Naysi Sport Scene

Social media and college recruiting

2010-07-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

How Social Media is Changing the College Recruitment Game

Social Media Expert Explains How College Coaches and Student Athletes are Adapting

Student athletes and college coaches alike are taking notice; social media is changing the communication patterns during the college recruitment process. Considering Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh's recently made news with his cryptic tweets about potential new additions to the Cardinals’ roster, recruits should recognize that college coaches are now reaching out in different ways.

Brian Davidson, Director of Social Media for the National Collegiate Scouting Association, NCSA, says potential recruits should also be reciprocating the new lines of communication with college coaches via social media. “In teaching both college coaches and student athletes about the advancements in social media, it became obvious that many college coaches and student athletes aren’t aware of how they can leverage these tools to reach out to each other,” says Brian Davidson .

Here are few points of advice that Brian Davidson has for both college coaches and student athletes:

For college coaches:

Capitalize on free resources. Many schools aren’t actively involved on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, or a supplementary blog for their program. For programs with budget constraints, social media tools offer a no-cost way to highlight their program!

Build up hype with fans and potential recruits. As Coach Harbaugh demonstrated, social media can be used to generate hype among fans while still abiding by NCAA rules. College coaches need to be proactive on these mediums to be better recruiters and reach out in a way that recruits and their fan base understands.

Leverage social media to showcase your program in new and unique ways. Blogs and social networks are a great way to build relationships and allow recruits an insider’s look into your program. It also allows you to feature your program at its best, and it adds some personality that a traditional website cannot provide.

Play around with it! Many coaches get overwhelmed with the thought of managing social media, but I advise them to start off slow and play around with it, and you will naturally engage with interested audiences.

For student athletes:

Do your research. Research the blogs and social media of coaches and programs of interest to you. You will learn additional information not offered on a traditional website which can be valuable in future communications with the coaches.

Have a recruiting specific Facebook account. Be knowledgeable of the information on your personal Facebook page and make sure it is professional or at the very least privacy protected. Take it a step further and establish a recruiting-specific Facebook account.

Have your highlight video and athletic resume online. Utilize all online opportunities for exposure such as posting your highlight video on YouTube or registering on athletic recruiting sites that are actively searched by coaches.

Let coaches know you are active on these sites. Don’t forget traditional forms of communication to alert college coaches that you are active on these social media sites. It’s another way to build relationships with coaches.

Davidson will be speaking at the upcoming 3rd Annual National Collegiate Recruiting Conference, dedicated to making college coaches and Athletic Directors better, more informed and more confident recruiters, in Chicago , Illinois this upcoming Friday, July 16th through Sunday, July 18th.

National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA): Since 2000, NCSA has quickly grown to be the leading collegiate recruiting source for more than 35,000 college coaches and more than 10,000 verified college athletes from across the country. With a rate of more than 90% of NCSA athletes succeeding to play collegiate athletics, NCSA is the leading educational resource for parents, athletes and coaches who are involved in the recruitment process. Through the educational resources on their website, www.ncsasports.org, and more than 1,000 presentations of the critically acclaimed seminar “College Recruiting Simplified,” the organization has helped over 1,000,000 athletes and parents learn about the process. NCSA’s new book, “Athletes Wanted” furthers this education by sharing the tools for maximizing athletic scholarship and life potential.

Visit www.athleteswanted.org for more information.

Business Opportunity

2010-07-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

Business Opportunity.

Part-time or full-time.

Need more income?
Bills to pay?
No retirement?
Club, team or organization to fund?

Initial investment under $200.

High earning potential. Low overhead.
No inventory. No employees. No bosses.
No set hours. No territories.

Company paid training. Continual support.

Note: Jack Hutslar uses this business to generate funds for the SHS Scholarships Program. It can become a good fundraising source for your team, school, club, church or other special cause.

Contact Jack Hutslar at 800 767-4916.

Win Forever

2010-07-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

New book on the NAYSI Bookshelf

Pete Carroll says in his new book WIN FOREVER: Live, Work and Play like a Champion (onsale next week): "I know that I'll be evaluated in Seattle with wins and losses. That is the nature of my profession for the last thirty-five years. But our record is not what motivates me. Years ago I was asked, 'Pete, which is better: winning or competing?' My response was instantaneous: 'Competing...because it lasts longer."

Carroll might not be motivated by wins and losses but he is one of the most successful coaches in football today. He's also one of the most controversial.

Carroll illustrates his points with inside stories of working with coaching powerhouses including Lou Holtz, Earle Bruce, Monte Kiffin and Bud Grant of the Minnesota Vikings. He also shares stories of the Win Forever football program and its effect on players including Mark Sanchez, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer and Troy Polamalu.

Win Forever is not just about football and not unique to exceptional coaches and players. It provides a basic blueprint and way of thinking that can elevate a business, a family, an individual to experience the joys of performing at their best.

Please visit www.winforever.com

Joe Black - baseball pioneer

2010-06-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

After The Boys of Summer

Baseball Pioneer’s Remarkable Life Beyond America’s Pastime

Book: Meet the Real Joe Black

Joe Black was a baseball pioneer. He was the first black pitcher to ever win a World Series game and roomed with Jackie Robinson while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Black was the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year and was prominently featured in the classic book The Boys of Summer. Yet baseball was just the tip of the iceberg in the inspirational life of Joe Black. He was also the only former major leaguer to become a full time public school teacher and the first African-American executive in the transportation business.

In the new book Meet the Real Joe Black: An Inspiring Life - Baseball, Teaching, Business, Giving, author Steven Michael Selzer chronicles the life of Black, from major league baseball player to public school teacher and, later, to vice president of Greyhound. As Selzer’s teacher, coach, and mentor until the end of his life, Black became a trusted friend and symbol of selflessness. He greatly influenced the author’s life, law practice, and family and also the lives of many friends, acquaintances, and former colleagues as well. Among them are Bill Cosby, Sandy Koufax, Bob Costas, Joe Garagiola, Dusty Baker, Jerry Reinsdorf, and Jerry Colangelo, all of whom contributed stories to the book.

“Mr. Black wasn’t just a teacher of health and physical education,” says Selzer. “What he truly taught was character education. Being responsible. Being reliable. Acting with civility. Most people who knew Joe Black would say he was a person of great integrity who could be counted on to do the right thing in any situation.”

NAYSI Bookshelf - Mental Toughness

2009-02-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

.
Mental Toughness: Understanding the Game of Life
by Dr. Timothy S. Wakefield

IF LIFE IS A GAME, YOU NOW HAVE A PLAYBOOK

New book provides invaluable tips on how to face life’s challenges head-on

At 100 pages, Mental Toughness – understanding the game of life, by Dr. Timothy S. Wakefield, could possibly be the shortest and most helpful book you will ever read. Based on the idea that life is a ‘mental game,’ Wakefield guides readers through 61 short chapters offering tips on how to come out on top, and actually ‘win’ the game of life.

“People must be mentally strong to reject the distractions that impede success,” says Dr. Wakefield. “Many times I think people look back and find out the answers to their challenges in life too late. Why build a legacy of ‘I should haves’ throughout your life when you can do those things now!”

Although the book began as a letter Wakefield and his wife would share with their children at graduation, it turned into much more.

“I wanted to teach my children about the things that it took me 40+ years of listening to my family, friends, mentors, taking seminars, reading books, listening to the tapes/CD’s, etc. to learn to achieve success and happiness,” notes Wakefield. “With hundreds of self help books, CD’s, DVD’s and seminars out there for adults, I decided to develop something that is applicable to all ages.”

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons Dr. Wakefield teaches is that there is as much good as there is bad in the world. With negative news and worldwide crises surrounding us daily, it can be difficult to focus on the greatness and sheer majesty of life.

Mental Toughness – understanding the game of life is a truly universal self-help book that can positively benefit people from age 1 to 101. It can be used for self-analysis or to assist, develop and guide others. Parents can read the book to help themselves and their children. Grandparents can use the book the help themselves, their children and their grandchildren. Everyone can learn how to find a positive in every situation and can apply the tips to their own lives, regardless of age.

Mental Toughness – understanding the game of life dissects the following themes:

* Positive ways to respond to negativity
* The ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ areas of life and how to balance them in order to stay in control.
* Male and female relationships— how to understand and embrace the differences in the opposite sex
* Six steps to becoming a successful, respected leader
* How to control your attitude and use it to your advantage

About the author:

Dr. Wakefield has published books, articles and taught multiple programs in the area of sports injuries, physical fitness, health wellness, occupational health, athletic development, motivation, etc. He has been a guest on several radio shows.

Wakefield is a firm believer that the ‘mental game of life’ is ‘teachable and learnable.’ Before a person can teach the game of life a person must understand the game of life. To implement these life skills it is Dr. Wakefield’s opinion that people must be mentally strong to reject the distractions that impede our success. Thus the name of the book: Mental Toughness – understanding the game of life. Dr. Wakefield is married and a father of three.

www.developingmentaltoughness.com

NAYSI bookshelf - Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy

2008-11-13T14:07:00.000-08:00

Book Review

Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.
by Thomas B. Gilliam, Ph.D.

Facing the (Food & Fitness) Facts:
11 Myth-Busters to Help You Take Charge of the One Thing You Can Control These Days

With the dismal economy keeping you upset and the stressful holiday season looming, you may be searching for something you can control. Fitness expert Tom Gilliam suggests you take charge of your health—but first you must reject some persistent dieting and exercise myths.

Hudson, OH (November 2008)—No doubt about it: Most of us have never felt less in control of our destinies. The stock market is bottoming out and no one knows what to do about it. Jobs are down, food prices are up, who knows what's going on with gas, and to make things even more expensive, the holidays are upon us. Mix all these factors together and you have a recipe for runaway stress and anxiety. But according to Tom Gilliam, there is one thing you can control: your body weight. That's right. Now is the time to get fit, lose any extra pounds that might be hanging around, and develop the habits that will keep your weight at a healthful level over the long term.

"Soothing yourself with comfort food and spending hours on the couch obsessing over TV news reports won't make the economy better, and they certainly won't make you better," says Gilliam, coauthor (along with Jane Neill, R.D., L.D.) of Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.: The Simple Truth About Achieving & Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight (Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy., LLC, 2008, ISBN-13: 978-0-9762703-5-5, ISBN-10: 0-9762703-5-8, $19.95). "If you want to feel more in control, take charge of your health. Not only will you feel better physically, your emotional state will improve as well."

Here's the problem, says Gilliam. Because we tend to live in a dieting-obsessed, "quick fix" society, most of us have absorbed some common misinformation that might actually be hindering our fitness goals.

"To really be successful, you must first debunk the myths that you might have read on the Internet or received as advice from friends or coworkers," says Gilliam.

Think you know your stuff? Read on for the revealing answers to common weight loss blunders that might trip you up in your quest to get healthy:

MYTH #1: Weight loss is all about the cardio. Anyone who believes cardio exercise alone will burn off the pounds hasn't gotten up an hour early every day for two months to hit the treadmill...only to be disappointed when the scale doesn't budge. While it's true that cardio is highly beneficial, you won't really see results until you add equal amounts of strength training to your exercise plan. That's because muscle burns more calories than fat in a process called protein metabolism.

"Quite simply, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn each day," says Gilliam. "Lifting weights is also critical as you grow older, because it will prevent you from losing muscle. In short, keep the cardio but add the strength training. The combination will help you to burn the fat and calories you desire in a healthy and balanced way."

MYTH #2: Salads are the best choice for healthy eating. A salad full of fresh vegetables can be packed with healthy vitamins and minerals, but depending on what else you throw on top, it can also be loaded with calories. For most people, cheese, croutons, and salad dressings are a must, but often these salad accessories are high in fat and calories, practically negating all the healthful veggies that lie underneath.

"Many people don't know that because of all of the extras they add, salads at fast food restaurants can contain more calories than a hamburger," says Gilliam. "Be conscious of the extras you're adding to your salads. If you can't stick to the vegetables and a light dressing on the side, you might be better off choosing a small burger and an order of fruit or a plain baked potato."

MYTH #3: Vegetarian = Healthy. When we hear the word "vegetarian," we automatically assume it's healthful. But the reality is that dishes at restaurants that are labeled as such can be deceiving to patrons trying to make a conscious choice about their meal.

"Many vegetarian options replace meat with flavor boosters like mayonnaise, cheese, and dressings, causing the calorie count to soar," says Gilliam. "Be wary of the ingredients in vegetarian dishes. Just because it sounds healthful, doesn't mean it is."

MYTH #4: Reduced fat means low in fat. It's easy to be persuaded to pick up items at the grocery store or out at restaurants that are labeled "reduced fat." But before you assume that reduced fat equals low fat, consider what the food's original fat content may have been.

"The FDA says in order for a label to claim a food has 'reduced' fat content, it must contain 25 percent less of the nutrient than the regular product," says Gilliam. "If an item contains 10 grams of fat, it need only reduce its fat content to 7 ½ grams to qualify for the reduced fat label. So, while it has less fat than its original counterpart, it's only marginally more healthful, and may still contain more fat than you need to consume."

MYTH #5: Fresh is better than frozen. With an increasing number of products being marketed as "organic" and "fresh" as part of the current health food trend, it can be easy to assume that fresh foods are naturally better for you than frozen ones. However, we forget that in order for the so-called "fresh" food to get to the stores, it often has to travel long distances from its place of origin. During the journey, fresh fruits and vegetables can lose some of their nutritional value. Fruits and vegetables that have been flash frozen (or even canned!) immediately after harvest maintain their nutritional value until they are consumed. As a bonus, frozen and canned goods can be much less expensive to buy when they are out of season, helping you to stay healthier year-round.

But if you still prefer your fruits and veggies fresh, Gilliam has these words of advice for you: "If you are able to buy locally grown produce, you should," he says. "Garden-grown foods do have the best flavor, and if it's grown locally, you can be sure that the time between picking and eating is reduced."

MYTH #6: All fat is bad for you. For years we have had it drilled into our brains that fat is public enemy number one when it comes to losing weight and staying fit. And it is true that you want to avoid saturated fats such as those found in fried foods, sweets, and full-cream dairy products. However, if you avoid all fat all the time, your body will be missing out on important nutrition that it needs to function properly.

"Of course, you should never overindulge, but you do need healthy fats in your diet to be on the top of your fitness game," says Gilliam. "Great options include moderate servings of nuts, seeds, and fish. Keeping your fat intake in check will make for a healthier lifestyle than one with no fat at all."

MYTH #7: If you exercise, you need to consume a sports drink. While sports drinks can be beneficial for those individuals involved in long continuous exercise routines (lasting more than 2 hours) or working out in a very hot and humid environment, most of us Average Joes and Jills don't need them. True, these drinks have electrolytes that are critical for normal body function such as muscle contraction and heart function, but these same electrolytes can be obtained from our daily diet. So unless you are exercising in extreme conditions or for an extended period of time, water is a better way to go.

"What people often forget is that sports drinks contain calories, which in many cases cancel out the ones you just burned during your workout," says Gilliam. "Stick with water. You'll get all the hydration and none of the added calories."

MYTH #8: You should work out as much as possible. If exercise has overall health benefits in addition to contributing to weight loss, the more we exercise, the better—right? Not so. Weight lifting should be done only every other day, three days a week. That's because strength training breaks down muscle, and the day off between workouts allows time for the muscle to rebuild. You should also be careful not to overdo it on cardio. Too much can cause excess wear and tear on your tendons and joints, which over time can lead to joint pain or discomfort, especially in the knees, lower back, and shoulders.

"You simply need to remember to give your body time to recover from its workout," says Gilliam. "Consider taking a day off once or twice a week as an 'exercise holiday.' If you abuse your body, you will have difficulty achieving the results you are looking for. Keep in mind the new federal guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine when you plan your workout routine for the week. It recommends 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week plus your strength training. It may seem cliché, but the saying rings true—slow and steady does win the race."

MYTH #9: Stretching before exercising is critical. It's no secret that stretching after a workout can be beneficial and improve results. However, many people mistakenly assume that stretching before a workout is good as well. The truth is that stretching before a workout does not actually increase our range of motion, as previously thought.

"Warming up is actually a better pre-workout exercise than stretching," says Gilliam. "Great warm-up activities are running in place and jumping jacks. They will get your blood flowing and your heart pumping. Save the stretching for after your workout and look forward to maximizing your results."

MYTH #10: Your weight is the best way to tell if your "get healthy" efforts are working. Research is clear that weighing yourself every day is critical to a weight loss program, but many people don't realize that taking their waist measurement is just as important. A simple tape measure can tell you what kind of progress you are making and can sometimes be a better indicator than the scale.

"We've all stepped on a scale that won't budge and wondered why our weight isn't going down even though our clothes are feeling loose," says Gilliam. "Here's why that happens. When you first begin to exercise, two things will happen: 1. You will gain muscle mass, which is good, and 2. You will lose fat weight, which is also good. The increase in muscle mass offsets the loss of fat, which is why the scale has not changed, but your tape measure shows an improved waistline. This process occurs for about the first six months of your exercise program, and then finally the increase in muscle mass levels off or plateaus but your fat loss continues, which is then reflected on your scale."

