Old Dogs, New Tricks

In an earlier post, I told you about my youngest son's early season football experience with his line coach/defensive coordinator. Well, here's an update which I'd like to share with you. It came as a surprise to me, and in the middle of a terribly difficult week for our family. Whether the timing of it was a coincidence or a result of the events of that week, we may never know. But I have no doubt that it will have a profound effect on my son for the rest of his life.

Last Tuesday, my wife's father passed away. He was 80. My mother-in-law and he were married for more than 57 years, and they adored each other. They have five children, all of whom are married, and 14 grandchildren. As my brother-in-law said on the day that Dad died, the "in-law" is just a formality. Not one of us - children, grandchildren, or in-laws - ever felt like we weren't one of the most important people in their lives. And my three children were no exception.

The older four grandchildren were with him when he passed away, my older son and my daughter among them, as were his children and their spouses, and Mom. Fifteen of us gathered around Dad to say goodbye and to pray for him on his journey to Heaven. As difficult as it was to lose Dad, it is equally heart-wrenching to watch your children suffer and not be able to ease their pain.

We had told my youngest son to go to school that day, and to go to football practice afterward. Adhering to his routine would distract him from the inevitability of his Grandpop's passing, which we all knew would come in a matter of days, if not hours. Dad died late in the afternoon, during football practice. There were many things to take care of before the funeral home was called, so there was no rush to get my son over to his grandparents' house. We sent my oldest son home to get him after he came home from practice.

When he arrived, he went up to Grandpop's room to say goodbye. He was terribly shaken, kneeling at his grandfather's bedside and sobbing. It took about ten minutes for him to collect himself. He joined in the pain and grief of the family, as well as the reminiscing that begins the healing process. It was an emotional night, but within our sorrow was the sense that Dad couldn't help but be proud of the family, his family, and the love and support that was demonstrated that night and throughout the following days. By the time the evening ended, thirteen of his grandchildren (the 14th was away at college and on her way home), all his children and their spouses, and Mom all gathered in their home, as we had on so many other joyous occasions, mourning our great loss, sharing stories, and thanking God for the tremendous gift he had allowed us to share.

Wednesday, most of the grandchildren that are in grade school and high school stayed home and spent the day around the family. During the day, my youngest son and I had a few minutes alone together. I asked him how he was doing, and how his day had gone the day before. What he told me both surprised my and filled me with pride. It also demonstrated that maybe more coaches do "get it," even if they don't always know how to express "it."

The offensive linemen were taking a break from drills. They were sitting down, waiting for drills to resume, when the coach approached them. They stood up to get ready for the next drill. The coach stopped them for a minute, and called my son to the front of the group. The coach put his arm on my son's shoulder, and said, "I've been meaning to do this for a while now. I want you all to know that here's a kid, a senior, that knows he won't play a lot. If he were on almost any other team, he'd be starting and having a lot of success. But he never complains, he does everything I ask him to do, he works hard. He's a great teammate and a great kid, and he's been a pleasure to coach. I just wanted him to know that I appreciate him and that I'm glad he's on the team." His teammates that were gathered around him all cheered.

The coach may never know how much that meant to my son, or to me. He could not have known that my son was only minutes away from receiving the worst news of his young life. The same coach who had made him feel so bad earlier in the season had lifted his spirits higher than he could have ever imagined.

There are two lessons to be learned here. The first, a lesson I (again) learned, is that we too often judge people solely on the little snippets of them that we see in public. There's more to a person than the small slices of them that we encounter. They're seldom as bad (or good) as they appear to be in those snapshots or sound bites. I made a judgment about the coach based on the way he interacted with my son on that one day. I was wrong about the coach and his motives. And while I don't excuse the language or tactics of the former interaction, I have a better appreciation and respect for the coach than I did earlier.

