“If organized
sports are ever going to realize their full potential as a
tool to educate and positively influence young people, the
games must be designed and conducted with those purposes in
mind. The Kids FIRST in Sports
initiative is a vital initiative in returning youth sports
back to those for which they were created…the kids!”
John Gerdy is one of the
most enlightened sports educators in the country. He is a
former professional basketball player. He was a legislative
assistant at the NCAA and the Associate Commissioner of the
Southeastern Conference. He is currently visiting Profession
in Sports Administration at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
He is also the author of “Sports:
The All-American Addiction,” a wonderfully written,
well-researched study of the effects of sport on our culture.
John writes from the heart and a person who loves sport but
is concerned about the lack of balance and perspective that
exists at all levels. John has demonstrated that sports has
become an American monster, far removed from its origins and
corrupting every level of society it touches.
In The
Successful College Athletic Program: The New Standard,
John offers a critical analysis of how athletic programs can
contribute to the mission of a college or university in meaningful
ways beyond their roles in providing revenue and entertainment.
He explores the history of athletic programs and then offers
a philosophical rationale for setting a new standard against
which the success of college athletic programs should be measured.
Rather than focusing on the level of funds generated, or on
the number of championships won, this new standard offers
a basis for determining how successful a college athletic
program is in helping the institution meet its many challenges
and educational goals.
John has become a good friend of Kids
FIRST In Sports. He lives with his wife Follin and their two
children in Conestoga, PA.
