing up, Rick Bruya’s sports participation was packed with fun, learning, and character-building experiences. And—as it turned out—a career-shaping one too. From the stinging...
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Enjoyable Experiences
Photo Courtesy of NAYS Several years ago Mike Buchanan, the superintendent for the city of Manhattan (Kan.) Parks and Recreation Department, was tending to some business at the park on a warm Saturday...
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Colorful Memories
Photo Courtesy of NAYS The recreation soccer team Wayne Simmons played on as a youngster was easy to spot: Besides the orange jerseys his team wore, they also took the field with orange hair that the...
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Speak From Experience
Photo: Courtesy NAYS Growing up, Kevin Teate was fortunate to enjoy many years of fun-filled and stress-free youth sports participation. And he credits his dad for much of it. “For the most part, all...
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Healthy Pursuits
Photo Courtesy Of NAYS Kelly Leger’s journey to becoming recreation superintendent at SpaldingCounty (Ga.) Parks and Recreation didn’t begin in typical fashion. “My path to recreation superintendent...
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Playing Is Winning
Photo Courtesy of NAYS In 2003 the City of Arlington (Texas) Parks and Recreation Department decided to resume its youth-sports programming after more than a 20-year hiatus. And what a return it has...
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Pass It On
Photo Courtesy of NAYS Growing up in Raleigh, N.C., in the late 1960s and early 1970s, young girls like Jane Bailey didn’t have many opportunities to participate in organized sports. But times have...
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Lifetime Achievement
Photo Courtest of NAYS Many years ago, Ken Koonce returned to his hometown of Kinston, N.C., for Christmas, where he received one of the best gifts a recreation professional could ask for—a thank you...
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Stay The Course
Photo Courtesy Of NAYS When Patrick Senn stepped onto the campus of FranklinCollege in Indiana more than a decade ago, he was like most other college freshmen—he had his whole life ahead of him and no...
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Give “Hondo” A Hand
Photo Courtesy of NAYS Al “Hondo” Handy had only been with the OceanCity (Md.) Recreation and Parks Department for two months when he was asked to coach the department’s all-star team in a basketball...
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