Second, we cannot always know the effects of our words on the young athletes we coach. We cannot assume that we'll get a chance to make up for earlier mistakes. We cannot know what each of them faces everyday, or what events they may have to endure. Each interaction we have with one of our youngsters can have tremendous impact, positively or negatively, whether it's for a day or for a lifetime. We just don't know which ones they might be.

Because of that coach's words, my son will know that hard work and dedication and selflessness and camaraderie count for something, even if it's not always apparent. I have no doubt that my son will remember that moment in front of his teammates for the rest of his life. When he thinks of the day his Grandpop died, he won't remember the sadness. He'll remember all of the special moments he shared with him. He'll remember how he felt in front of his friends on that day, and how proud his Grandpop would have been to hear that story.

For that, I can only say, "Thanks, Coach."

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Derek Jeter and Fair Play

By now, many of you have seen or heard about the pitch that "hit" Derek Jeter in an important game this past Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in Tampa. If not, you can see it here (after finding it on the playlist under the "Must C" title and watching a short advertisement!). The Yanks and the Rays are in a heated race for the AL East crown. Both will likely make the playoffs given that whichever team is in second (currently the Yankees are 1/2 game behind the Rays) is currently well ahead of the next best Wild Card team. But they've developed quite a rivalry, and are playing for home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Watch the play in real time, and it's easy to see why the umpire may have thought the ball struck Jeter somewhere on his left hand/forearm. The mitigating factor in the real-time version of the play is the sound that the ball makes when it apparently struck Jeter's arm. The sound would indicate that the ball either hit Jeter's bat directly, or that Jeter's bone snapped in two. There is a distinct "crack" that can be heard even above the crowd noise. To make matters worse for the Rays, Curtis Granderson followed with a 2-run home run, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead. The Yanks would eventually lose the game, 4-3, on a 7th inning two-run home run by the Rays.

With the benefit of super slow-motion replay, it's easy to see the ball squarely hit Jeter's bat, only glancing off his upper thigh afterward and, really, not injuring him in the least. Umpires have a tough job, particularly so on a play such as that one, and I don't fault either the home plate umpire for awarding Jeter first base or Jeter for taking the base.

Had Jeter simply trotted down to first base, it would have been a "that's baseball" moment. Umpires sometimes make bad calls, and everyone accepts that as part of the game. But Jeter acted as if the ball had caused serious injury, cradling his arm and wearing a pained expression on his face. The Yankees trainer quickly jumped out of the dugout, no doubt reacting to the way the play looked to the naked eye in real time. But once Jeter realized he was not hit nor hurt by the pitch (and those of us that played at any level know it takes a couple of seconds to regain your bearings after a play like that), he should have waved off the trainer and taken his base.

I have no problem with either the umpire's decision or Jeter's accepting the benefit of it. And to a large extent, I'm not even that critical of Jeter's actions. But too many baseball analysts and pundits have excused Jeter's actions using the "whatever it takes to get on base and win the game" argument. And I'm sure many people excused Jeter's behavior because he's generally (and rightfully) considered one of the game's best ambassadors. But there's a distinct line between respecting the game and mocking the game.

When kids hear the "whatever it takes" argument, they're being taught that winning is the most important part of an athletic contest regardless of how it's done. They're seeing that attitude applauded and rewarded, held up as a noble trait which they should develop. The implication is that as long as a player gets away with bending or breaking the rules, it's OK as long as he or she is trying to win the game.

But we should be teaching our kids that it's "anything it takes fairly and within the rules" to win the game. What Jeter did was not outside the rules. Was it fair? Let me ask it a different way: Did Jeter play on his "good guy" image to convince the umpire to uphold the initial call? After all, if Derek Jeter acts like he's hurt, then the ball must have hit him because he's too good a guy to fake an injury. That may be what the umpire was thinking during Rays manager Joe Maddon's argument. Maybe if Jeter had just trotted down to first base without the act, the umpire would have asked for help and the initial call would have been reversed. In that context, maybe what he did wasn't fair. It certainly wasn't noble or sportsmanlike. It was also out of character for a person with Derek Jeter's reputation.