MYTH #11: If you're sick, you can get better by sweating it out. Many people think that a great all-natural cure for what ails them is to hit the gym and try to "sweat out" their illness. "That's just not the case," says Gilliam. "If anything, it will only slow the recovery process. And chances are you won't benefit from your illness workout in any other way, because your performance will likely be below par. The best thing to do when you're sick is to take a break from exercising. Allowing your body to recover will quicken your response to the illness and get you back to working out at full steam before you know it."

"Successful weight management is really about education and mindfulness," says Gilliam. "It means rejecting the myths and making a conscious choice every day to eat the right foods and get the right amount of exercise. And there really is a tremendous satisfaction in making that choice. Once you realize that you can pursue and achieve good health, you'll feel calmer and more in control. Getting healthy is truly empowering. Whatever the future may hold, you're taking the best possible care of yourself—and that's a great feeling in any economy."

# # #

About the Authors:

Thomas B. Gilliam, Ph.D., is the founder and president of T. Gilliam & Associates, coauthor of the book Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.: The Simple Truth About Achieving & Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight, creator of the Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.® wellness program, designed to teach workers how to achieve a healthy body weight, creator of moveitloseitlivehealthy.com, and founder and owner of Industrial Physical Capability Services, Inc. (IPCS).

Since 1982, Dr. Gilliam has designed and managed many corporate fitness centers ranging from 500 square feet to 34,000 square feet. He has established a variety of wellness programs to deal with such health issues as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, physical inactivity, stress, osteoporosis, low back pain, and many more.

In addition, Dr. Gilliam is a pioneer and acknowledged expert in the field of dynamic strength testing for industry based on the sports medicine model. Since 1982, he has provided isokinetic physical capability assessments for Fortune 1000 companies through his company Industrial Physical Capability Services, Inc. (IPCS) (ipcs-inc.com). Dr. Gilliam's programs have dramatically reduced workers' compensation costs and decreased injury incidence and severity rates for major industrial clients. In addition, Dr. Gilliam has been instrumental in identifying and presenting to industry the higher risk for injury and disease caused by obesity in the workplace.

Dr. Gilliam is the creator of the Heart "E" Heart program, which is a healthy lifestyle program for children and their families. He was the principal investigator in a National Institutes of Health research study investigating the impact of physical activity and nutritional habits on heart disease risk in young children. Conducted in the late 1970s, this research resulted in numerous scholarly publications and television and radio interviews throughout the world, including NBC's Today Show and NBC's Nightly News with its science editor, Robert Basel.

In 1973, Dr. Gilliam earned a doctorate degree in exercise physiology with a minor in graduate statistics and research design from Michigan State University. From 1974 to 1982, Dr. Gilliam was a tenured faculty member at the University of Michigan. Before resigning from his tenured faculty position, he was involved with numerous funded research projects (i.e., N.I.H., Kellogg Foundation, State of Michigan, and others) that resulted in twenty-nine refereed scholarly publications.

Jane C. Neill, R.D., L.D., is the 2004 recipient of the Nutritionist of the Year Award for the State of Alabama Public Health. She is an active member of the American Dietetic Association and currently employed by the Alabama Department of Public Health, where she works with the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program as a WIC coordinator and a licensed dietitian. She has worked in the WIC program for over ten years, providing daily nutrition counseling for women, infants, and children.

While on the staff as a registered dietitian at the University of Michigan Health System in the late 1970s, Jane was instrumental in working with Dr. Gilliam as an investigator on the National Institutes of Health research study to investigate the impact of physical activity and nutritional habits on heart disease risk in children ages six to eight years.

Ms. Neill is a member of the team that developed and wrote the Heart "E" Heart program for children and their families.

She received her bachelor's of science degree from the University of Alabama in 1977 in food, nutrition, and institutional management. Ms. Neill has been working as a registered dietitian for over twenty-seven years.

About the Book:

Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.: The Simple Truth About Achieving & Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight (Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy., LLC, 2008, ISBN-13: 978-0-9762703-5-5, ISBN-10: 0-9762703-5-8, $19.95) is available in bookstores nationwide and through all major online booksellers.

For more information, visit moveitloseitlivehealthy.com.

NAYSInote: Jack Hutslar, author of the NAYSIblog, is a life long chub who has fought the battle of the bulge since he was old enough to understand dieting - since age 12 or 13. Right now he is losing the battle. Interestingly enough, every diet program he has ever tried has worked. The problem is that he always goes off the program after losing weight.

Can you guess what has put him back on track. Nope. It is not having those sculpted six pack abs shown in the TV commercials. It has been his desire to play tennis in a reasonably efficient manner. Well, when he gets inspired, he will go back on the diet and get back down to those trim 180s.

What is the lesson he imparts. Get involved in one or more sports that you find enjoyable and then work to become reasonably proficient at it/them. . . . jack

You cannot . . . by Abraham Lincoln

2008-11-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

Lessons in living for children, parents, politicians and others

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character & courage by taking away people's
initiative & independence.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could & should do for themselves . . . Abraham Lincoln

Learning from the Pros in the NBA

2008-11-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

Its all about your feet

It is commonly acknowledged as one of the more exciting players in the NBA is LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. One of the things that is keeping him from fulfilling his All-World potential is his erratic free throw shooting. In some games, he just keeps clanking one free throw after another at critical times. As a result, he is leaving a lot of points on the court.

Look at his form. What do you see. You see a young fellow standing there like he is shooting tiny basketballs in those arcade games. Clank. Clank. Clank. That is not All-World.

Ditto with Shaq. He actually "puts" the ball like a shot put. There is no unified rhythmic body motion at all in his free throws.

Like many sport skills, free throw shooting starts with the feet. It is a nice flowing total body movement from the ground up - - Body balance with proper placement of the feet; Knees bent slightly; Eyes on the target. Then the shot begins with an extension or straightening of the knees. The body or trunk straightens. The arms extend. The shooting-hand wrist extends in a smooth motion. Everything moves toward the goal.

LeBron will reach his full potential when he learns to shoot free throws.

TIP: Want to improve your free throw shooting. Close your eyes and shoot. This will help you feel your total body movement. Can you make five in a row, 10 in a row. If not, you need to work on your total body rhythm.

NAYSI bookshelf - Dream Team

2008-10-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

Book Review

Dream Team: Saints and Gentle Souls from the World of Sports by Frederick J. Day; Nonfiction Hard cover $35.95; Paperback $25.95.

Motivational Book Features the Stories of 125 Athletes, Coaches, Sports Journalists, and Team Owners Who, Away from Sports Arenas and Playing Fields, Made Significant Contributions to the Lives of Others

These special individuals provide much-needed role models in this ever-changing and ever-challenging world

Tennis great Arthur Ashe said it well: "The purest joy in life comes with trying to help others." This belief is also the motivating factor underlying the stories collected in Dream Team: Saints and Gentle Souls from the World of Sports.

This book hones in on some of the most uniquely talented and compassionate individuals the sports world has ever known. On a decade-by-decade basis, starting with the 1890s and finishing up in 2007, Dream Team: Saints and Gentle Souls from the World of Sports tells the stories of 125 individuals ranging from sharpshooting legend Annie Oakley to baseball's Jackie Robinson to football's Pat Tillman. Uplifting and encouraging, it keeps the focus firmly on the character of these uniquely talented and giving individuals and features coaches, sports journalists, and team owners in addition to athletes.

With his faith in God and his love of sportsmanship abundant for all to see, author/attorney Frederick J. Day tells the fascinating and true stories of individuals who realized that what really matters in life occurs well beyond the court or field.

Dream Team: Saints and Gentle Souls from the World of Sports is available at www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.com, www.iUniverse.com, and www.booksamillion.com.

# # #

Dream Team: Saints and Gentle Souls from the World of Sports by Frederick J. Day; Nonfiction Hard cover $35.95; ISBN: 978-0-595-70071-4 Paperback $25.95; ISBN: 978-0-595-45406-8

Good stuff to know about being successful in sports

2008-10-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Good stuff to know about being successful in sports
by Jack Hutslar

Watch the ball
Move your feet
Practice and play against tough opponents

Defense wins games
Determination, play hard the whole game, do not give in or give up
Execute well

Minimize mistakes
Work to get better
Play your game

Dance with the one you brought to the dance
Do not get beat with less than your best stuff
Go to the ball. Do not wait for the ball to come to you

Become a student of your game
Don’t argue with people who buy ink by the gallon

Reprinted from KIDbits by Jack Hutslar, 2005.

NAYSI Book reviews and other interesting writings

2008-10-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

• • • • •

The more that you read,
the more things you will know.
The more that you learn,
the more places you'll go. . . . Dr. Seuss

• • • • •

2008 Sports Market Place Directory. Grey House Publishing. P O Box 860. Millerton NY 12546. 2332 pp. $225.00 [plus shipping]

Need a name or address. Well, look it up in the 2008 Sports Market Place Directory. For instance, I was looking for the address of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League. I found them on page 113 under Single Sports: Football, Professional Leagues/Teams. In addition to the name and address, it includes the names of the various personnel who make it all happen.

That just taps the surface. It includes single and multi sport organizations, college and professional leagues and teams, newspapers and magazines, events and trade shows, sponsors [gotta like this], professional services such as agents, facilities of all types including race tracks for those who like to see things go round and round, and manufacturers.

It also contains 35 pages of statistics. For instance, the top participation sport in 2006 for ages seven and up was exercise walking at 87.5 million participants followed by swimming at 56.5 million. The sports that are generally considered top ones in the USA were basketball at 26.7 million, baseball at 14.6 million, soccer at 14.0 million and tackle football at 11.9 million participants. Ice hockey came in at 2.6 million. The top two sports by percentage of change were cross country skiing at 36.7 per cent and tackle football at 19.7 per cent.

Sports with the highest percentage of women participants were cheerleading, aerobic exercising, exercise walking and volleyball. The leaders in sports equipment purchasing were exercise followed by golf and then hunting and firearms. The 45 to 64 age group leads in the purchase of golf equipment. That same age group leads the way in equipment purchasing while females have a slight edge over males in purchasing.

The 2008 Sports Market Place Directory is a remarkable publication in content and weight. If your life depends on names and addresses, you cannot beat this publication. - Jack@naysi.com

+ + + + +

Book Review
Why a Curveball Curves: The Incredible Science of Sports, Frank Wizard, Editor. New York: Hearst Books (Popular Mechanics), 2008, 224 pp. $19.95

From the editors of Popular Mechanics, this fascinating collection features relevant contributions from Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, pitcher-turned-announcer Jim Kaat, and sports-and-science journalist Peter Brancazio.

WHY A CURVEBALL CURVES focuses a scientific lens on athletic achievement while explaining the biology, chemistry, and physics behind the winning stroke hit, throw, dive, kick, punch, and slam dunk. An insightful foreword by sports columnist and author Robert Lipsyte kicks off this team of all-star contributors as they dispense plenty of solid, science-based advice to help readers improve their own game, whatever their sport might be.

It offers a wealth of science-based guidance on improving your own game, no matter what your particular sport might be. Readers will find tips on how to improve visual acuity, get the mind in sync with the body,, and even how to choose the right athletic shoe. Whether you are passionately science minded or sports-obsessed, a professional athlete or an amateur competitor, a golfer or a weekend three-point shooter, you will find this book informative and extremely useful.

Learn the science being . . . baseball, basketball, bowling, boxing, cycling, football, golf, hockey, running, skiing, soccer, dvving, tennis and training.

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Book Review
A Teen’s Game Plan for Live by Lou Holtz. Notre Dame, Indiana, Sorin Books, 2008, 128 pp., $10.95

Lou Holtz, legendary football coach and motivational speaker, wrote about his career of helping to mold youngsters. This is a blueprint, not only for teens striving for athletic success, but also for all teens who want to name their goals for life, and then go about reaching them. His game plan includes

- Choose your attitude
- Make sacrifices
- Get rid of excuses
- Understand what you are trying to do
- Dream big dreams

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Book Review
How Lance Does It: Put the success formula of a champion into everything you do by Brad Kearns. New York: McGraw Hill, 224 pp., 2006, $19.95

What drives someone like Lance Armstrong to consistent and phenomenal success? Is it something you are born with or is it something you can acquire, develop and perfect? Lance Armstrong’s longtime friend Brad Kearns has spent years with the sports icon and observed in him four “success factors” that have made Lance a symbol of remarkable strength and achievement. Now Kearns reveals how readers can adopt and develop these success factors into everything they do , from business to parenting to stress management. Learn about his powerful method of thinking, living and winning that will improve anyone’s performance in any endeavor.

- clarity of purpose
- pure confidence
- congruent lifestyle
- specialized intelligence

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Sports Market Place Directory 2005. Millerton NY: Grey House Publishing. 1887 pp. $245.00. ISBN 1-58237-077-2. www.greyhouse.com, books@greyhouse.com, 800 562-2139.

Need a door stop. This 30 pound directory covers the sports world from A through Z. The table of contents includes Single sport teams and organizations, Multi sports groups including halls of fame, colleges, Events, Media, Sponsors, Professional services, Facilities, Manufacturers and retailers, Statistics, and an extensive Index. If you are in the sports business, there is no better source of information that covers all bases. On top of that, it is available on CD and on-line.

Sponsors, for instance, is one of the important areas of inquiry for most profit and not-for-profit sport organizations. This section is broken down by category. Basketball sponsors, for instance, includes nearly 100 companies that are interested in that market group. Youth sport sponsors, in contrast, includes just one entry.

The Statistics section covers a variety of participation categories. Exercise walking totaled 84.7 million people in 2004 while basketball checks in at 27.8 million participants, baseball at 15.9 million, soccer at 13.3 million and tackle football at 8.2 million participants. The break downs are endless.

The Sports Market Place Directory is an incredible collection of names and numbers. Business professionals should not be without it. Sports buffs will find it interesting. Ask your library to order a copy of the $245 price tag is too steep for your budget. -jh

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Sport History

Have you ever considered bicycling through history. Instead of talking about it, students and families could cycle through historic areas that our ancestors have convered on foot. This would make an excellent physical education and history project rolled into one. See the following link for more information.

http://www.bicyclingthroughhistory.com/

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25 THOUGHTS

1. If you're too open minded, your brains will fall out.
2. Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.
3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you a mechanic.

4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before.
6. Men's idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.

7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
8. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.
9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
12. A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
14. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.
15. No husband has ever been shot while doing the dishes.

16. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.
17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.
18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.

19. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three week before you need it.
20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.
21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.
23. Thou shall not weigh more than thy refrigerator.
24. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.

25. Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.

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Thots:

If "con" is the opposite of "pro," then what is the opposite of progress?

If a cow laughs, does milk come out of her nose?

If a firefighter fights fire and crime fighter fights crime, what does a freedom fighter fight?

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

If a tin whistle is made out of tin (and it is), then what exactly is a fog horn made out of?

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, do the other trees make fun of it?

If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?

If bankers can count, how come they have eight windows and only four tellers?

If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

If bills are rectangular, how come they keep rolling in?

If horrific means to make horrible, does terrific mean to make terrible?

If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?

If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

If someone has a mid-life crisis while playing hide & seek, does he automatically lose because he can't find himself?

If space is a vacuum, who changes the bag?

If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?

If the cops arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?

If the shortest distance between two points is a line, why does waiting in a line take so long?

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EIGHT LAWS OF LEADERSHIP

Take a look around -- in business, education, politics. If there's one thing we don't have enough of it's good leaders: men and women who have the vision and the ability to change things for the better.

Former Air Force General William Cohen has written a fine book called "The Stuff of Heroes" where he identifies eight laws of leadership. Here are his rules:

* First, Maintain Absolute Integrity.
* Second, Know Your Stuff.
* Third, Declare Your Expectations.
* Fourth, Show Uncommon Commitment.
* Fifth, Expect Positive Results.
* Sixth, Take Care of Your People.
* Seventh, Put Duty Before Self.
* Eighth, Get Out in Front.

His laws embrace important competencies like knowledge, communication skills, commitment, optimism, caring, and a powerful sense of duty, but General Cohen recognizes that the foundation of the successful leader is character, including complete trustworthiness, honor and courage.

The best leaders draw on these moral qualities to influence others
through inspiration, persuasion, trust and loyalty. They do the right
thing despite the costs and risks and do it not because it will yield
approval or advantage, but simply because it is the right thing.

In these cynical times, it's easy to think such leadership is
unattainable; yet in every walk of life are hundreds of men and
women -- parents, teachers, coaches, civic activists -- who fit the
mold. What's more important, every one of us could be among them.

Source: Presented in the Character Counts Network, issue 266, by Michael Josephson on August 12, 2002

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Education means more money in your pocket

Several years ago my spouse read a report which revealed that people can save $400,000 over their lifetime by driving a car for ten years before swapping it out for another car. As we move through life, it eventually strikes most of us that money matters. Some pick up on this sooner than others.

