Headlines From The Nation's Press

Each week we open the show with some of the most glaring and reoccurring stories chronicling the ugliness surrounding youth sports organized by adults; issues pertaining to our children's health and education. These headlines clap like thunder across the country signaling a warning to parents, coaches, administrators, lawmakers, and community stakeholders that widespread change is imperative.

My good friend, and frequent guest on the show, Professor Doug Abrams of the College of Law at the University of Missouri, will add you to his daily mailing list of these stories. Simply email Doug and ask him to add your name to the list.

The Main(e) Event

"Little League, Big Dreams" is a scathing review of the Little League World Series and the road to Williamsport, PA.

Charles Euchner is a former journalist, university professor, and a lifelong baseball fan who's written other books about the game including The Umpire's Handbook; Playing the Field: Why Sports Teams Move and Cities Fight to Keep Them; and the Last Nine Innings.

Little League, Big Dreams provides a scathing and unsparing look at the harsh reality of youth sports and the long road to crowning a "World Champion" at Williamsport, PA, the home of Little League.

Euchner uses extensive interviews with current and former coaches and players, and a no-frills sports writing style as he follows teams ranging from Hawaii to Florida, and from the Dominican Republic to Guam as they pursue the prize in Williamsport.

Euchner exposes the commercialism, exploitation, corporate interest, and national media pressure that have corrupted many of the adults who run Little League and manage the more than 8,000 officially sanctioned leagues around the world. Combined sponsorships now run into the tens of millions of dollars, rivaling that of professional sports. You'll be appalled to discover what equipment and bat manufacturers will do to get their products into the hands of the "kids of summer."

Little League, Big Dreams will demonstrate just how far adults will go to win at the expense of their children. In their own words, adults explain why they cheat, lie, throw games, and ruin the arms and psyches of kids. Throughout his exhaustive coverage, Euchner never loses sight of the main problem with LL and youth sports organized by adults: "The professionalism of childhood, the development of leagues and tournaments than turn sports into a fulltime job before a kid grows any facial hair."

Euchner succeeds at presenting the impressive intensity of 12 year-old athletes while also showing the sad fact that young pitchers who could be Major League stars "never make it because they blow their arms out in Little League."

Little League, Big Dreams, and this show, are not only relevant for parents of the 45 million kids who play in Little League, and other youth and high school sports, it is for all parents, and anyone else who's ever watched children's sport and equated it to the joy and innocence of childhood. Charles Euchner offers a fascinating and frightening look at what was once thought of as the innocent children's game in the local sandlot.

Read Charlie's Blog: www.earlyshow.blogspot.com

Visit Charlie's website: www.euchner.us

The Coaches Corner

OK, so why is the Little League season over for 95% of our kids who are not "All-Stars?" The big complaint from high school and LL coaches is that the playing season (spring) is too short, cold, rainy, snowy, and muddy.  July and August are generally nice and the kids are out of school. So what if a handful are gone on vacation? Its a shame to see all of those LL fields vacant when they could be filled with boys and girls playing ball all summer instead of "chillin', or just hangin' out" until school resumes.

Regis' Rant

Corporate America is exploiting our kids. From sneaker deals for 14 year olds, scouting reports on 10 year olds, to free bats, uniforms, and equipment for Little League teams, America's corporations are doing anything and everything to get their stuff into the hands of our kids and to create "brand loyalty." It works exactly the same way for fast food, candy, soft drinks, cereal, cigarettes, and alcohol. Organized youth sports is a multi-billion dollar industry and free-market capitalism just winks and continues to spin their products and services to kids who, in turn, influence their parents to spend millions on things they think will make them better or look cool.

The Parent Trap

Question for Parents: "Will You Still Love Them If They Don't Win?"

We invite our listeners to call in and share their views.

Listeners can take part in the show by calling:

207-775-2217 or 1-866-811-9505.

or email me during the show at:

Regis@thecenterforkidsfirst.org