Unfortunately, what kids may take away from the incident is that it's OK to rationalize what you do as long as you're doing it to win. With that perspective, it's a short distance to condoning, or at least accepting, cheating. And that's not something we want to teach our kids.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Too Many Coaches Still Don't Get It

High schools around the country are starting their fall sports seasons in earnest (although many high school fall sports teams have been practicing all summer). What's unique about falls sports at the high school level is the "camps" that most of the coaches hold prior to the beginning of classes. High school athletes, and specifically those playing football, are subjected to the same torturous schedules that many professional football teams endure. Some teams go away to camps, much like in the beginning of the movie "Remember the Titans." Others use the school's facilities, often keeping the boys sequestered at school for twelve-hour days with three practices each day. The camps are not unique to football, nor to sports. Drive by any high school this time of year and it's likely you'll see lacrosse, soccer, cross-country, and band camps with similarly grueling, all-day schedules. That's a "luxury" not afforded other high school coaches in other seasons - an athlete's undivided attention for, in some cases, more than 100 hours over two weeks without the pressures of school, homework, or studies. It's a good opportunity for coaches to get to know their players. And it's also a good time for player's to get a good idea of their coach's character.

My youngest son plays football for his high school team. He's a senior, an undersized lineman (6 feet tall and 200 pounds) who is a good-but-not-great athlete. He's just finished a week of 9-hour "two-a-days," and is starting a week of 12-hour "three-a-days" for a team that has a winning tradition and a recent appearance in a state championship game. He won't win a starting job because the next smallest lineman is 6'2" and weighs 245 pounds, and he doesn't possess the athleticism to allow him to overcome his size limitations to play on the line or to excel at another position. Neither he nor I are under any illusions about his place on the team, the amount of playing time he'll see this year, or the likelihood that he'll play beyond high school.

What he is is smart, loyal, and dedicated. He's a good student, ranked in the top 10% of his class. He enjoys the camaraderie of the team, being around his friends and sharing in the experiences. He's respectful of his coaches. He's been to almost every off season weightlifting session, workout, team event, and summer practice session the team has had over the last three years. As a coach, he's exactly the type of kid I'd want on my team; the one who works his tail off, shows up on time and ready for all the practices and games, supports his teammates, never gives the coaches a bit of trouble, does everything that is asked of him without complaint, respects the game, and gets along with everyone on the team.

So why is it that the coach felt it necessary to insult and embarrass him?

Because of an injury to the starting offensive tackle, he had a chance to start the season's first scrimmage. His team scrimmaged a team from a larger classification that's had some success over the past several years. The first-team offense scored three touchdowns in the first three series of plays that they ran, and he played every snap of those series. One touchdown was a sweep around my son's end, where he made a key block to spring the tailback into the end zone. The other two scores were pass plays in which the quarterback was under no pressure and was able to step up in the pocket and make an accurate throw to an open receiver. He made his share of mistakes, missed a few blocks, but on the whole had a good-but-not-great scrimmage. Yet for all his hard work over the past three years, for his loyalty and commitment and respect shown to his coaches, for his cooperation and teamwork, and even with the success the team had with him on the field during the scrimmage, the coach felt is was necessary to verbally abuse him. And not privately, but so loudly that practically every one of the several hundred spectators could hear the insults clearly. He used language that was so vulgar and foul that, had the math or science teacher used it, would have sparked outrage from the community and garnered at least a long term suspension, if not dismissal.

At the following day's film session, the abuse continued. My son was again insulted by the coaches using the same vulgar language, embarrassed in front of his friends and teammates, and summarily demoted to the second team in front of everyone. Why? Because he missed a few blocking assignments.