I have been asked countless times about the benefits of playing sports. For the most part, we tend to think of those values in non-monetary terms. They include enjoyment (i.e., fun), fitness, improved resistance to illness, and improved physical mobility.

An overlooked benefit of sport participation is related to upward mobility. Coaches and teachers who recognize raw talent (i.e., potential) tend to push those who possess it toward higher levels of play. This applies to a number of other fields including writing, music, art and dance.

In sports, recreation and physical education, youth leaders tend to encourage their talented youngsters to work hard so that they can move up to the next higher level of play. Youth league players are pointed toward middle school and high school sports. High school players are pointed toward two year and four year colleges and the talented college players are primed for professional sports.

The same holds true to varying degrees for the individual sports like bowling, golf, gymnastics, ice skating, running, skiing, skiing, swimming, and tennis. However, most professional athletes still go through college doors.

Inherent in this developmental process is an educational foundation. Playing middle school, high school and college sports is based on satisfactory classroom performance. That is, players are required to do well in school while continuing to develop their sports skills.

A Census Bureau report, based on 1999 data, revealed that people with college undergraduate degrees can expect to earn $2.1 over their lifetime. This is over twice that of students who do not graduate from high school. Here are a few other numbers from the census bureau to support the idea that education means dollars.

Lifetime earning potential, ages 25 to 64

Less than $1.0 million for those who do not complete high school
$1.2 million for high school graduates
$1.5 million for students with some college work
$1.6 million for those with associate degrees
$2.1 million for those with bachelor degrees
$2.5 million for those with masters degrees
$3.4 million for those with doctoral degrees
$4.4 million for those with professional degrees

Playing sports offers additional incentives for youngsters. Inherent in the sporting life is the boost that the better players get from their mentors to do well and move on up to higher levels of play. Moving up the ladder educationally at the same time has monetary rewards, regardless of where players eventually top out. That monetary benefit is an added incentive that should be explained in simple terms to those students who are on the fence.

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The Complete Book of Model Fund-Raising Letters by Roland Kuniholm. Paramus NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2002, 378 pp. 49.99 (hard cover).

This book of fund-raising letters is the kind in which you might find just one useful letter. However, if that letter works, you could strike it rich. Pre-prepared letters include those that range from conventional or straight forward to more complex donations to complaint letters. They cover premiums, special events, petitions, surveys, renewals, lapsed donors, volunteers, board members and gift requests.

In his special events letter, Kuniholm provides the following tips. They include: emphasize the benefits, state why help is needed, make it easy to respond, and give a deadline (pp. 92-93). One of the three keys to success for this type of letter is to offer an early-bird prize.

Try these suggestions for a donor/member list letter. Mention the name of the donor who referred your prospect. Emphasize the exclusive nature of the nomination. Incorporate control copy elements in the letter. Feature the benefits of membership. Send the letter right after receiving the referral. Follow-up the referral with at least two letter (pp. 241-243).

All youth groups can use volunteers. To solicit them, work these pointers into your letter. Describe the benefits of being a volunteer. Outline the duties of a volunteer. Portray the values to the organization through volunteers. Issue a specific invitation. Show appreciation for the volunteer (pp. 269-271).

Writing fund raising letters is not a slam dunk. This book is full of valuable information but it takes serious research, input and reqriting to develop the most effective letters for your organization. My fund raising tip is to save your $50.00. Ask that your local Library to order a copy for their Reference Department.

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Some Rules of Life

Whether you like Bill Gates or not...this is pretty cool. Here's some advice Bill Gates recently dished out at a high school speech about 11 things they did not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good; politically correct teaching has created a full generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept sets them up for failure in the real world.

RULE 1

Life is not fair - get used to it

RULE 2

The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

RULE 3

You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone, until you earn both.

RULE 4

If you think your teacher is tough; wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.

RULE 5

Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping - they called it Opportunity.

RULE 6

If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

RULE 7

Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

RULE 8

Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

RULE 9

Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

RULE 10

Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

RULE 11
Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

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Cure Batting Slumps in Baseball, according to Pete Rose
by Jack Hutslar
April 16, 2001

Prior to hearing a radio program last Friday while driving through Ohio, I knew only that there were two remedies for batting slumps. Batters could either take extra batting practice or they could stop taking batting practice. One seemed as good or bad as the other.

According to Pete Rose, who was interviewed on ESPN radio (4/13/2001), he had six options when he went into a batting slump. First, he said that he did not change or mess around with his swing. Rather, he applied one of the following changes. He would either move up or move back in the batters box, move closer to or further way from the plate, or choke up on move down on the bat. He decided on the correct option based on what the ball did when it came off of his bat.

These Pete Rose options are worth trying as slump breakers. They may not be a cure for every batting slump, but his approach seems to be a bit more precise than any other method I have every heard.

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HOW TO MEASURE TENACITY

Failed in business.................................. 1831
Lost election for state legislature................. 1832
Failed again in business............................ 1834
Sweetheart died..................................... 1835
Nervous breakdown................................... 1836
Lost second political race.......................... 1838
Defeated for Congress............................... 1843
Defeated for Congress................................1846
Defeated for Congress............................... 1848
Defeated for US Senate.............................. 1855
Defeated for Vice President......................... 1856
Defeated for US Senate...............................1858
Elected President....................................1860

Who is this person? Abraham Lincoln

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Do’s and Don’ts for the next 1000 years

when working with youngsters in sport

DO

- be a positive role model to imitate
- provide opportunities to learn at least two team and two individual sports
- make sure that they do well in school and do all of their homework
- know what is going on in their lives
- help them learn the value of playing hard, playing fair and having fun
- give them responsibilities at home and around the house
- teach them positive values that will help them grow

DON’T

- mess around with drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- treat others in an aggressive manner

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A CALL TO ARMS is a national public education campaign designed to draw attention to the pressing needs of boys, and what happens when these needs are not met. It's primary goal is to expand modern definitions and perspectives about boys culture and manhood, and to inspire new cultural dialogue about what it means to be a boy or a man today. By opening new options to boys, A CALL TO ARMS intends to relieve many of the stresses and strains that lead boys to behave in ways which hurt themselves and others.
A CALL TO ARMS website is designed to reach out to and assist boys and all the girls, men and women who care about and love them.

Source: www.acalltoarms.org

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Myths involving boys

"A myth has been created of the young boy who is the rascal and the scamp, the mischievous lad who likes to run and be loud, whose pockets are filled with junk that he considers treasure, with a frisky puppy as his constant companion. He considers girls to be ‘yucky’. He likes to go fishing and ride a bike. The mythical teenage boy is obsessed with himself, sports, cars, sex, and --above all else--being cool. He’s tough. He breaks the rules. He talks back to his teachers. He would rather hang out with his hip friends than spend time with his...family."
Dr. William Pollack,
Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons
from the Myths of Boyhood

If you know boys, if you are a parent or teacher, you know in your heart that these stereotypes are false and limiting, as all stereotypes are. Even so, the power of these stereotypes and the myths that perpetuate them are bound to profoundly affect the boys you know and your relationships with them. These damaging myths are hindering the development of boys, how we raise them and boys’ ability to function at their best.

Myth or Reality?

Myth #1: Boys will be boys..."Where there are boys, there is testosterone, and where there is testosterone there is aggression, and where there is aggression, there is violence, or at least its potential."

Reality: Most people believe that testosterone controls a boy’s behavior. The truth is that while it may determine patterns of behavior, it does not predict a boy’s behavior. In fact, research shows that boys with higher levels of testosterone are NOT more prone to violence.

Myth #2: Boys should be boys...boys must fit the gender stereotype or ‘gender straitjacket’ society has tailored for them -- tough, dominant and macho.

Reality: There are many different kinds of masculinities. Sensitivity, a close maternal attachment, desire for connection with others and activities that are not traditionally ‘manly’ are natural and do not make a boy any less male in adulthood.

Myth #3: Boys are toxic...the belief that boys are "psychologically unaware, emotionally unsocialized creatures."

Reality: Boys are caring and sensitive individuals. They may have different patterns of behavior from girls, and learn and communicate through action, but they are as capable of being sensitive and empathic as girls are.

Male Myths

In Greek legend Odysseus does not see his family - including his son Telemachus - for twenty years as his journey home from the Trojan War is extended by adversity and many adventures. In our more recent mythology, we have figures such as the Lone Ranger and Zorro, who perform heroic feats, unfettered by wives and children. Commercials tell us that any young boy can become a real man by joining the Marines, getting physically tough and proving himself on the battlefield.

These mythic images of solitary men no longer apply to our modern lives. It is time we reevaluate the merits of our old-fashioned male archetypes - the distant warrior, the lone adventurer, the fearless hero - and reconsider what we as society expect and need from our boys and men, and what they need from us.

Although males express themselves in hundreds of ways, American culture tends to limit boys and men to extremely narrow definitions of behavior. What follows are several categories you may be familiar with:

THE STURDY OAK: Men should be stable, stoic and independent. A man never shows weakness. Boys are not to share pain or grieve openly. Boys are considered to have broken this guideline, for instance, if they whimper, cry or complain - or sometimes even if they simply ask for an explanation in a confusing or frightening situation.

The Sturdy Oak requirement drains boys’ energy because it calls upon them to perform a constant ‘acting job’ - to pretend to be confident when they may feel afraid, sturdy when they may feel shaky, independent when they may feel desperate for love, attention, and support.

GIVE ‘EM HELL: This is the stance of some of our sports coaches, of roles played by John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Bruce Lee, a stance based on the false self, of extreme daring, bravado and attraction to violence.

This injunction seems larger than the myth that ‘boys will be boys’- the misconception that somehow boys are biologically wired to act like macho, high-energy, even violent supermen. This aspect of male expectations leads many boys to ‘dare’ each other to engage in risky behaviors, while many parents often shrug off their son’s injuries, assuming that they are simply ‘normal’.

Rusty Age 7:
Setting The World On Fire
(adapted from Real Boys)

Rusty was a ‘fire setter.’ Children who start fires frighten psychologists even more than extremely violent children, because the impulse is poorly understood and may lead to serious harm to large numbers of people. But his didn’t seem to jibe with little Rusty’s sad eyes, meek demeanor, and sudden outbursts of tearfulness when he was confronted with his ‘crime.’

Sent to a locked psychiatric unit after he had induced two older boys to pour some lighter fluid on a pile of wood behind his housing project and to light a fire, Rusty, age seven, did not deny his actions. He didn’t show remorse either. Rather, Rusty seemed to be in a dreamlike state, disconnected from the seriousness of the events. People began to throw around diagnoses and suggestions for treatment, and it was determined that Rusty’s conduct disorders could involve ADD as well.

Rusty’s parents were of little help, as his mother felt that Rusty was ‘too clingy’, being the ‘baby’ of the family, so she had pushed him to spend more time at school and Little League. Rusty’s father had divorced his mother when Rusty was five, and he rarely, if ever, visited.

A request was made that Rusty come together in one room with his mother and father and talk about this boy’s pain. Arranging the meeting wasn’t easy, but it did finally take place. As might be expected, Rusty clung to his mother as soon as she entered, with her gently trying to redirect his attention. Then his father arrived. Rusty’s whole face appeared to change in structure: he beamed as he ran to embrace his father. Rusty’s dad was wearing some kind of badge—no surprise, as he worked as an investigator for the police department. In fact, Rusty’s father investigated ‘fires of suspicious origin’ for the city and he had often brought Rusty along on the job.

No victim of ADD, no veteran ‘fire setter’: Rusty was a sad little boy who had lost his emotional bonds with mother and father and was calling out through conduct and action—typical boy approaches—for love and response.

Luckily, most boys diagnosed with conduct or activity disorders don’t light fires. But perhaps by acting out, those boys are attempting through the language of behavior to light fires under us, to give us a wake-up call to their pain and desperation, feelings that will not be cured with medications or behavior modification.

Jack Hutslar, PhD
North American Youth Sport Institute . . . est 1979
www.naysi.com
800 767-4916

HHS Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

2008-10-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

.
HHS Announces Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

Press release on October 7, 2008

Adults gain substantial health benefits from two and a half hours a week of moderate aerobic physical activity, and children benefit from an hour or more of physical activity a day, according to the new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. The comprehensive set of recommendations for people of all ages and physical conditions was released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The guidelines are designed so people can easily fit physical activity into their daily plan and incorporate activities they enjoy.

Physical activity benefits children and adolescents, young and middle-aged adults, older adults, and those in every studied racial and ethnic group, the report said.

“It’s important for all Americans to be active, and the guidelines are a roadmap to include physical activity in their daily routine,” HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said. “The evidence is clear -- regular physical activity over months and years produces long-term health benefits and reduces the risk of many diseases. The more physically active you are, the more health benefits you gain.”

Regular physical activity reduces the risk in adults of early death; coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression. It can improve thinking ability in older adults and the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living. The recommended amount of physical activity in children and adolescents improves cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness as well as bone health, and contributes to favorable body composition.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans are the most comprehensive of their kind. They are based on the first thorough review of scientific research about physical activity and health in more than a decade. A 13-member advisory committee appointed in April 2007 by Secretary Leavitt reviewed research and produced an extensive report.

Key guidelines by group are:

Children and Adolescents -- One hour or more of moderate or vigorous aerobic physical activity a day, including vigorous intensity physical activity at least three days a week. Examples of moderate intensity aerobic activities include hiking, skateboarding, bicycle riding and brisk walking. Vigorous intensity aerobic activities include bicycle riding, jumping rope, running and sports such as soccer, basketball and ice or field hockey. Children and adolescents should incorporate muscle-strengthening activities, such as rope climbing, sit-ups, and tug-of war, three days a week. Bone-strengthening activities, such as jumping rope, running and skipping, are recommended three days a week.

Adults -- Adults gain substantial health benefits from two and one half hours a week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity. Walking briskly, water aerobics, ballroom dancing and general gardening are examples of moderate intensity aerobic activities. Vigorous intensity aerobic activities include racewalking, jogging or running, swimming laps, jumping rope and hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes. For more extensive health benefits, adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to five hours a week moderate-intensity or two and one half hours a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Adults should incorporate muscle strengthening activities, such as weight training, push-ups, sit-ups and carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening, at least two days a week.

Older adults -- Older adults should follow the guidelines for other adults when it is within their physical capacity. If a chronic condition prohibits their ability to follow those guidelines, they should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow. If they are at risk of falling, they should also do exercises that maintain or improve balance.

Women during pregnancy -- Healthy women should get at least two and one half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week during pregnancy and the time after delivery, preferably spread through the week. Pregnant women who habitually engage in vigorous aerobic activity or who are highly active can continue during pregnancy and the time after delivery, provided they remain healthy and discuss with their health care provider how and when activity should be adjusted over time.

Adults with disabilities -- Those who are able should get at least two and one half hours of moderate aerobic activity a week, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. They should incorporate muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups two or more days a week. When they are not able to meet the guidelines, they should engage in regular physical activity according to their abilities and should avoid inactivity.

People with chronic medical conditions -- Adults with chronic conditions get important health benefits from regular physical activity. They should do so with the guidance of a health care provider.

For more information about the “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,” visit www.hhs.gov or www.health.gov/paguidelines

Youth baseball - Too good for his own good

2008-08-27T15:41:00.000-07:00

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By Jack Hutslar
August 27, 2008

I am certain that youth sport fans have read about the nine-year-old baseball player in Connecticut with a blazing fastball. Seems like he is too good for this co-ed league of beginners. I can understand that. He is probably scaring the wits out of some of those boys and girls in that league.

It would appear that some of the adults were aware of his talents before the season began. That is where the problem started. Unfortunately, this situation was allowed to progress into the season to the point that there were ruffled feathers all around.

In situations where it is known that a player is far better than the other players, it is an acceptable policy to ask them play up to the next level. Apparently, this was not a satisfactory solution for some reason. Nevertheless, that was the proper solution in this situation.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, youngsters who are more highly skilled than their age mates should be placed in leagues composed of players with comparable skills. This makes the game, any game, more challenging for everyone involved.

In My Opinion: Full contact youth fighting

2008-08-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

by Jack Hutslar
North American Youth Sport Institute

Have you seen any of the mixed martial arts ultimate fighting matches on television or in person. The action in these rapid action matches is non stop compared to the turtle-like pace of boxing.

As you might expect, this full contact sport has moved down into the youth levels. The result is full contact martial arts with students as young as five and six years of age. In fact, some of these so called classes take place without headguards.

There is merit in teaching youngsters how to defend themselves against others. Many parents have put their children into various types of self defense classes. They consider them to be valuable confidence building experiences that transform their meek and mild children into more confident youngsters rather quickly.

However, little kids slugging it out toe to toe seems really not appropriate as far as I am concerned. In fact, I believe that it is dead wrong. OK. Teach them the defensive skills but hold off on full contact mixed martial arts combat [with headgear] until they are teenagers.

