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 Weekly High School Sports Report - Expanded

Michael Hoffer, Sports Editor for the Forecaster, will report on high school sports, focusing on the "minor sports." We won't just be reporting scores and game results, but we'll focus on the kids who train hard and participate in those sports that receive less adult and media involvement. That said, Michael will keep us informed of all post season playoffs and tournament results, as well as behind-the-scenes and human interest happenings.

The Main(e) Event

This week, we will be broadcasting LIVE from the home of the New England Patriots: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, the site of the First Annual New England Youth Sports Festival.

The New England Youth Sports Festival is an exciting new endeavor which includes an Expo, a Sporting Goods Sale, a series of Interactive Skill Zone Clinics, and Educational Workshops going on throughout the entire three days of the Festival.

I will be presenting a workshop entitled, "Reclaiming The Timeless Value of Sport and Play," four times. All of the workshops are designed for parents, coaches, league administrators, and local organizations. Rick Foster, a reporter for the Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, MA, is doing a story on my workshop in Thursdays' paper, March 22nd : www.thesunchronicle.com

All of this will be taking place throughout beautiful Gillette Stadium.

I'm really excited about being able to do a live remote broadcast from the stadium, thanks to WJAB! The Festival organizers were very excited to feature the show and have done a terrific job in highlighting it in all of their press releases. We'll also have a PA system, so for the first time we'll have a live "studio" audience.

My guests on the show will be Bob Bigelow, a long-time friend and frequent guest on the show, and the author of "Just Let The Kids Play." He'll be joined by Jeffrey Pratt Beedy, Founder of NewSport Experience Camp in Kents Hill Maine, and Sports PLUS, a coed summer camp at Milton Academy in Milton, MA. Jeffrey is from Maine! Later in the show, we'll be joined by Chris Hickey, Founder and Executive Director of The Institute of Sport Coaching in Acton, MA.

We will be talking about making youth sports a positive and healthy experience for all kids. I will also be talking with members of our audience and other interesting participants in the Festival.

Podcast Update

I'm experimenting with Podcasting the weekly show. Since I'm self-taught, the learning curve is steep at this point. Nevertheless, there are three "sample clips" of the show that can be listened to and downloaded at:

 http://www.thecenterforkidsfirst.org/Podcasts.htm

I would appreciate any and all feedback, especially with regards to which player your browser used, i.e. Windows Media Player, Quick Time, etc. Were you able to download and save the file? How long did it take to download/play? What was the quality of the sound?

Once I figure out the best way to do this, anyone, anywhere will be able to listen to the show whenever it is convenient.

The Coaching Tip Of The Week

Remember: 1) These are just kids. Don't treat them like adults.  2) Make no mistake! It's about them having fun. Not you! It's not your game, so be sure you don't take it away from them. 3) First and foremost, you are a teacher and a role model. The most important lessons you teach will have nothing to do with the game you are coaching.

This week's Tip: Visit the website, use the "Coaching Tips" link or just click on the link below to see my Tips for Coaches. These tips come from my 48 hour Coaching Development Workshop and have nothing to do with X's and O's or game winning strategies. These tips are all about your professional and personal development as a teacher of kids who happen to be organized for playing a sport.

http://www.thecenterforkidsfirst.org/CoachTipsArchives.htm

The Parent Trap

Check out my blog on Mainetoday.com for some interesting articles, and comments from readers.

 http://www.mainetoday.com/kidsfamily/blogs/kidsfirst/008162.html Your comments are appreciated and wanted.

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