Coaches have every right to be tough and demanding of their young athletes. As kids get older, the expectations are higher and the demands are greater. Challenging a kid to get better, by whatever tactics the coach chooses to employ, is certainly acceptable as long as those tactics are safe and appropriate to the age level. At the high school level, coaches are within their rights to award playing time to whomever they want, using whatever criteria they want. I don't always agree with that criteria, especially when kids who work hard and support the team do not get rewarded for their loyalty. Many coaches' egos are so out of control that it's more important for them to win a football game by a score of 42-0 than it is to reward kids with playing time and risk losing a shutout. But I'll defend their right to make those decisions, even when I disagree with them.

What no coach has the right to do is to insult players, to embarrass them in front of teammates and spectators simply to satisfy their own ego, and to do so using language and delivered at a volume that would have a Marine Corps drill sergeant taking notes. That type of behavior by a coach and "role model" should not be tolerated by anyone at any level. Yet too many youth sports organizations and high school administrations sell their souls to the devil simply to satisfy their own egos and field a "winning" program. No organization or administration should allow any coach, no matter how successful he or she is on the playing surface, to abuse and insult the players with whom they have been entrusted.

I expect that football coaches will yell at football players, and my son is not exempt. If he makes a mistake, the coach is going to yell. If he makes a lot of mistakes, the coach is going to yell a lot. Sometimes he'll even get yelled at for somebody else's mistakes. I get it, and I accept it. But coaches can be tough and demanding without being verbally abusive, disrespectful, and demeaning. What lesson are we as coaches teaching kids when we demand unselfishness, effort, loyalty, and respect without reciprocating it?

There are many great coaches at all levels who are successful without insulting their players, and successful not only on the scoreboard but in teaching young adults how to challenge themselves to be better in all facets of life. Those are the coaches who engender loyalty and dedication and effort that goes much deeper than simply trying to avoid being embarrassed. Those are the coaches that have a lasting, positive influence on a player long after his or her playing days are over. Those are coaches that players, parents, opponents, and spectators respect and admire. Those are the coaches that I want all kids to experience. Those are not the coaches who, unfortunately, coach at my son's high school.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Four Key Steps to Ensuring Success

The past several posts have focused on how to develop an effective youth sports program structured around all participants. There are myriad studies about how participating in youth sports activities provides tremendous benefits to kids, assuming that the programs are structured to convey those benefits. Information is available from a number of sources on how to structure an effective program, develop a set of guidelines and processes, educate coaches and administrators, create a supportive and constructive environment, and manage the activities.

A chief complaint among parents whose children participate in youth sports is the lack of communication between the "management" (administrators, league officials, and coaches) and the participants (parents and players). This extends beyond just schedules and directions, but includes rules, expectations, contact information, grievance procedures, and coaches' training. In fact, we started Wagdogs primarily to help overcome the communication issues we encountered in our roles as administrators as well as parents/participants.

Among the core elements of the model youth sports charter developed by Rutgers university is "[r]egular, two way communication between the organization's leadership and constituents." But the essential task of informing and educating all of the participants about a program's mission, goals, objectives, and expectations is often overlooked. It's not always an easy task, but with digital tools available today, it's easier than ever to make sure that everyone knows exactly what's expected of them. Time invested in communicating with constituents will pay big dividends.

In our experience, there are four key elements that can help ensure an effective communication plan: Formulate, Communicate, Educate, and Escalate.

Formulate The key to an effective youth sports organization is the formulation of goals and processes consistent with the organization's mission. Organizations should document their approaches to everything from how to recruit volunteers to how to develop a budget. Specific to that process, it is essential that the goals of the organization are tied to expectations for each participant role (e.g., coach, player, parent) and that they are clear and unambiguous, with an associated disciplinary/grievance process.

Communicate Now that you've documented your organization's mission and processes, the hard part is over, right? No! The hard part comes next. It's essential that you communicate the information that you've developed to everyone in your program, and that you encourage them to share their knowledge with others in the organization. Many of the problems that arise in the course of running a youth sports organization can be avoided if the rules and procedures are well-defined, well-documented, and publicized. If parents, coaches, and players know what to expect beforehand, misunderstandings are kept to a minimum. If your organization is an ultra-competitive one, make sure parents and players know going in that there will be cuts, limited playing time, and demanding schedules. If it's recreational and instructional, make sure that all of the coaches know and adhere to the charter and do not introduce competitive aspects that are at odds with your goals.