VISION LOSS IN CHILDREN

2008-07-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

MAJOR CAUSE OF VISION LOSS IN CHILDREN CAN GO UNDETECTED

Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Amblyopia Can Reverse Damaging Effects

CHICAGO (July 24, 2008) – When Kari Haegele realized that her 6-year-old daughter, Sophie, was having trouble seeing out of her right eye, she made an appointment with her eye doctor. The diagnosis was amblyopia, the most common cause of visual impairment in childhood. In fact, amblyopia, also referred to as “lazy eye,” is responsible for more loss of vision in people age 45 and younger than all other eye diseases and trauma combined.

Amblyopia occurs when the brain and the eye are not working together effectively. As the brain develops and receives diminished images from the affected eye, it begins to suppress those images and favor the unaffected eye. If this condition persists, the weaker eye may become useless.

According to the National Eye Institute, nationwide, two to five percent of children ages three to five have amblyopia, three to four percent have strabismus, and 10-15 percent have significant refractive error. Additionally, vision problems can negatively impact learning and school performance, as 80 percent of learning in young children is done visually. That’s why Prevent Blindness America has designated August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month in an effort to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of vision care for children.

Fortunately for Sophie, her mother recognized a problem early on and her doctor was able to begin effective eye patching treatment immediately. During the process, Mrs. Haegele signed her daughter up for Prevent Blindness America ’s Eye Patch Club, a program geared towards children with amblyopia and their families. The Eye Patch Club program is designed to encourage children to wear their eye patches as prescribed by their doctor. Among other materials, members of the club receive their own special calendar and stickers.

The stickers are placed on the calendar for each day the child wears his or her patch. Once the calendar is complete, the child may send it into Prevent Blindness America to receive a special prize. Proceeds from the sale of the kits go to Prevent Blindness America’s sight-saving programs.

“Sophie is doing wonderfully now and currently has 20/25 vision in her right eye and we will hopefully be done with her eye patching very soon,” said Kari Haegele. “Thanks to her own diligence in wearing her patch every day, combined with her family’s support and eye doctor’s care, Sophie is well on her way to a lifetime of healthy vision.”

As children are preparing to head back to school, Prevent Blindness America urges parents to add an appointment to the eye doctor to the “to do” list.

“The good news is that amblyopia and strabismus can be effectively treated if it’s found early,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness America. “We urge all parents and caregivers to have their child’s vision checked as soon as possible to protect the precious gift of sight.”

For more information on amblyopia and other children’s vision issues, or to sign up for The Eye Patch Club, call 1-800-331-2020 or log onto www.preventblindness.org.

About Prevent Blindness America

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness America is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness America touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, divisions and chapters, it's committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America . For more information, or to make a contribution to the sight-saving fund, call 1-800-331-2020 or visit us on the Web at www.preventblindness.org.

The New Way to View Life Through The Old Ball Game

2008-06-24T14:25:00.000-07:00

The New Way to View Life Through The Old Ball Game

San Francisco, CA – More than two million kids from around the world will play on seven thousand baseball Little League teams this year. These children, ages 13 and younger, are taking part in a tradition that spans nearly 70 years. Parents across the world enroll their children in Little League not just to learn the sport, but to learn the ethics and team spirit associated with the great American pastime.

“What is on the field is an imitation of human life,” says Dan Liberthson, PhD and author of the new book “The Pitch is on the Way: Poems about Baseball and Life.” Liberthson says taking part in baseball games and watching the professionals on the field are fantastic ways to teach your children the basic morals and guidelines of life. “For 130 years we’ve been cheering for players to battle each other and challenge themselves on the ball field. No other sport is quite as American or inspirational.”

Parents want to give their children the tools for a successful and enjoyable life. Little League, Pony League, college, and professional baseball are great ways to build the foundational skills kids need to become adults. In praise of Liberthson’s book, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig agrees: The great American pastime isn’t just a sport – it’s a chance to learn skills that guide Americans through all the pitfalls the world can throw at us.

Liberthson’s poems point out four life lessons both adults and children can get from baseball if they know where to look:

1) Failure, Injury, and Defeat Are as Much a Part of the Game as Success. As Liberthson points out in his poem “The Mound,” about a pitcher yanked from the game, we can all blow it, but we need to pick ourselves up and try again.

2) Don’t Relegate Yourself to the Dugout. A player might miss one opportunity and lose his focus for the rest of the game. He becomes obsessed with that one early mistake and can’t recover. It is the same with life: if you dwell on your past mis-step, you’ll never get a foothold on future success.

3) Don’t Let the Hecklers Get You Down. In many games, some fan is shouting above the crowd for the batter to miss, or the pitcher to throw badly, or deriding the umpire’s calls. Taking such spiteful criticism to heart will only ruin the player’s pleasure in the game and his chance of winning. “Everywhere in life you run into people rooting for you to fail,” says Liberthson. “Look at these professional athletes on the field and think about how the rival team is hoping they’ll fall flat on their faces. Still, these men often manage to succeed. It’s a good lesson for life: ignore unhelpful criticism if you are giving the game your best. You won’t have a chance to win if you don’t stop beating yourself and letting the hecklers beat you.”

4) You Can’t Win By Yourself. Baseball is a team sport. Sure, some teams have high-paid ‘hot shots,’ but without 9 players on each team and many support staff there is no game. The same is true of life: you can be the best at what you do, but if you’re not surrounded by good, supportive people whom you treat well, your chances of enjoying the experience are zero.

Liberthson continues his baseball metaphor to point out poignantly that “Life is hard, but at its core life is a game – a serious game. Maybe who wins or loses the game isn’t as important as how a player feels about the job he’s done as he walks off the field.”

####

About Dan Liberthson . . . born in Rochester, NY and graduated with a BA in history from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He earned a PhD in English (with a dissertation in contemporary poetry) from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dan then taught college English composition and literature at Kent State and Akron Universities and for the U.S. Navy. Since 1978, he’s lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a technical and medical writer. Liberthson has published poems in many venues, including the baseball magazines Elysian Fields Quarterly and Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine. Though he hasn’t played since Little League, Liberthson is an avid fan of the art of the game. His latest book, “The Pitch is on the Way: Poems about Baseball and Life” is his tribute to the sport that has given him hope, respite, warmth and laughter. . . . www.liberthson.com or www.PitchPoems.com

Parents and youth sport – problems and solutions

2008-04-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

by Jack Hutslar, PhD

Parents have been known to create problems for themselves and their children. Unfortunately, they may not even know it. That is, many parents get all worked up about their children who are playing sports. Many youth sport administrators would agree that parents go overboard in the way they take charge of the lives of their children and “promote” their children over others.

First, some parents push their children into the sport or sports that they prefer. In some cases this backfires. Their children eventually loose interest or turn off. To get away from their parents, some youngsters even go on to totally different activities that are of no interest to their parents.

Next, over-motivated parents will do all that they can do seek out privileges for their children at the expense of others. Early on, this may involve excessive campaigning for playing time for their children over other children.

Camps and private lessons may also be a tactic of these highly motivated parents. While all of this is going on, it may be rare that these parents ask their children if this is what they want to do.

So, what is a parent to do. Perhaps we can get a good idea from Dale Murphy, former Atlanta Braves baseball all-star. He said:

"I love to see them play as many sports as they can as long as they enjoy playing," Dale said. "I'm convinced as a parent we need to find out what they like to do and encourage that instead of having them doing what we want them to do. And that's kind of tough sometimes." . . . Dale Murphy, former Major League Baseball MVP talking about his eight children, April 2008, one of whom is expected to be drafted as an NFL offensive lineman

We really do appreciate those parents who care about their children and look after their growth at school and in sports. However, parents should do what is best for their children when it comes to sports. It is pretty simple. They can see what is available, provide opportunities, encourage them, and then take them here and there for practices and games. Then, as Dale Murphy suggested, we can make sure they are enjoying what they are doing.

Help Kids Gear Up for the Game - Prevent Eye Injuries

2008-04-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

Prevent Eye Injuries

Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children in the United States, and many of these injuries are sports-related. Ninety percent of sports-related eye injuries in children can be prevented with the use of protective eyewear. Making sure your young athlete gears up with the right protective eyewear may save your child’s sight.

Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for a certain activity. Most protective eyewear lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is 10 times stronger than other plastics. Many eye care providers sell protective eyewear, as do sporting goods stores. Safety goggles that can be worn over prescription glasses may be purchased for less than $10.

Talk to your eye care provider about protective eyewear for your child. Your eye care provider can provide protective eyewear that fits your child’s prescription. He or she can help you select a correct fit and style for any sport.

“Children should use protective eyewear during sporting activities to avoid unnecessary eye injuries that can possibly result in permanent vision loss,” said Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Eye Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health.

At first, your child may resist wearing protective eyewear, saying that it isn’t cool. But this doesn’t have to be the case—protective eyewear now comes in a variety of styles and colors that can even match team uniforms. Don’t let your child step onto the field or court unless he or she is wearing the proper safety gear from head to toe, including protective eyewear.

Game Time

While the use of protective eyewear is important for all activities, some sports carry a greater risk than others. For example, baseball is the leading cause of sports-related eye injury in children 14 and under and is considered a high-risk sport. Football carries a moderate risk. Check the table below for the risk categories of eye injury for various sports.

High Risk

· Baseball
· Basketball
· Boxing
· Hockey
· Paintball
· Racquetball
· Softball
· Squash

Moderate Risk

· Football
· Golf
· Badminton
· Soccer
· Tennis
· Fishing

Low Risk

· Bicycling
· Diving
· Skiing
· Swimming
· Wrestling

Pediatrics Vol. 113 (3), Pages 619-622, Copyright 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics

For more information about protective eyewear for specific sports, visit the National Eye Institute Website at http://isee.nei.nih.gov/sports.

Protect your child’s eyes. Help them gear up for the game with protective eyewear.

http://healthyvision2010.nei.nih.gov/hvm/

FACT SHEET

Eye Injury and Sports

· Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children in the United States and most of those occurring in school-aged children are sports-related. Ninety percent of these injuries can be avoided with protective eyewear.[i]

· Of the 1.6 to 2.4 million Americans who sustain eye injuries each year, an estimated 40,000 will be legally blinded in the injured eye. About one-third of these injuries result from sports.[ii]

· More than 100,000 eye injuries in the United States each year are estimated to be sports-related.[iii]

· Sports-related eye injuries in the United States account for more than 100,000 physician visits yearly at a cost of $175 million.[iv]

· More than 42,000 of these sports-related eye injuries require a visit to an emergency room.[v]

· Every 13 minutes an emergency room in the United States treats a sports-related eye injury.[vi]

· An estimated 27 percent of all eye injuries in children aged 11 to 14 are sports-related.[vii]

· Children under age 15 account for 43 percent of sports and recreational eye injuries overall.[viii]

· The sports responsible for the greatest number of injuries are baseball, ice hockey, and racquet sports.[ix]

· In 2002, 15 percent of children and 33 percent of adults reported wearing eye protection always or most of the time when participating in sports, hobbies, or other activities that can cause eye injuries.[x]

· Polycarbonate lenses provide the best eye protection for many sports because they are lightweight, scratch resistant, thin, and can be designed to meet most eyewear designs or prescriptions.[xi]

· The following are risk ratings for individual sports:

o High risk of eye injury: air rifle, BB gun, baseball, basketball, boxing, cricket, fencing, hockey, lacrosse, full-contact martial arts, paintball, racquetball, softball, squash.

o Moderate risk of eye injury: badminton, fishing, football, golf, soccer, tennis, volleyball.

o Low risk of eye injury: bicycling, diving, non-contact martial arts, skiing (snow and water), swimming, wrestling.

o Eye safe: track & field, gymnastics.[xii]

Baseball

· Baseball is the leading cause of sports-related eye injury among children aged 14 and under.[xiii]

Basketball

· Basketball is a leading cause of sports-related eye injury in athletes aged 15 to 24.[xiv] The odds of an eye injury for basketball players are one in 10.[xv]

· Of 1,092 injuries sustained by National Basketball Association players during a 17-month period in 1992 and 1993, 5.4 percent involved the eye and adnexa.… Nine players (15.3%) missed subsequent games because of their injury. Fifty-seven players (96.6%) were not wearing protective eyewear at the time of injury…. To prevent these injuries, protective eyewear is recommended.[xvi]

Football and Soccer

· From 1980 to 1997, 29 players in the National Football League suffered fractures to the bones around the eye.[xvii]

· From 1988-1989 to 2003-2004, less than 1 percent of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football injuries occurred to the eye.[xviii]

· One in 50 soccer players will suffer an eye injury in an eight-year career.[xix]

· Soccer ball-related ocular injuries disproportionately affect young players, are more frequent in females than previously reported, and have more severe visual consequences than previously recognized. Injury prevention strategies to minimize contact between the eye and the soccer ball may reduce the incidence and severity of eye injuries.[xx]

Golf

· Golf-related ocular injuries account for 1.5 percent to 5.6 percent of all sports injuries…. The incidence of ocular injuries caused by golf-related trauma is low compared with that for other sports-related injuries.[xxi]

Ice Hockey and Field Hockey

· As of July 2007, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) field hockey players are permitted to wear a face mask, soft protective head covering, or eye protection in the form of plastic goggles.[xxii]

· In 1980 dollars, the hockey face protector saves society $10 million a year by preventing approximately 70,000 eye and face injuries in 1.2 million protected players.[xxiii]

Lacrosse (Women’s)

· The 2007 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Rules and Interpretations mandates: “All field players must properly wear eye protection.” Eye protection must meet the most current American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Specification Standard F803 for women’s lacrosse….[xxiv]

· Eye injuries were a frequent occurrence in women’s lacrosse before the rule was added. Before protective eyewear was mandated, eye injuries occurred 15 times more often in women’s lacrosse than in men’s.[xxv]

Paintball

· An estimated 11,998 persons aged seven or older with paintball game-related injuries were treated in emergency departments between 1997 and 2001, with an annual average rate of 4.5 per 10,000 participants. Nearly 60 percent of these patients were treated for paintball pellet wounds of which most were to the eye.[xxvi]

· The proportion of [paintball] injuries that occurred in the pediatric population may be well over 40 percent. …[M]any of the patients in these cases sustained permanent visual impairment, with 43 percent having best vision at follow-up of 20/200 or worse.[xxvii]

· Although eye protective devices designed for paintball are extremely effective in preventing injuries, the failure to properly wear these devices has resulted in an alarming number of severe ocular injuries.[xxviii]

Racket sports (badminton, table tennis, tennis, racquetball, squash)

· …[T]ennis, badminton, and squash formed the highest percentage of presentations in a 1995 survey of the presentation of eye injuries to a casualty clinic. In the case of squash and tennis injuries, follow-up treatment and/or admission to hospital was required in 100 percent of cases.[xxix]

· Thirty-seven cases of ocular injury incurred while persons were playing racquetball were found in reviewing records of 1,071 emergency room patients in a three-month period. …[O]cular safety devices are strongly recommended to help prevent racquetball injuries.[xxx]

· Tennis is a leading source of eye injury in female adults.[xxxi]

Too many children lose eyesight needlessly while playing sports. Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children, and most of these injuries are sports-related. Almost all sports-related eye injuries are avoidable – studies have shown that 90 percent can be prevented with the use of protective eyewear.

The National Eye Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health, needs your help in informing parents, coaches and children that protective eyewear is as necessary as bike helmets and seat belts. They should know that, when it comes to a child’s vision, there’s more to lose than the game and that they must gear up with protective eyewear.

Protective eyewear includes safety glasses and goggles, safety shields, and eye guards specially designed to provide the correct protection for a specific activity.

[i] Harrison, A., & Telander, D.G. (2002). Eye Injuries in the youth athlete: a case-based approach. Sports Medicine, 31(1), 33-40.

[ii] Feist, R.M., & Farber, M.D. (1989). Ocular trauma epidemiology. Archives of Ophthalmology, 107(4), 503-504.

[iii] Ducharme, J.F., & Tsiaras, W.G. (2000). Sports-related ocular injuries. Medicine and Health, Rhode Island, 83(2), 45-51.

[iv] Napier, S.M., Baker, R.S., Sanford, D.G., & Easterbrook, M. (1996). Eye injuries in athletics and recreation. Survey of Ophthalmology, 41(3), 229-244.

[v] U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2000). Sports and recreational eye injuries. Washington, DC: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

[vi] Ibid.

[vii] Strahlman, E., Elman, M., Daub, E., & Baker, S. (1990). Causes of pediatric eye injuries. A population-based study. Archives of Ophthalmology, 108(4), 603-606.

[viii] American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Eye Health and Public Information Task Force. (2004). Protective eyewear for young athletes. Ophthalmology, 111(3), 600-603.

[ix] Napier et al., 1996.

[x] National Center for Health Statistics. (2003). 2002 National Health Interview Survey. Hyattsville, MD: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[xi] Vinger, P.F., Parver, L., Alfaro, D., III, Woods, T., & Abrams, B.S. (1997). Shatter resistance of spectacle lenses. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 277(2), 142-144.

[xii] American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2004.