Educate Now that you've gotten your processes and polices defined and everyone knows what they are, it's time to devise tools and mechanisms to educate your organization about how and why they should support the organization's goals. It's much easier to elicit acceptable participation when people see a direct benefit to the requested action. You may, for example, require every coach to have a preseason "parents meeting" at which they lay out their goals for the team, their coaching philosophy, attendance expectations, and other pertinent information. Some coaches might see that as an unnecessary waste of time.

Escalate One of the key processes that you should define and publicize is a clear escalation policy for any complaints for infractions that arise. If a parent has an issue with a coach, your policy should state how that is handled. Maybe you'll require that s/he first talk to the coach face to face or in a mediated session. The next step in the process may be to make a formal, written complaint to a speficied person who will review the complaint in accordance with the grievance procedure and determine next steps. Whatever policies or processes you define and implement, make sure everyone is aware that there is a formal process by which issues are resolved. Do not accept or tolerate anyone's circumventing that process.

In many respects, it's both easier and harder to administer a youth sports organization. Social and cultural changes have made conspired to change the perception and goals of many of the parents whose children play sports. The amount of time and money invested in a child's youth sports experience can be, and often is, substantial. The financial investment too often leads to an emotional investment that is at odds with the benefits of participation, and sometimes with the child's abilities.

On the other hand, there are more tools and information available today than ever before. Organizations have arisen to combat the negative influences within youth sports. In addition to the Youth Sports Research Council at Rutgers University, there are organizations like the Positive Coaching Alliance, PositiveSports.net, and National Alliance for Youth Sports, just to name a few. Many of these organizations offer tools, documents, guidelines, and training to help with the sometimes daunting task of managing youth sports. In addition to tools like Wagdogs, many organizations are effectively supplementing automated league management and youth sports administration tools with their own web sites, Facebook and Twitter pages, blogs, and other digital communication outlets.

Tying the key elements above into a "social marketing plan" can be an effective way to eliminate many of the headaches. Social marketing is a term used to describe the implementation of marketing and other concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioral goals for a social good. In an upcoming post, we'll talk about ways you can develop a social marketing approach, using the available tools and techniques at your disposal to make your to help ensure positive participation.

NEXT: Social Marketing and Affecting Positive Behavioral Changes

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Modeling Appropriate Behavior

(Fifth in a series)

About three years ago, Miller Donnelly, then a nine year old hockey player, made a satirical three minute video known as The Magic Hockey Helmet. In the video, Miller explains the magic of the hockey helmet in this way: "It does something simply amazing. When I put it on, it changes me from a 9-year-old boy to a 20-year-old man...The minute I put on my magic helmet and step on the ice, adults treat me much differently. They yell at me, they curse me, and they call me names. They treat me like I have been playing hockey for 15 years and get mad when I make a mistake."

While the outlandish behavior that occurs at youth sports events receives the majority of the attention in the media, those incidents account for a very small portion of what constitutes poor sportsmanship at youth sports events. It's the behavior described in Miller Donnelly's video that is at least as troubling as the more violent adult outbursts. You would be hard pressed to remember the last youth sports event that you attended that did not include parents or coaches berating officials, kids sitting on the bench for long periods of time, parents yelling instructions to their children from the sidelines, fans taunting opposing players or applauding their miscues, and kids being yelled at for making mistakes.