[xiii] Prevent Blindness America. (2002). Sports & Recreational Eye Injuries by Age. Chart based on statistics provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Electronic Injury Surveillance System NEISS product summary report for 2002.

[xiv] Ibid.

[xv] Marton, K., Wilson, D., & McKeag, D. (1987). Ocular trauma in college varsity sports, abstracted. Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise, 19(2 suppl), S53.

[xvi] Zagelbaum, B.M., Starkey, C., Hersh, P.S., Donnenfeld, E.D., Perry, H.D., & Jeffers, J.B. (1995). The National Basketball Association eye injury study. Archives of Ophthalmology, 113(6), 749-752.

[xvii] Williams, R.J., III, Marx, R.G., Barnes, R., O’Brien, S.J., & Warren, R.F. (2001). Fractures about the orbit in professional American football players. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 29(1), 55-57.

[xviii] Randall, D., Ferrara, M.S., Agel, J., Courson, R., Marshall, S.W., Hanley, M.J., et al. (2007). Descriptive epidemiology of collegiate men’s football injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System, 1988–1989 through 2003–2004. Journal of Athletic Training, 42(2), 221-233.

[xix] The Mechanisms and Prevention of Sports Eye Injuries (n.d.). Table 3, Eye Injury Risk, based on NCAA data, probability calculation advice courtesy of Randy Dick and Preston Fiske.

[xx] Horn, E.P., McDonald, H.R., Johnson, R.N., Ai, E., Williams, G.A., Lewis, J.M., et al. (2000). Soccer ball-related retinal injuries: a report of 13 cases. Retina, 20(6), 604-609.

[xxi] Mieler, W.F., Nanda, S.K., Wolf, M.D., & Harman, J. (1995). Golf-related ocular injuries. Archives of Ophthalmology, 113(11), 1410-1413.

[xxii] 2007 NCAA Rules Modifications as posted at www1.ncaa.org.

[xxiii] Vinger, P.F. (1981). Sports eye injuries a preventable disease. Ophthalmology, 88(2), 108-113.

[xxiv] 2007 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Rules and Interpretations, Rule 2, Section 9.

[xxv] NCAA data.

[xxvi] Conn, J.M., Annest, J.L., Gilchrist, J., & Ryan, G.W. (2004). Injuries from paintball game related activities in the United States, 1997-2000. Injury Prevention, 10(3), 139-143.

[xxvii] Listman, D.A. (2004). Paintball injuries in children: more than meets the eye. Pediatrics, 113(1 Pt 1), e15-18.

[xxviii] Fineman, M.S. (2001). Ocular paintball injuries. Current Opinion in Ophthalmology, 12(3), 186-190.

[xxix] Pardhan, S., Shacklock, P., & Weatherill, J. (1995). Sport-related eye trauma: a survey of the presentation of eye injuries to a casualty clinic and the use of protective eye-wear. Eye, 9(Pt 6 Su), 50-53.

[xxx] Doxanas, M.T., & Soderstrom, C. (1980). Racquetball as an ocular hazard. Archives of Ophthalmology, 98(11), 1965-1966.

[xxxi] Vinger et al., 1997.

More education means more income

2008-04-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

More education means more income
By Jack Hutslar. PhD

It is time for an annual income check-up. From time to time we meet students who cannot figure out if they want to go on to college or not. Then there are those students who are not even interested in completing high school. In today’s age, it would seem like a no brainer to complete high school. However, short term emotions can take over when long term planning should prevail. So, let’s talk money to those who do not understand the importance of education.

The following 2005 data for 25 year olds and older, expressed in average weekly income, clearly shows the economic value of education.

$409.00 per week – Some high school, no diploma
= $21,268 per year

$583.00 per week – High school diploma
= $30,316 per year

$653.00 per week – Some college, no degree
= $33,956 per year

$699.00 per week – Associate degree
= $36,348 per year

$937.00 per week – Bachelors degree
= $48,724 per year

$1,129.00 per week – Masters degree
= $58.708.00 per year

$1,370 per week – Professional degree
= $71,240 per year

$1,421 per week - Doctoral degree
= $73,892

The following link compared the income of people at various levels of education. The results, 1990 to 2004 are pretty clear. Simple stated, more education means more income.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0883617.html

When all else fails, perhaps money in their pocket, dollars and cents, will convince students to finish high school. The key for you is to remind them that the more you learn, the more you earn.

Cues Help Players Focus

2008-03-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Cues Help Players Focus
by Jack Hutslar, PhD

Back in the day when I was conducting camps and clinics for youngsters, both boys and girls, I had a little saying that I used. It was: Try Hard. Play Fair. Have Fun. My objective in providing this quick line was to give my students a little guidance for their actions. It was a quick reminder about what they were trying to do.

A professional coach, whose name escapes me at the moment, used the expression WIN to get keep his players on track. To him WIN meant . . . What’s Important Now. When minds tend to drift, this cue gets the players to focus on this part of the game right now.

When our youngest daughter was in college, she had a few friends who would do good work all term. Then, for reasons unknown to me, they would just fold during the final week or two of the term. So once I learned that this was going on, I reached into my bag of cues.

While watching a story about NFL Films, their head man said that he used the following phrase quite often . . . Finish Like A Pro. In this case, he was using this cue to keep him film crew on track and working through the end of the filming. I used this phrase for four years with my daughter, with success. While her friends were bailing out, she was reminded to finish like a pro.

The use of cues like this came to mind when I read a newspaper account of the Davidson win over Georgetown in the NCAA basketball tournament [March 25, 2008 newspaper story]. Stephen Curry, son of Del Curry, former NBA player, said that their college coach, Bob McKillop, tells them that their three objectives are to have fun, play to win and get better.

Having fun is a key element in sports at all levels of play. Getting better is vital because that is what the good coaches do. The competitive creed demands that we play to win.

Providing cues to players works quite well. Take this one stop further. Cues work in business, not to mention family matters. I have an entrepreneurial associate who said, when comparing himself to others in his business. You have to be first, better or different.

So, when you get your act together, develop cues to help those around you focus their actions. Get a cue. They work.

Listening to your kids

2008-02-28T11:15:00.000-08:00

Parents, Are You Listening or Lecturing to Your Kids? Five Tips to Help You Listen

Seattle, WA – The knowledge that our children are safe, happy and emotionally sound is one of our greatest concerns. If they were being traumatized by something at school or, even worse, the attentions of a predator, we would want to be the first to know.

The only way we can truly be sure that they are all right, or if something is troubling them, is if they feel they can confide in us on a person-to-person basis. But are we actually listening to them as equals, or are we listening to them with condescending ears and, in the process, inadvertently breaking these lines of communication between parent and child – leaving them unwilling to come to us for help?

“Children don’t seem to get as much respect as other members of society,” says Julie Scandora, teacher and author of the book ‘Rules Are Rules.’ “They experience the same emotional obstacles as adults, but this is often overlooked by grown-ups. Parents need to treat children with respect and ensure a trusting relationship.”

Here are five of Julie’s tips to help you communicate more effectively with your children:

1. Listen. It sounds obvious, but if your children don’t think they will be heard, they won’t go to you with the hard questions or problems.

2. Create opportunities for interaction with your kids. Families spend so much time apart these days. Use ‘car time’ – such as the 20-minute drive to school – as a time to communicate with your children.

3. Lead by example. Far too many parents opt for the ‘do as I say not as I do’ method. But this sends mixed messages to children regarding important situations.

4. Respect the child’s intuition. We all have ‘gut feelings,’ and if kids are encouraged to trust theirs, they will be able to heed their intuition in dicey situations when we aren’t around to help.

5. Don’t confuse ‘respect’ with ‘giving in.’ It is important that the parental role is not usurped. Don’t give in to kids just to diffuse a problematic situation. Instead communicate with them and let them know why rules are rules.

By showing our children that we are receptive to what they have to say and that we are willing to talk with them, not just at them, we can help them gain confidence and maturity, but we need to make sure we are practicing what we preach.

“Perhaps we need to start with ourselves, don’t we!” laughs Julie, “But if we give our children the respect we give our peers, they will be better prepared to deal with whatever life throws at them. And when they encounter something for which they are still too young to deal with by themselves, they’ll naturally come to us for advice.”

###

About Julie Scandora

Julie Scandora is a teacher, editor, author and mother of three. She holds a BA from Smith and an MBA from the University of Washington and has taught children in schools and delivered lectures and workshops to adults. Julie has been an editor and assistant publisher for numerous publications. She is also a professional artist specializing in watercolors and is represented in several distinguished galleries. Julie lives in Seattle.

Kids, sports, literacy and coaches

2008-01-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

.
When we are up to our eyeballs in sports for kids, we might come to believe that it is the single most important thing that our youngsters can do. Like you, it thought that this was the case for many years. Then you get slapped upside the head with the importance of reading and writing. Take a look at the data below.

- One in five Americans functions at the lowest level of literacy.

- Workers without a high school diploma earn 60 cents compared to the dollar earned by a high school graduate, and only 34 cents compared to the dollar earned by a college graduate.

- Six out of ten inmates in America function at the lowest levels of literacy.

- 85 percent of juvenile offenders have reading problems.

- Five billion dollars a year (estimated) is spent in public assistance to people who can't get a job due to low literacy.

- The average kindergarten student has spent more time in front of the TV than it takes to earn a bachelor's degree.

* Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education, National Institute for Literacy, National Assessment of Education Programs, Laubach Literacy Action

Based on these data, do you think that it might be worthwhile for you to spend a little time in your coaching life to see that your players are doing their homework. To test their readiness for the real world, give each of them a short paragraph to read aloud to you. Then ask them what they just read. The results will astonish you.

If you want to take this another step forward, create a tutoring program for your team and your league. There is absolutely no excuse for a 4th or 5th grader to not be able to read and write. Want more. To be successful in life, our youngsters must have good reading, writing, speaking, math, science and computer skills. Just knowing sports will not cut it.

When our youngsters can read and write, the entire world is an open door. Maybe you can discover an additional coaching opportunity when you get slapped upside the head.

A Graduation Letter to our Granddaughters

2008-01-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

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A Graduation Letter to our Granddaughters

What will the next 45 years be like for you? Well then, how about next year. You may have heard that your life is what you make it. It is so very true. Do not be limited by what some other person or group says and believes about you or what is right for you.

As a student, there are several life shaping events that will occur as you move toward your 20s. These events will either hold you back or set you free.

The first event, since this is mostly about graduation, is to graduate from high school. Finish strong. This piece of paper will open doors for you that those who fail to receive their diploma will find very difficult if not impossible to open.

The second academic event of great significance is to earn your college degree. Even more doors will be opened with this piece of paper. It puts a very good stamp your college experience and will continue to open doors for you.

If you do not know what you want to study, then just get a degree in as short a period of time as possible. Here is a hint: Select a field of study that interests you, excites you, and motivates you. Others will suggest that you follow this path or that, which is fine. Listen to them, however, you are the one who must decide what you want to do with your life.

Please understand these two academic concepts of life. The more you learn, the more you earn. Secondly, knowledge is power. It sets you free.

Third, here is the “biggie fries” of the young life. There is absolutely nothing that will change a young life more than having your first child. The impact of this event is even more life changing, or better yet disastrous, for young girls who are unmarried mothers.

Raising a child as an unmarried mother puts every thing else you want to do on the back burner. In fact, it may even take it off the stove. A baby brings your social life to a screeching halt along with all of your other plans. It changes how your friends and family react to the new responsibilities of motherhood. So, do not have a baby until you are married. Even then, see that this blessed event occurs at the best possible time.

As a teenager, please etch these three events into your mind. Other than some kind of accidental injury, there are no other events that shape your life now and in the future that can compare to receiving your high school diploma, earning your college degree, and giving birth to your first child.

Here are a few other ideas that will help you over the next 45 years. Do it right and you will enjoy the ride.

Enjoy your school and college days. Life after college is different.

Spend less than you earn. It is a key to financial success.

Understand the time value of money. Start a financial growth plan now. If invested wisely, at 7% interest or more, your savings will double about every 10 years. At 10%, your wealth will double every seven years. You do the math.

Drive the same car for 10 years and you will save over $400,000 in car payments. That could grow to well over $400,000 in your retirement account.

Find a role model and a mentor who you can confide in and help you make the best possible decisions. Sometimes this is a relative. In other situations, it may be a business colleague or leader who knows what is going on.

There are more ideas to grow on but please understand these two ideas. Help your children stand on your shoulders and move beyond where you are in life. Finally, many people will move in and out of your life over time but your family will always be with you. Now go get ‘em.

Drugs, Dogs and Defections

2008-01-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

by
Jack Hutslar

The reporters who earn their keep by following our big time Revenue Sports have had a cornucopia of subject matter in recent months. Drugs have served up endless story lines as footballers have been suspended for varying lengths of time while others have been coming off suspensions. There are too many names to mention.

Then Marion Jones got caught with too much of the wrong kind of juice in her system. That was followed with the steroid and human growth hormone scandals in Major League Baseball. Writers and talking heads have been able to dine with glutenous delight at this unending banquet.

While all of this has been going on, a tarnished college and professional football star faced the music created by his self-destructive passion for dog fighting. I found it interesting that some of his peers and even some of the talking heads were not overly concerned about this type of transgression. In fact, some of his teammates were wearing Free Michael Vick t-shirts to show him support. So, it appears that dog fighting does not attract the same level of media attention as does drugs.

More recently, the coaching carousel has been spinning under the table out of the sight of pundits. A few coaches at the big schools were fired before the end of the season. At the same time, several high profile bowl coaches were in the news every day defending themselves against accusations that they were jumping ship for more attractive jobs.

It has been interesting to me that, among drugs, dogs and defections, defections generated the greatest animosity against the birds who flew the coop. Bobby Petrino was really dragged through the mud by some of the big name football analysts as well as his former players. Rich Rodriguez was body-slammed for leaving WVU for Michigan. There seemed to be mostly vile comments by the media and the fans directed toward those who were seeking more attractive coaching situations.

At the same time, there was almost no words of sympathy for those coaches who were released or fired before their terms were up - Duke, Georgia Tech, UCLA to name a few. While Petrino in particular was really roasted by the media folks, there was very little criticism of those players who were under contract and then held out so they could renegotiate more favorable contracts. Interesting the differences, is it not.

None of these happenings in the sporting world were good happenings the people involved or the sport. Yet, the coaches who bolted for what they considered to be better or more satisfying jobs seemed to get toasted the most. Unlike the juiced up athletes, these coaches did not play havoc with the record books. These coaches did not engage in any animal or human slaughter. These coaches did not go on strike for higher wages as many players do. Yet, they took the brunt of the slings and arrows from the Big Time sports media.

What do these actions have to do with youth sport. Nothing, you say? Wrong. Youth players and coaches model a lot of their behavior after that of the big time high school, college, Olympic and professional athletes and their coaches. In fact, people of all ages tend to imitate the behavior of those who do what they do, play what they play and dress like they dress.

Youngsters may spend 10 to 20 hours a week with a coach figure or spend endless hours watching these highly visible figures play on television. They will pick up the behaviors and attitudes of these role models. Adult players and coaches can shout from the pedestals as much as they want that they are not role models - - But They Are Role Models. They cannot avoid it. It comes with the territory because of the positions they occupy.

Youth leaders and parents must see that their children know the differences between good models and poor models. Furthermore, parents in particular must model good behavior for their children. Failure to do so will lead to uncounted negative incidents involving drugs, dogs and defections. When parents do not take a positive leadership role in the rearing of their children, others will. When others occupy that leadership position, leaders and parents end up gambling with the directions their children take in the months and years ahead.

Teaching Teens How to Gain Financial Freedom

2008-01-02T07:29:00.000-08:00

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Teaching Teens How to Gain Financial Freedom

7 tips you can use now to secure financial future for your children

Huntington Beach, CA, January 2008 - In an age when foreclosures are at a record pace, credit card debt is hitting new highs and personal savings are at an all time low, millions of American families are worried about their children’s future. While they’d like to teach their kids about finances, the sad truth is many parents are not skilled enough with their own money to offer solid guidance. And financial literacy - a skill young people desperately need - isn’t taught in high school.

That’s where Vince Shorb comes in. A self-made millionaire at age 32 and creator of the interactive multi-media course “Financially Free by 30,” Shorb is a young adult financial literacy advocate and expert. His goal is to teach teens and young adults how to avoid the ever-growing pitfalls of racking up debt by empowering them with the knowledge to become financially self-sufficient.

“Polls show that students, ages 15-21, feel unprepared to face the complex world of the 21st century,” says Shorb. “Most education efforts are focused on encouraging high school students to enroll in college instead of how to manage their future finances. The sad part is that all that misdirected preparation results in a third of these students ending up with a bachelor’s degree and the average college grad having over $20,000 in debt.”

Shorb offers 7 basic tips that you can share with your children in order to start them off on the path to financial freedom:

1. Learn to distinguish needs vs. wants. To counter the lifelong effects of advertising it is important you distinguish the difference between a need and want. A need is something you must have (like food, shelter and clothing). A want is something you would like to have that’s not a necessity such as designer clothes or an iPod. When you have enough savings to cover your needs, then you can focus on your wants.

2. Ditch costly everyday habits. A four dollar coffee five days a week equals more than $1,000 a year. Suggest they write down their everyday expenses, what Shorb calls the ‘money diary’ exercise. It’s a great way to show them how even the smallest expenditure can add up!

3. Develop a savings plan. Help your child compare what they make in a month verses how much they spend in a month. Then using this information, construct a monthly budget to help them start saving! Shorb says with simple investments and saving $250 a month they could be a millionaire by age 40.

4. Pay yourself first. With the average American spending beyond their means, teach your child to be a money rebel and not do what the average person is doing. It will seem tough to see the benefit of this at first, but if they automatically deposit a percentage of their paycheck into a savings account, they won’t miss it! As you know, a savings plan is the cornerstone for financial freedom.

5. Get Your Accounts in Order! At a bare minimum, young people should open 1 checking account and 2 savings accounts. Of the two savings accounts, one should be used for long term planning and the other for their fun money – things they want to do now. Shorb finds that young people that are able to set up and adequately manage these accounts gain the ability to not only save more but also learn some investment basics.

6. Start investing now. It is never too early to benefit from investments! Young people can make simple investments having little to no knowledge of the stock markets. Shorb says the S&P 500 Index could make a sound investment for young investors. It gives them the opportunity to own a little piece of 500 different companies. This will show them that investing is easy while lowering the risk and delivering consistent returns!

7. Write out your lifestyle goals. Young people are not motivated by money it’s what money allows them to do. Places they want to travel, toys they want to have and how they can make a positive impact in the world…Find out the type of lifestyle your child wants to live and help them find out what they need to achieve them. Have them be as specific as possible, including how much money they need to make every month to meet their savings and lifestyle goals.

There is nothing worse than seeing your child in their mid-twenties, toiling in more debt than you ever did at that age. By taking a proactive approach as a parent, you can have an instrumental role in providing a brighter future for your child. Shorb believes that if you can pass the above financial tips onto your children, and show them how to apply them to their everyday life, they will not only be able to start building a financially secure future, but escape shackles of life long debt.

Available at: www.FreeBy30.com

ABOUT VINCE SHORB

Vince Shorb, the leading financial literacy expert, is on a mission to give young adults practical money advice so they can afford the lifestyle they want now while securing their financial future. To combat the problem of financial illiteracy, Vince created ‘Financially Free by 30 Home Study Course’, the first multi-media course designed to provide high school and college age people a real world financial education.

Broke at the age of 26, it took him just six years to make his first million. Vince has personally reviewed the finances of over 10,000 people and advised thousands of clients on ways to better their financial future. Visit www.FreeBy30.com to receive a free copy of his latest book and complimentary instructional videos.

NAYSInote: This article was reprinted with the permission of the publisher. It has been reported that there is very poor economic education in our schools. This helps parents fill a gap in the education of our youth.

Four Golf Swing Myths

2007-12-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to present a short article for golfers called "Four Golf Swing Myths” by Joe Laurentino, author of the upcoming book, “The Negotiable Golf Swing: How to Improve Your Game Without Picture-Perfect Form.”

Four Golf Swing Myths
By Joe Laurentino

There is much free advice in the golf community, but much of it misleading and conflicting. Some tips are considered “must-dos” and will guarantee results for all golfers. But this is not true because many of these tips are negotiable – can work well for some but for most golfers, they're just nonsensical bits of advice that will hinder, rather than help. Here are the four biggest bits of advice:

Swing Myth #1 - “Keep your head down and your eye on the ball.” It’s now become the answer and cure for all bad shots. But its not the answer and golfers must be careful with this idea as it can make things worse; keeping your head down can cause a restricted backswing, and even worse, a restricted downswing. The fact of the matter is that if you watch some of the top players in the world, like Annika Sorenstam, or David Duval back when he won 11 of 27 PGA events, they don’t keep their heads down but rotate their heads and eyes freely toward the target through impact. They both do not see the ball at impact, but rather they are seeing a point somewhere between the ball and their intended target. Other tour players do the same. Blind golfers play golf, and some of them can break 80!

Swing Myth #2 – “You must be aligned parallel to the target.” Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer had great careers and both of them consistently aligned themselves to the right of their target and “pulled” the ball back on line, whereas Lee Trevino and Fred Couples, align themselves well to the left of their intended targets and hit a “push fades.” It doesn’t make any sense for a golfer to work on square alignment, if he or she consistently hits push slices. Each golfer needs to find an alignment that is consistent and works for their ball flight.

Swing Myth #3 - “Swing slow.” Slowing down the swing does not ensure a better swing; it just ensures a slower one and slower means shorter. Tempos vary from player to player. Some golfers, like Nick Price, swing the club more quickly from start to finish while other golfers, such as Ernie Els, tend to swing the club more slowly. While a golfer’s tempo is an individual thing, all great golf swings are smooth from start to finish. One of the worst things a golfer can do is to try to work with a tempo that is unnatural to him. Most golfers would benefit more from the idea of making their entire swing smooth at a tempo that works for them.

Swing Myth #4 - “The backswing needs to be on plane in order for the downswing to be on plane.” Wrong. If you look at the golf swings of great players, both past and present, you’ll see that players move the club quite differently in the backswing. For example, Jim Furyk takes the club back outside and steep, while John Daly takes it back inside and flat. The fact of the matter is you don’t strike the ball on the backswing; you strike it on the downswing. Different backswings can still produce effective downswings.

These a just a few examples of swing tips that negotiable elements in the golf swing and how there are many individual ways that can be successful. Most golfers keep moving from one swing tip to another, all in search of the secret. But the answer for golfers to realize their full golfing potential lies in their comprehension of these ideas. More specifically, they need to enhance their understanding of all of this swing advice - of what is negotiable and nonnegotiable in the golf swing and how these elements can work together to produce sound, repeatable results.

Joe Laurentino is a PGA Professional and author of “The Negotiable Golf Swing: How to Improve Your Game Without Picture-Perfect Form.” Visit him online at www.joelaurentino.com.

REDUCING RISK OF CATASTROPHIC FOOTBALL INJURIES

2007-08-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

- - -
REDUCING RISK OF CATASTROPHIC FOOTBALL INJURIES IS SUBJECT OF DVD DISTRIBUTED TO HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NATION

Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) join forces in the wake of national concern to prevent head injuries in young athletes.

PENSACOLA, Fla. (August 27, 2007) – With football season practice underway, the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has funded the distribution of a 14-minute video, “Heads Up – Reducing the Risk of Head and Neck Injuries in Football.” Produced by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), the DVD communicates how athletes should play safe to avoid concussions, neck sprains and catastrophic injuries such as paralysis and quadriplegia. Nearly every high school in the nation, including football coaches and athletic directors, has received free copies to share with their athletes prior to the start of the active football season.

“I have witnessed on a first-hand basis the results of improper tackling techniques,” says Dr. James Andrews, medical director of the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and renowned orthopaedic surgeon. “All it takes is one incident to end a football career and have medical issues for the rest of your life. Simple adjustments to tackling techniques is all it takes to prevent such devastating injuries. We want to prevent any kind of head injury in young athletes because the effects will be seen for many years to come. This a major concern for professional football as well.”

“We need players, coaches and parents to be aware of the dangers of head-down contact and spearing, which can cause cervical spine and head injuries or even death,” said Ron Courson, director of sports medicine, University of Georgia. “Each time a player initiates contact with his head down, he risks quadriplegia. Each time a player initiates contact head first, he increases the risk of concussion.”

Participants in the video include Tony Dungy, head football coach, Indianapolis Colts; Jerry Punch, MD, college football commentator for ABC Sports and ESPN; Grant Teaff, executive director, American Football Coaches Association, Ron Courson, ATC, PT, director of sports medicine, University of Georgia and chairman of NATA’s College/University Athletic Trainers’ Committee; Jonathan Heck, MS, ATC, coordinator of athletic training, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey; and noted physicians Robert Cantu, MD, FACSM and Joseph Torg, MD.

The DVD emphasizes correct techniques when initiating contact with an opponent. “The best way is to keep your head up, see what you hit and hit with your shoulder,” says Tony Dungy, head coach for the Indianapolis Colts. “It really doesn’t matter what position you play or where you are on the field. The object of the collisions is to deliver a blow and come out of it in great shape.”

The DVD was developed to educate players following the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) updated rules on head-first contact (sometimes referred to as spearing), which were recently introduced.

The NCAA rule states: No player shall use his helmet (including the face mask) to butt or ram an opponent or attempt to punish him. No player shall strike a runner with the crown or the top of his helmet in an attempt to punish him. The NFHS removed the word “intentional” from its spearing rule.

“The new rule was a very important signal sent out across the world of football that we are now making sure you understand that you tackle with your eyes, so you’re able to see who you are attacking or what you’re tackling,” says Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association.

To communicate the urgency and importance of this vital issue, the Andrews Institute encourages all athletic trainers, coaches and officials to obtain the video and share it with their athletes. Copies can be obtained to share with youth, high school and collegiate teams, as well as representatives of major youth sports organizations. Additional information and a link to the video is available at http://www.theandrewsinstitute.com/headsup , where it may be accessed for free.

About the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine:

Situated outside of Pensacola, Florida in Gulf Breeze, the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine provides world-class care and service for the athlete in everyone. The one-of-a-kind center focuses on the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries while using the expertise of nationally and internationally renowned orthopaedic surgeon James Andrews, M.D. Dr. Andrews is best known as physician to some of sport’s greatest professional athletes. www.theandrewsinstitute.com

The Andrews Institute is an affiliate of Baptist Health Care, located in Pensacola, Florida. Baptist Health Care is the proud recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s premier award for performance excellence and quality achievement. For six consecutive years, Baptist Health Care has been named one of Fortune Magazine’s Best Places to Work. It is the only locally owned health care system in Northwest Florida that has placed on the list that recognizes the nation’s most employee friendly organizations. www.ebaptisthealthcare.org

About NATA:

Athletic trainers are unique health care providers who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illnesses. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 30,000 members of the athletic training profession through education and research. www.nata.org . Copies of the DVD can be obtained from NATA through their web site for $10.00.

Reprinted on the NAYSIblog at www.naysi.com with permission of The Andrews Institute.

Prevent Eye Injuries in Sports

2007-08-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

- - -
More than half a million Americans suffer Eye injuries from sports-related accidents

Lack of Proper Eye Protection Can Lead to Painful Injuries, Vision Loss and Even Blindness

Sports can play a pivotal role in staying active and healthy. But, adults and children need to remember to always protect their eyes while playing sports, even if it’s in their own backyard. According to research from The Coalition to Prevent Sports Eye Injuries, approximately 25 percent of the estimated 2.4 million eye injuries that occur in the United States each year happen during sports and recreational activities.

The good news is that 90 percent of all eye injuries can be prevented by using the proper eye protection! Prevent Blindness America has dedicated September as Sports Eye Health and Safety Month to help educate the public on what they can do to protect their vision.

CHICAGO (Aug. 27, 2007) – Playing sports is an ideal way to stay in shape and remain active. However, a serious eye injury can sideline even the best athletes permanently. It is estimated that there are more than 600,000 sports related eye injuries in America every year. And, 40,000 of those require emergency room care.

Fortunately, 90 percent of all sports-related eye injuries can be prevented just by wearing the proper eye protection. Lenses should be made of polycarbonate and have an American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) label, indicating they meet the standards of the ASTM for the specific sport.

In recent years, basketball was the number one cause of eye injuries.

Based on a recent study by the United States Eye Injury Registry, fishing has surpassed basketball in injuries. In fact, eye injuries from fishing make up approximately 9 percent of all sports eye injuries. And, 38 percent of fishing injuries involved hooks to the eye.

“Every 13 minutes, another emergency room treats a sports eye injury that could have easily been prevented,” said Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. “Although eye injuries can occur at any age, it’s young people who are the most at risk, making up 66 percent of all injuries.”

Besides fishing accidents, eye injuries from other sports are still common. Those who do not wear the proper eye protection can suffer serious damage. According to The Coalition to Prevent Sports Eye Injuries:

Approximately 1 in 50 Little League baseball players will sustain an eye injury that requires attention.

One in 20 NBA (National Basketball Association) injuries involves the eye.

The leading cause of eye injury in adult women is from racket sports.

The average football team will experience four eye injuries each season.

More than 55 percent of all eye injuries from soccer occur in 6-14 year olds.

“Sports injuries pose a serious threat to vision yet few people take the necessary precautions to protect sight," added Garrett. “We encourage parents, schools and sports organizations to take leadership roles in promoting the use of safety eyewear.”

There is no evidence that wearing eye protection hampers athletic performance.

Eye injuries can include painful corneal abrasions, blunt trauma and penetrating injuries. Severe injuries can result in vision loss and in some cases, blindness.

About Prevent Blindness America

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness America is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness America touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screenings, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, divisions and chapters, it's committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, or to make a contribution to the sight-saving fund, call 1-800-331-2020 or visit us on the Web at www.preventblindness.org.

Reprinted at the NAYSIblog at www.naysi.com with permission of Prevent Blindness America. For more information on sports eye health and safety, please contact Prevent Blindness America at 1 800 331-2020 or visit www.preventblindness.org.

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Sports Injuries Documented

2007-08-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

NEW NATIONAL STUDY IS FIRST SINCE 1970’S TO DOCUMENT FULL RANGE OF SPORTS INJURIES
Published May 15, 2003

Sports Mishaps are Common — But Less Than 1 in 5 Are Serious

Injury Rates for Most Extreme Sports and Exercise Activities are Relatively Low

Women Incur 40% of all Sports Injuries

HARTSDALE, N.Y. — There may have been 20.3 million sports mishaps in the U.S. in 2002, but most were very minor: ankle twists, scrapes, bruises and jammed fingers accounted for a majority of these momentary setbacks.

11.2 million injuries (53%) were self-treated (or untreated), while 6.1 million (30%) did not even hinder subsequent participation in the sport or activity; only 3.4 million sports injuries were serious enough to require Emergency Room treatment. These were among the preliminary findings of a Comprehensive Study of Sports Injuries in the U.S., conducted by American Sports Data, Inc. (ASD) a Hartsdale, N.Y.-based firm specializing in sports and fitness research.

Because of their larger populations, Basketball, Running and Soccer yielded the highest number of injuries — 2.8 million, 1.7 million and 1.6 million respectively. Not unexpectedly, Tackle Football had the highest injury rate in 2002 — 18.8 per 100 players. “But on average, this means one injury every 5 player/years, and not necessarily a serious one at that,” says ASD president Harvey Lauer. Ice Hockey, Boxing and Martial Arts have injury rates of 15.9%, 12.7% and 10.2% — translating to just one injury every 6, 8 and 10 years, respectively. The rates of injury requiring ER treatment are much lower: Football (6.1%); Hockey (6.6%); Boxing (11.5%); and Martial Arts (0.4%).

The most practical method of assessing risk potential in a sport is to measure the number of injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures — i.e. the number of times a participant engages in the activity over the course of a year. Using this method, Boxing ranks first with 5.2 injuries per 1,000 exposures, followed by Tackle Football (3.8), Snowboarding (3.8), Ice Hockey (3.7), Alpine Skiing (3.0), Soccer (2.4), Softball (2.2) and Basketball (1.9).

With the exception of Snowboarding (which ranks third), none of the other so-called “Extreme” sports carries a particularly high risk of injury. Surfing is 10th in risk potential (1.8 injuries per 1,000 exposures); Mountain Biking 18th (1.2 per thousand); Skateboarding 22nd (0.8 per thousand); and BMX 24th, also with 0.8. In-Line Roller-Skating places 27th with only 0.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures.

While membership in the “Extreme Sports” category implies a whiff of danger, only Paintball is handicapped by a huge injury taboo — one that exists in the public mind, but not in the statistics. The industry has long maintained that the rare (but highly publicized) eye injury almost always occurs in an unsupervised, unprotected, often illegal setting; and that Paintball is a very safe activity — a claim substantiated by the current research, as the sport reflected only 0.2 injuries per 1,000 exposures, the lowest injury rate of any Extreme Sport. Put another way, the average player will suffer a Paintball injury about once every 500 years.

40% of all sports injuries were incurred by women…an oblique and perhaps unwelcome confirmation of their near-parity with men in U.S. sports participation. And lest we presume that female injuries are somehow more benign, women also account for 37% of all ER sports injuries. In view of the strong female presence in Soccer, Volleyball and Cheerleading (all higher-risk activities) these findings are not surprising.

Children aged 6-17 represent only 19% of the 6+ population, but 38% of all sports injuries, and 46% of ER admissions. Boys in the 12-17 age group are the highest at-risk segment; with barely 5% of the population, they account for 17% of all sports injuries, and 23% of those requiring ER treatment.