Having been a coach and administrator for more than 15 years, well past my own children's involvement in youth sports, I know firsthand the emotions that arise when watching kids play sports - especially my own. But I've also witnessed how much more enjoyable an event is for the youth athletes (and for me!) when they are allowed to play a game without worrying about whether the adults will misbehave. Not only do they enjoy it more, their play is much better since there is less fear that a mistake will precipitate an outburst. The relaxed atmosphere does not lessen the competitiveness of the event, rather, it puts it into the proper perspective and enables the kids to enjoy their participation.

As parents, coaches, officials, and administrators, we have an obligation to change the culture of youth sports so that the young athletes can experience all of the benefits of participation, many of which we've enumerated in previous posts. Although it's a challenge, it's imperative that we do what we can to ensure our kids are playing in a safe, supportive environment. Here are some things to consider implementing both personally as well as more formally.

Define what sportsmanship means to you and our organization. There are many different perspectives on what constitutes good sportsmanship. Almost all of them have some element of respect included: respect for the sport, for coaches, for opponents, for officials. In an article in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, a study of young athletes 10-18 years old found that they identified five elements of sportsmanship: a full commitment to participation, respect for the rules and officials, concern for social conventions, respect for opponents, and avoiding a "winning at all costs" attitude. If you show respect to others, your kids will learn to respect others and the rest of the elements of sportsmanship - fair play, playing by the rules, winning and losing with class, etc. - will take care of themselves. Whether you are a coach or a parent on the sidelines, the way you react to a situation will determine how the kids will handle similar situations. Demonstrate positive behavior. Stay calm and composed in stressful situations.

Make it about the kids. The goal of youth sports should be to have fun while enjoying healthy competition. An emphasis on winning only serves to create poor attitudes and unrealistic expectations for your child. Young athletes that focus on fun and competition are more likely to talk about how much they love the sport. Rather than ask "Did you win?', try asking "Did you have fun?" Make sure your kids understand that giving 100% effort and doing their best is the only requirement.

Make sure everyone knows what is expected of them. Although it would seem unnecessary to define adult behavior guidelines, sometimes adults need to be reminded of what is expected of them. Many programs and approaches have been developed over the years in response to the adult behavioral issues at youth sports events and to educate them on the nature, purpose, and benefits of youth sports. The Rutgers Youth Sports Research Council has developed several programs that can be used to educate participants. Organizations ranging from Little League to local community leagues have developed codes of conduct that parents must read and sign. These documents spell out expectations for parents whose children participate in their programs, and many also spell out penalties for infractions.

Emphasize sportsmanship in your program. If your organization's underlying philosophy values sportsmanship over winning, then sportsmanship will be part of your organization. If you focus your organization and its parents and coaches on helping young athletes master specific skills and improve their level of play, then you are more likely to teach the values of working hard, cooperating with others, and becoming well-adjusted adults.

Create a climate that promotes and rewards sportsmanship. According to an article in Education World, there are four key elements to creating a sportsmanlike environment:

1. Establishing a Positive Philosophy Defining winning in terms other than the scoreboard leads participants to develop sportsmanlike attitudes and behaviors. The philosophical outlook starts with the organization's leadership, and is integrated into all aspects of the program, from coach selection to officiating. The leadership must evangelize its philosophy and ensure actions and behaviors are in line with organizational goals.
   

2. Striving for Excellence Legendary basketball coach John Wooden said "Although I wanted my players to work to win, I tried to convince them they had always won when they had done their best." Winning is not the ultimate goal in building a youth sports program. Instilling the ideals that will be the foundation of success for both individuals and teams is. When success is related to putting forth the effort to to realize individual and team potential, then everyone can be a success.

3. Teaching Moral Principles There are many outside influences that must be overcome in order to impress upon young athletes the importance of demonstrating sportsmanship. With all of the televised sporting events available, it's easy for both athletes and coaches to be confused about what constitutes sportsmanship. In every game and in many practices, there are ample opportunities for your athletes to demonstrate sportsmanship; helping an opponent to her feet who was knocked down during a play, regardless of the result of the play, congratulating a player from the other team on the game winning hit, complimenting a team on their effort. Teach kids that opponents are there to test their ability, and that being an opponent doesn't mean being an enemy.
   