The rate of injury for individual exercise activities appears extremely low. While Runners/Joggers racked up 1.7 million injuries in 2002, (a number surpassed only by Basketball), the incidence of Running injuries was relatively subdued — only 0.6 per 1,000 exposures, compared with 1.9 for Basketball and 3.8 for Snowboarding. Half of all running injuries (52%) were of the gradual/overuse variety — not sudden/traumatic incidents.

Injuries resulting from equipment exercise were rare. Among those who trained with free weights or weight machines, 1.1 million were injured in 2002 — an incidence of only 0.1 per 1,000 exposures. For Treadmill usage, the most popular form of cardio equipment exercise, the injury rate was also a microscopic 0.1 per 1,000 exposures. Even lower rates were found for Stationary Cycling and Stair-Climbing Machines.

A lower-than-expected injury rate appeared for Wrestling. With only 1.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures, the sport placed 15th in the standings. Hunting registered only 0.8 per 1,000, for a ranking of 23rd. And in a not-too-surprising measurement, Softball was found to have a higher injury potential than Baseball — 2.2 per 1,000 exposures versus 1.4 for Baseball. In Baseball, 63% of all injuries occurred in either the elbow (18%), shoulder (18%), knee (15%), or ankle (12%). For Softball, shoulder (17%), ankle (15%), knee (11%) and finger injuries (10%) accounted for 53% of the total. These data — along with the specific injury descriptions reported by Baseball and Softball players — strongly suggest that only a small percentage of all Baseball/Softball injuries are the result of a thrown or batted ball.

It has been widely assumed that for a variety of reasons, sports injury rates are skyrocketing; but overall trends in sports injuries are, according to Lauer, unknown. “For one thing, there hasn’t been a dedicated national consumer survey done in nearly 30 years — certainly not a ‘numerator/denominator’ study that addressed both injuries and sports participation in the same questionnaire,” he said. By definition, the well-known emergency room study conducted by the Consumer Products Safety

Commission documents only more serious sports injuries

A Comprehensive Study of Sports Injuries in the U.S. is derived from the Superstudy® of Sports Participation, conducted in January 2003 and based on a nationally representative sample of 15,063 people over the age of 6 who were among 25,000 respondents targeted in a sample drawn from the consumer mail panel of NFO Research, Inc. 103 sports and activities were measured along over 20 demographic, attitudinal and behavioral dimensions. This annual tracking study has been conducted by ASD every year since 1987. For more information, call (914) 328-8877, or log onto www.americansportsdata.com/sports_injury1.asp. The price of the report is $595.00.

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U.S. SPORTS INJURIES in 2002 - Top 25

Total (000) % ER Injuries (000)

TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . .20,145 . .100.0 . . 3,358

Basketball . . . . . . . . . . . 2,783 13.8 521
Running/Jogging . . . . . 1,654 8.2 *
Soccer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,634 8.1 259

Football, Tackle . . . . . . 1,084 5.4 351
Softball . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,063 5.3 122
Strength Training . . . . . 1,062 5.3 *

Volleyball . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667 3.3 128
Football, Touch . . . . . . . . 661 3.3 *
Martial Arts . . . . . . . . . . . 610 3.0 *

Baseball . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602 3.0 *
Fitness Walking . . . . . . . . . 529 2.6 *
Bicycling, Recreational . . . 445 2.2 109

Tennis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 2.1 *
Ice Hockey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 2.1 171
Skateboarding . . . . . . . . . . . . 399 2.0 103

Walking, Recreational . . . . . . . 384 1.9 *
Cheerleading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 1.6 *
Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 1.4 *

Skiing, Downhill . . . . . . . . . . . 289 1.4 *
Aerobics, Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 1.4 *
Horseback Riding . . . . . . . . . 265 1.3 *

Roller Skating, In-Line . . . . . . . 252 1.3 105
Snowboarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 1.1 *
Hunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 1.0 103

Mountain Biking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 1.0 *

* Less than 100,000 emergency room reports

SOURCE: AMERICAN SPORTS DATA, INC. Reprinted at the NAYSIblog at www.NAYSI.com with permission.

Pertinent Quotes, Sayings and One Liners

2007-07-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

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Return to the NAYSIblog at www.naysi.com from time to time to see the latest additions.

“To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world” ... anonymous

“Parents have quit raising their children. We need to do a better job of staying with our children and raising them. . . . The biggest difference with players today - aside from their earrings and the way they wear their underwear - is they’re bigger.” ... Bobby Bowden, Florida State football coach, at the College Football Hall of Fame enshrinement dinner, July 21, 2007.

“Not only is there more to life than basketball, there’s more to basketball than just basketball.” ... Phil Jackson, NBA former player and coach

“Not everything that counts can be measured and not every thing that can be measured counts.”... Albert Einstein

“It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.” ... Earl Weaver, former manager of theBaltimore Orioles

“I'm going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes.” ... Senior basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh

“You guys line up alphabetically by height.” ... Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach

“You guys pair up in groups of three, then line up in a circle.” ... Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach

“I play football. I'm not trying to be a professor. The tests don't seem to make sense to me, measuring your brain on stuff I haven't been through in school.” ... Clemson recruit Ray Forsythe, who was ineligible as a freshman because of academic requirements:

“Why would anyone expect him to come out smarter? He went to prison for three years, not Princeton.” ... Boxing promoter Dan Duva on Mike Tyson hooking up again with promoter Don King:

“That's so when I forget how to spell my name, I can still find my #%@# clothes.” ... Stu Grimson, Chicago Blackhawks left wing, explaining why he keeps a color photo of himself above his locker

“I can't really remember the names of the clubs that we went to.” ... Shaquille O'Neal on whether he had visited the Parthenon during his visit to Greece

“I've won at every level, except college and pro.” ... Shaquille O'Neal, on his lack of championships

“He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the morning regardless of what time it is.” ... Lou Duva, Veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regime of heavyweight Andrew Golota

“Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.” ... Football commentator and former player Joe Theismann 1996

“I was going to write myself in, but I was afraid I'd get shot.” ... Lincoln Kennedy, Oakland Raiders tackle, on his decision not to vote, 1996

“We can't win at home. We can't win on the road. As general manager, I just can't figure out where else to play.” ... Pat Williams, Orlando Magic general manager, on his team's 7-27 record, 1992

“But the real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored yet.” ... Steve Spurrier, Florida football coach, telling Gator fans that a fire at Auburn's football dorm had destroyed 20 books, 1991

“It's basically the same, just darker.” ... Alan Kulwicki, stock car racer, on racing Saturday nights as opposed to Sunday afternoons, 1991

“He said: 'Gosh, Dad, that mean's we're not going to any more bowl games.” ... Jim Colletto, Purdue football coach and former assistant at Arizona State and Ohio State, on his 11-year-old son's reaction after he took the job with the Boilermakers, 1991

“I told him, 'Son, what is it with you. Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, 'Coach, I don't know and I don't care.” ... Frank Layden, Utah Jazz president, on a former player, 1991

“He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings.” ... Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver, on his coach, John Jenkins, 1991

“Son, looks to me like you're spending too much time on one subject.” ... Shelby Metcalf, basketball coach at Texas A&M, recounting what he told a player who received four F's and one D, 1987

“They can't fire me because my family buys too many tickets.” ... LaVell Edwards, BYU football coach and one of 14 children, 1986

“I'm not allowed to comment on lousy officiating.” ... Jim Finks, New Orleans Saints G.M., when asked after a loss what he thought of the refs, 1986

“My sister's expecting a baby, and I don't know if I'm going to be an uncle or an aunt.” ... Chuck Nevitt, North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice, 1982

“I'm going to send the injured reserve players out for the toss next time.” ... Mike McCormack, coach of the hapless Baltimore Colts after the team's co-captain, offensive guard Robert Pratt, pulled a hamstring running onto the field for the coin toss against St. Louis, 1881

“He wants Texas back.” ... Tommy Lasorda , Dodger manager, when asked what terms Mexican-born pitching sensation Fernando Valenzuela might settle for in his upcoming contract negotiations, 1981

“One player was lost because he broke his nose. How do you go about getting a nose in condition for football?” ... Darrell Royal, Texas football coach, asked if the abnormal number of Longhorn injuries that season resulted from poor physical conditioning, 1966

SGMA 2007 Sports & Fitness Report

2007-06-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Current Participation for the year 2006

This 2007 SGMA Report is based on nationwide interviews. The numbers below are in the millions and combine core, frequent, regular and casual participants. As a rule, 50 per cent or more of the participants in each sport are core participants. Data represents the year 2006.

The top participant activity in each category are Treadmill, Bowling, Table Tennis, Basketball, Target shooting [rifle], and Snorkeling. In the team sports, the top five activities are Basketball, Baseball, Soccer [outdoor], Football [touch] and Softball [slow-pitch]. Table tennis dominates the racket sports while Bowling ranks as the top individual sport. The team sport with the greatest percentage growth from 2000 to 2006 was Lacrosse while Roller Hockey showed the greatest decline in participants.

Infrequent participants = 1 to 7 times
Regular participants = 8 to 24 times
Frequent participants = 25 or more times
Core participants = 8 times or more

Exercise
37,922,000 Aerobics, Running/Jogging
45,444,000 Free weights, conditioning
32,570,000 Stretching, conditioning
18,694,000 Swimming, fitness/competition
49,798,000 Treadmill
100,239,000 Walking for fitness
41,385,000 Weight/Resistance Machines
14,152,000 Yoga/Tai Chi

Individual Sports
7,407,000 Archery
46,990,000 Billiards/Pool
54,305,000 Bowling
2,072,000 Boxing
28,743,000 Golf, 9/18 hole courses
11,576,000 Horseback riding
10,578,000 Ice Skating
6,270,000 Martial Arts
8,147,000 Roller skating, 2x2 wheels
13,069,000 Roller skating, in line
11,083,000 Skateboarding

Racket Sports
6,323,000 Badminton
3,476,000 Racquetball
569,000 Squash
15,107,000 Table tennis
14,665,000 Tennis

Team Sports
16,114,000 Baseball
24,665,000 Basketball
3,125,000 Cheerleading
943,000 Field Hockey
9,016,000 Football, tackle
11,974,000 Football, touch
4,552,000 Gymnastics
1,849,000 Ice Hockey
1,153,000 Lacrosse
1,289,000 Roller Hockey
683,000 Rugby
4,811,000 Soccer, indoor
14,665,000 Soccer, outdoor
1,897,000 Softball, fast pitch
8,640,000 Softball, slow pitch
4,638,000 Track and Field
4,073,000 Ultimate Frisbee
3,072,000 Volleyball, beach
6,005,000 Volleyball, court
4,328,000 Volleyball, grass
3,326,000 Wrestling

Outdoor Sports
4,053,000 Hunting, bow
2,611,000 Hunting, handgun
11,271,000 Hunting, rifle
9,091,000 Hunting, shotgun
3,670,000 Shooting, sport clays
2,934,000 Shooting, trap/skeet
9,773,000 Target shooting, handgun
11,911,000 Target shooting, rifle
2,989,000 Snowmobiling

Water Sports
1,116,000 Boardsailing/Windsurfing
6,749,000 Jet Skiing
3,570,000 Sailing
2,912,000 Scuba Diving
8,416,000 Snorkeling
2,280,000 Surfing
3,511,000 Wakeboarding
5,110,000 Water Skiing

Reprinted with permission of the Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association [SGMA]. The SGMA is the Foundation whose members are companies around the globe that manufacture sporting goods equipment of all types. 5/31/07

Starting a new organization

2007-06-01T07:21:00.000-07:00

Want to begin a new organization?

Have you considered starting your own youth sport organization. If so, the following information will help you get started.

There are several matters that need to be addressed when starting a new program from scratch or reorganizing an existing program. The first element is writing down some of your thoughts about what you actually want to do. Is it basketball. Is this being created for girls and boys or just girls. What age groups.

The second element is people. Identify who might be interested in your idea. Figure out who is going to work in the program and who is going to benefit from this initiative. After speaking with several people, you may be able to identify an initial leadership core. These should be people who are in agreement, to some degree, and can work together to get the corporation organized and functioning.

The next order of business to be discussed is the organizational structure. Community sports programs should consider forming a non-profit corporation. Many of us are familiar with that term and the 501(c)3 type organization in particular.

There are two documents that will help you with this. They can be obtained at no charge from your local Federal Building.

Go to the IRS office at the Federal Building and ask for a copy of Publication 557 and Package 1023. Publication 557 provides outline information for the 501(c)3 and (501c)7. Look carefully at the 501(c)3.

Package 1023 walks you through the application and registration process. It involves a lot of paperwork but the process forces you to identify your program in substance and form. Do the paperwork on a computer. It will save you an enormous amount of time. In lieu of doing it yourself, you can pay an attorney to do it for you. They will probably charge you around $500.

Once you have your core people assembled, begin working on the following items.

- discuss other personnel needs of the leadership core
- demonstrate the need for the program
- spell out your program philosophy and put it in writing

- decide how you will recruit leaders and workers and how they will be trained
- consider adding enrichment activities such as tutoring
- outline the business plan, curriculum or syllabus that covers your goals, objectives and lessons

- determine the facilities available and needed
- what equipment needed
- what will you provide for uniforms and identifying shirts or caps

- write a financial plan including what you will ask the users to pay - players or parents
- advisory body composed of talented people who can walk you through the many areas of concern

While those matters are taking shape, another set of items need attention:

- initial source of funds to pay the bills
- recruitment of players or students
- advertising the program through the schools and the media

- programs affiliations (i.e.: club, Y, church, Scouts, school, national program)
- communications with users and supporters
- referees and other officials

- playing season and length of season or seasons
- schedule of times, days, games and events
- travel, meals and insurance plan

- boosters club or auxiliary
- awards and recognitions
- program evaluations

There are many youth sport programs today that are organized to benefit children. In some cases, you may be eligible to apply for and receive grant funds from local charitable foundations. In fact, you may find that some of them will be more than willing to help you get organized. Good luck.

Stuttering is a common denominator - May 2007 announcements

2007-05-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

Former stutters include Bob Love, Tiger Woods, Johnny Damon, Bill Walton, Adrian Peterson

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — NBA All-Star Bob Love joins an array of well-known sports figures to speak out for those who stutter: Bill Walton, Johnny Damon, Tiger Woods, Kenyon Martin and Ken Venturi.

Love leads the 2007 campaign for National Stuttering Awareness Week, May 14-20.

Love knows first-hand the experiences of someone who stutters. He has overcome considerable frustrations and setbacks since his glory years with the Chicago Bulls.

“Bob is more than a great basketball star and community leader,” said Jane Fraser, president of the 60-year-old Stuttering Foundation. “He leads this year’s Stuttering Awareness Week because of his courage in coping with his speech impediment.”

“I know how important it is to receive speech therapy at an early age,” Love said. “My grandmother Ella used to swat me in the mouth with a dishrag and say ‘Spit out those words, Robert Earl,’” he recalls.

“That approach didn’t work very well, but it underscores the public’s misunderstanding of stuttering that is still prevalent,” said Love.

Difficulty in finding a job for those who stutter is nothing new to him. In the 1970s, he made the NBA All-Star Team three times and led the Chicago Bulls in scoring seven straight years. But he still stuttered, and there were fewer media interviews or endorsements than a player of his caliber would normally receive.

“After my retirement from the NBA, reaction by potential employers to my speaking difficulty turned the usually tough post-sports career adjustment into a living nightmare,” Love relates. “I had a college degree, but personnel managers seldom call back someone who stutters on the telephone.”

By the end of 1984 — some seven years after millions had watched him play NBA basketball — Love took the only job offered to him. He would wash dishes and bus tables for Nordstrom department store.

Yet it was here that Love’s story began a slow and difficult turn for the better. First, there was the corporate manager of Nordstrom, who offered to have his company pay for speech therapy. Enter speech pathologist Susan Hamilton, who would guide Love through countless hours of therapy in which he learned to manage his moments of stuttering and speak more fluently.

“Today my message to young people who stutter and their parents is direct: Don’t wait, like I did,” Love emphasizes. “Speech therapy during childhood has the greatest chance of success.”

Bob Love joins an impressive list of famous people who have not let stuttering hold them back from rewarding lives and careers. For more information, call the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation at 800-992-9392 or visit www.stutteringhelp.org.

Football player won’t let stuttering tackle him

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Chicago Bears football player Adrian Peterson says he has struggled with stuttering his whole life.

Peterson isn’t the only sports star who has wrestled with this complex disorder. Golf superstar Tiger Woods recently told CBS’s 60 Minutes that it takes hard work and a competitive spirit to overcome childhood stuttering.

Other sports stars who have been successful despite their stuttering include NBA Hall of Famer and sports commentator Bill Walton, Denver Nuggets’ basketball star Kenyon Martin, Chicago Bulls’ legend Bob Love and U.S. Open golf champion Ken Venturi.

Peterson has struggled with stuttering since he was a child.

“It’s been like this my whole life. Since I was 5 years old, I’ve been stuttering. It’s been a major part of my life,” he told The Times of Northwest Indiana.

“Growing up, it was hard, but it’s who I am,” the Bears running back said to the Chicago Sun-Times. “My advice to [others who stutter] is don’t allow it to hold you back from achieving your goals.”

“The parallels between speech performance and sports performance are striking,” said Jane Fraser, president of the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, “and Peterson is the latest example of how the many hours of practice and hard work to win in sports are no different from those long hours spent in therapy for stuttering.”

“Adrian Peterson is the perfect role model for all school-age children who struggle with this complex disorder,” Fraser added.

There are many prominent athletes among the three million people who stutter and the world’s most famous golfer is among them. “The words got lost, you know, somewhere between the brain and the mouth. And it was very difficult, but I fought through it. I went to a school to try and get over that, and I just would work my tail off,” Woods told 60 Minutes.

Walton dealt with stuttering just like he did basketball. “I thought about the fundamentals of the game and how to start with the basics like the ability to mechanically duplicate moves on a basketball court. And then I just applied that to speaking.”

“Countless hours of work taught me to manage moments of difficult speech,” says Chicago’s Love.

In a recent interview, Denver Nuggets’ Martin said of his stuttering: “How I got through it was just by working hard at it.”

Venturi adds, “I have had to work through the years to overcome stuttering and to speak more easily and fluently.” Venturi compares moving smoothly through speech to moving gracefully through a golf stroke.

The Foundation offers free streaming videos, books, downloadable brochures and a worldwide referral list at www.stutteringhelp.org. Help is also available by calling 800-992-9392.

The Foundation offers help for stuttering through its helpline at 800-992-9392 and online at www.stutteringhelp.org .

NAYSI Top 10 list

2006-12-31T16:45:00.000-08:00

NAYSI Top 10 Reasons why tots, children and teenagers (not to mention adults and seniors) should play sports * *

10. Slows the aging process, reduces the risks of injury, improves the ability to recover from illness and injury while decreasing susceptibility to physical disorders
9. Establishes a healthy pattern of lifetime physical activity
8. Enables transfer of training to negotiate a variety of physical environments

7. Aids sleep and muscular relaxation while adjusting to and coping with stress and tension
6. Improves cardiovascular fitness, weight control, and appearance
5. Can become competent in a positive activity that also develops self concept, aids self-esteem, and learning about self

4. Learn social interaction while being exposed to leadership opportunities
3. Increases the growth of bone and muscle in children
2. Learn new skills

1. It’s fun!

* * Sport is taken in the broadest context and includes fitness, recreation, dance and instructional physical education. Source: adapted from published article by Jack Hutslar

Basketball court dimensions

2006-12-27T07:17:00.000-08:00

We receive a number of Ask Jack questions about the size of the basketball court at various levels of play - youth, high school, college and the pros. Here are the basic details including how to set a pole in cement with links.

An NBA and official college basketball court is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide.

A High School basketball court is 84 feet long and 50 feet wide.

A Junior High basketball court is 74 feet long and 42 feet wide. I do not recommend building one court this size. Rather, build two cross courts so that one high school or college size court can be laid on top of these two courts. Building one small court limits usage to the younger players.

The free throw line is always 15 feet from the shooter side of the line to the face of the backboard.

The distance from the ground to the top of the rim is 10 feet.

The 3 point arc in the NBA is 22 feet from the center of the goal on the sides. The arc starts 5 feet 3 inches from the baseline. It is a straight line until that point then the curved part of the arc is 23 feet 9 inches from the center of the goal.

The 3 point arc in college and high school is 19 feet 9 inches from the center of the goal. The straight part of the line extends 63 inches from the baseline before the arc begins.

The free throw line is 12 feet long.

The free throw lane is 12 feet wide (the width of the free throw line) the backboard should extend 4 feet out over the baseline. The 12 feet wide free throw line forms the center of a circle with a 6 feet radius.

The backboard is 72 inches wide by 42 inches high and has an 18 inch diameter goal.

The inner square is marked above the rim in a rectangle of 24 inches wide and 18 inches high.

The line markings are white and 2 inches wide.

In basketball, unlike tennis and soccer, the inside of the lines always define the limits of the playing area. Lines are out of bounds and are not to be stepped on or over when in possession of the ball. For instance, stepping on the free throw line, lane line, the sideline, jump circle line or the mid court line are violations. Stepping on the three point line while shooting will render a two point goal, if made.

Outdoor Pole Installation Guide

For youth, we highly recommend that variable height backboard systems be used. This allows the goal to be lowered and raised to adapt to the age and strength of young children. Use good judgment when purchasing goal systems that are anchored with water filled bases, sand, or other anchoring systems.

Concrete Required: 900 lbs. (dry weight) equal to 7.1 cubic feet of concrete. Yes, 900 lbs. (dry weight) is required to balance the high forces encountered during normal play. For youth who are not going to be slam dunking and hanging on the rim, less concrete is needed.

1. Dig a hole 2 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep.

2. Check your pole and height adjustment. Set at least 15 inches of the pole into the concrete base. Mark the pole 15 inches from the bottom.

3. Mix approximately 820 lbs. (dry weight) of concrete according to the manufacturers directions. Use the concrete mix to fill the hole completely to the top. Tamp it down to release any air pockets.

4. Insert the bottom of the pole so the mark is just above the level of the concrete.

5. Build up the concrete around the pole so it tapers away from the pole.

6. Fill the pole with concrete (option).

7. Use a carpenter’s level to make sure the pole is plumb vertically, straight up and down on all sides.

8. If your pole has a separate bottom section, wait 72 hours before attaching the rest of the pole to the bottom section.

9. Mix the remaining concrete to fill the rest of the pole after installing the sections.

Review the following links for more information about basketball court dimensions . . .

http://www.nfhs.org/PDF/Basketball/BBcourt.pdf

http://www.handymanwire.com/articles/basketballcourt.html

http://www.hooplines.com/text/layout.htm

http://www.clubsafety.com/basketball.htm

http://www.basketball.com/nba/rules/rule1.shtml

End The Christmas Day Vacation

2006-12-26T16:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas Bells went off in my head just a few days before Christmas. To me, that signaled a thought.

We desperatly need to make a change in how we handle the Christmas Day holiday in the workforce. Those folks who do not want to have any signs or symbols of Christmas in their place of work should be forced to take the next step. This step applies to public school and college administrators and faculty at all levels, government employees of all types [city, county, state, federal including
Congress], and business owners and employees. This next step applies to those who do not allow expressions of Christmas at their places of employment. These grinches must stop taking Christmas Day as a paid holiday. If the employers and employees will not acknowledge Christmas with all of the religious significance at their places of employment, then they must make Christmas Day a work day.

The bottom line is that these employers and employees cannot have it both ways. They cannot eliminate the traditional American spirit of Christmas and then take Christmas day off at tax payer's expense. These people must either acknowledge the religious foundation of Christmas in their workplaces in the USA or show up for work on December 25th, no exceptions. Ding. Dong. Ding.

Paul Arizin, founder of the jump shot in basketball, passes away

2006-12-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

Paul Arizin, who some people have described as the founder of the jump shot in basketball, passed away December 12, 2006 in Pennsylvania at age 78. Born in 1928, Arizin was a star at Villanova where he averaged 20 points a game and was named Sporting News Player of the Year in 1949-1950. As a member of the Philadelphia Warriors, he lead the NBA in scoring twice. Interestingly enough, Arizin was cut from his LaSalle High School basketball team in Philadelphia.

Arizin played in a number of independent leagues around Philadelphia where he developed the jump shot. It was noted in several articles that during this time they played many of their basketball games on dance floors. Those floors were very slippery so he started to jump and shoot to avoid slipping. In an era where the two hand overhead set shot was the dominant shot, he found another way to get his shot. At 6 feet 4 inches tall and 220 pounds, he became a dominant scorer in college and the pros.

Arizin must be credited for his persistence in wanting to play basketball even when cut from his high school team. One must wonder how many young players like Arizin are cut or forced to ride the bench, then quit and go on to other activities. What a loss it would have been to the game had he not had this great love of the game.

Take this at gospel. Even at the high school age, we cannot predict when youngsters are going to go on to develop into all-world players. Michael Jordan, NBA super star and George Brett, Kansas City baseball great, had difficulties making their high school teams. Walter Payton and OJ Simpson were not good football players their first two years in youth football. By the same token, some of our best youth league players never progress beyond their pre-teen achievements.

The Arizin story shows us that we are very poor at predicting success based on the performance of players at younger ages. The lesson for us is this, in our youth leagues in particular. It is absolutely essential for us to create as many opportunities as possible for young boys and girls to play, learn new skills, and develop. Let them all play and have fun.

Why try

2006-12-15T16:34:00.000-08:00

There have been two events in the past four months that have sent me up the wall. First, a female high school athletic director made something very plain to a group of eager soccer parents at her school. She stated in no uncertain terms that there was no reason to get all excited about the performance of their team because these girls were never going to amount to anything, achieve anything athletically or play soccer after high school.

Next, I heard a Monday Night Football commentator, Tony Kornheiser, state that one of the professional teams we were watching that night was so wretched the players should just quit, pack it in and not even try to play.

How can any person involved in sports today, youth or otherwise, tell players to not reach for the stars. What is going on in the so-called minds of people who would ask us to believe that there is no reason to work at your sport [school work, hobby or job]. Just go though the motions, is the approach that they were both advocating. Who ever accomplished anything by just going through the motions or worse yet quitting. Who ever overcame any obstacles by just going through the motions or worse yet quitting.

A pillar in our sporting activities is to try hard and keep on working hard until the game is over. That is a basic rule in sport and life. Those who hang in there, even in seemingly hopeless situations, have a chance to come out on top - if not this time, then perhaps the next time. When we keep trying, good things will happen. In the big picture, this is basic stuff.

Avoid correcting positive results. Wait for mistakes.

2006-12-03T16:20:00.000-08:00

Suppose you have been working to correct an obvious flaw in the way a player performs a certain skill. For instance, players may have a down and up hitch in their baseball swing or inadequate arm extension on their tennis serve. I have made it a teaching and coaching policy to avoid correcting players with poor techniques in practice after they have just done something that has produced positive results. As we know, players can produce the desired results using poor form. However, the poor results outweigh the good results. The thing is, they could be better, consistently, using proper form.

This is a key coaching point for young players. Avoid saying anything negative to them after they have just hit a homerun, hit a winning tennis serve, made a difficult shot in basketball or just absolutely nailed a tackle or landing.

What do you think is going through the minds of players when they have just made a good play. “Wow. I think that was pretty good.”

At this time players will not want to hear anything negative from you about how they should do this or that. They do not want to hear you jumping on them with your usual string or criticisms. Do you think these players are going to listen to anything you have to say at this time. No. Forgetaboutit.

Coach! Teacher! Be quiet! Hold your tongue! Say nothing. Hold your corrective [positive] criticisms until these players mess up. You are much more likely to gain their attention when they are frustrated by their lack of production. Work on their skill problems when they are open to positive criticism. This is done with the CCE Principle. That is, compliment, corrrect, and then encourage. jh120206

KIDbits - Sports in America: The Big Picture

2006-12-02T16:26:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 1, 2006 -- Whether it’s for fitness or just for fun in the outdoor sun, millions of Americans are spending their free time engaged in some type of sport, fitness activity, or athletic/recreational endeavor. According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), bowling is the number one sports activity in the U.S. -- though four out of the top ten activities are fitness pursuits and another four are directly related to the ‘Great Outdoors.’

The ‘big picture’ details on sports participation patterns in the United States can be found in SGMA’s Sports Participation Topline Report (2006 edition). This report contains participation data for more than 100 sports which are divided into one of 13 different categories – equipment exercise; fishing; fitness activities; indoor sports; outdoor activities; personal contact sports; racquet sports; shooting sports; team sports; water sports; wheel sports; winter sports; and other sports/activities.

In this study, there are annual participation figures for 1987 (benchmark year); 1990; 1993; 1998; 2000; 2004; and 2005. It also lists percentage changes for 2004 vs. 2005; 1998 vs. 2005; and 1987 vs. 2005.

From a growth perspective, the ten activities with the most statistically-significant percentage increases in participation from 2004 to 2005 were lacrosse (+77.5%), fly fishing (+41.6%), surfing (+37.3%), ice hockey (+29.4%), mountain biking (+21.2%), yoga/tai chi (+18.1%), artificial wall climbing (+15.8%), indoor soccer (+15.5%), jet skiing (+14.5%), and kayaking (+13.3%).

TOP 25 MOST POPULAR SPORTS/RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE U.S.
(For calendar year 2005; 6 years of age or older; participated at least once per year)

Sport/Activity

1. Bowling - 53.5 million
2. Treadmill Exercise - 48.0 million
3. Stretching - 42.3 million
4. Freshwater Fishing - 42.1 million
5. Tent Camping - 38.6 million
6. Running/Jogging - 37.8 million
7. Day Hiking - 36.6 million
8. Fitness Walking - 36.3 million
9. Billiards/Pool - 35.2 million
10. Basketball - 32.0 million
11. Hand Weights - 31.4 million
12. Weight/Resistance Machines - 29.0 million
13. Dumbells - 28.4 million
14. Golf - 25.7 million
15. Calisthenics - 24.9 million
16. Barbells - 23.0 million
17. Darts - 18.8 million
18. Tennis - 18.3 million
19. RV Camping - 18.2 million
20. Hunting (Shotgun/Rifle) - 18.0 million
21. Elliptical Motion Trainer - 16.7 million
22. Abdominal Machine/ Exercise - 16.5 million
23. Inline Skating - 16.5 million
24. Outdoor Soccer - 15.8 million
25. Stationary Cycling (Upright Bike) - 15.6 million

Other prominent sports located outside the top 25 sports/activities are: fitness swimming (14.6 million), ice skating (14.6 million), touch football (14.1 million), table tennis (14.1 million), slow-pitch softball (12.9 million), skateboarding (11.4 million), paintball (10.4 million), Pilates Training (10.4 million), baseball (10.3 million), water skiing (7.3 million), tackle football (5.8 million), racquetball (4.9 million), fast-pitch softball (3.5 million), and surfing (2.7 million).

Reprinted with permission of The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. SGMA is owner of the Sports Research Partnership. It is the global business trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry. SGMA enhances industry vitality and fosters sports, fitness, and active lifestyle participation. More information about SGMA can be found at http://www.SGMA.com.

KIDbits, a database full of valuable information about kids and sports is published upon request. Send your check for $149.00 to NAYSI , P O Box 957, Kernersville NC 27285. The first edition is available on line at http://www.naysi.com at no charge...jh1201106

Welcome to the NAYSI/Sport Scene blog

2006-12-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

I would like to welcome you to the NAYSI/SportScene blog. The purpose of this collection of thoughts, ideas, opinions and research is to provide commentary, useful suggestions and information on the activities and events that surround the games that our kids play. It is my hope that you find this useful and that it makes your task of working with young boys and girls more enjoyable. Keep in mind that many youngsters are just testing the water when they begin playing our many sports and games. Beginners need more help, patience and TLC than the more experienced players, so take it easy on them. Give them lots of attention, encouragement and pats on the back. Coach them as best you can and make it fun. . . . jack

North American Youth Sport Institute . . . est 1979
Jack Hutslar, Ph.D.
P O Box 957
Kernersville, North Carolina 27284 - USA
336 784-4926 - 336 407-2157 [m]
800 767-4916 or Jack@naysi.com

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Good drill for football

2006-09-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Good drill for football. Compare to golf basketball and golf

“The Saturday scrimmage will be very similar to the 60 plays we did last Saturday,'' [Coach Butch] Davis said, referring to an intrasquad scrimmage in Berea, Ohio. "If you make first downs, you keep the drive alive. If you don't, you go back to the 35-yard line and start over. It'll be 12-play drives.

"At the conclusion of those 12 plays, regardless of where the ball is placed at the end of the 12th play, there'll be three goal-line situations. The first, second and third teams will get an opportunity to do one goal-line stand -- three plays from the 3-yard line.''

Jack sez: Upon reading this comment in the Columbus Dispatch by Coach Butch Davis when he was with the Cleveland Browns, it reminded me of a drill I used in basketball and golf.

To improve shooting in basketball, I would begin shooting close to the goal. Each time I made the shot, I moved one step away from the goal. Miss and I would go back to the goal and start again. Repeat this drill from various spots around the goal.

Use this same drill in golf. Start close to the cup and move back one putter length each time the putt is made. Miss and start over.

Applying this concept to football. Teams start one yard from the goal. If they score in one play, they move back to the two yard line and run one play. Score and move back to the three yard line. Fail to score and the team goes back to the one yard line.

To me, it is important to score when you get closer to the goal. I believe that Coach Davis had a good idea but I would have liked to see him reverse the field and start at the one yard line rather than the 35 yard line. Use the other 35 yard starting drill from week to week. See what works best when it gets to game time.

Source: This practice drill was expanded upon by Jack Hutslar from an article that appeared in the Columbus Dispatch on line 8/3/2001