4. Providing Positive Role Models The best way to develop children who exhibit good sportsmanship is for the parents and adults in the program to demonstrate it themselves. Coaches should be "ethical role models" for the children they coach. Every decision made and action taken should be ethical, within the rules, and fair. The kids will notice, and they'll learn their sportsmanship lessons from their observations of adult behavior.

Kids don't learn their values in a vacuum. They are greatly influence by the adults with whom they come in contact. Coaches and administrators can have a significant effect on what the kids in their programs learn about competition, sportsmanship, and fair play by the actions and reactions of those adults. The best way to develop a positive, supportive, and fun program is to ensure that the adults that administer and coach in those programs support the organizational philosophy and that they demonstrate respect and sportsmanship in fulfilling their responsibilities. Not only will it result in more fun for the kids involved, it will foster their competitive instincts and allow them to improve their skills free from negative influences.

Next: Four Key Steps to Ensuring Success

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Defining a Model Youth Sports Program

(Fourth in a series)

Finding advice on what constitutes a "model" youth sports program is as elusive as finding evidence of alien life. Getting administrators to agree on how a "good" youth sports program should be organized is even more difficult Although much has been written and said about what is wrong with youth sports, and who's to blame for its problems, scarce attention has been paid to how to help organizations focus on their most important priority - the kids.

There is almost universal agreement that having young children participate in organized sports is a valuable experience. Yet there is no consensus on what that value is, or how it can be assured for every child that participates. Each parent or child has different reasons for participating and when those reasons are inconsistent, problems arise. When expectations are clearly stated and communicated, and when parents know what to expect from administrators, coaches, and officials, everyone can enjoy, and benefit from, the experience.

So how do you go about creating an organization that ensures positive experiences, age-appropriate competition and instruction, and a focus on participation and fun? It's not easy! While there are lots of organizations that are "doing it the right way," there is not a lot of direction available to help in emulating their successes. Even so, administrators can develop organizations that balance participation and fun with competition and winning, and can ensure that every child in the program has a positive experience. However, it takes a committed team of volunteers who are willing to develop and document the appropriate principles, implement and communicate guidelines and processes, and work diligently to uphold them.

One of the most important steps in developing a well-respected program is to define and document all of the aspects of your program, from the mission statement to interviewing and selecting coaches to defining a grievance process. Ensuring that everyone involved in the organization has a clear understanding of the organization policies and procedures is an effective way to head off problems.

The Youth Sports Charter

The Rutgers Youth Sports Research Council is a division of the Department of Exercise Science and Sports Studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Their research is centered on the influence of physical activity and organized sports on the healthy development of children and adolescents.

Among the resources available is a model for a Youth Sports Charter. Developed in partnership with the New Jersey Recreation and Parks Association, and in conjunction with a select group of individuals who administer outstanding youth sports programs, the team identified the core elements of a quality youth sports program. What emerged from their work was a set of guidelines that highly effective youth sports organizations have in common. A Youth Sports Charter: Guidelines for Recreational Youth Sport Agencies is structured to allow organizations to employ a variety of processes and methods to meet the prescribed guidelines.

The Youth Sports Charter covers many aspects of running a successful organization, from developing a mission statement to instituting financial oversight and processes. Key elements of the charter include recruiting and training volunteer coaches and officials, developing disciplinary and grievance processes, and educating parent and players about the organization's philosophies.

Positive Youth Sports Model

The Positive Youth Sports Model was developed by Community Health Solutions after examining information it collected on athletic performance, positive youth development, teamwork, and leadership. Its primary objective is positive youth development, defined as the process of helping young people grow into healthy, ethical, caring, and responsible people. Their development is influenced by their families and by the community around them, of which youth sports can be one of the most important influences.

The Positive Youth Sports Model uses sports instruction to teach seven important life skills that are essential to the success in both sports and life: School engagement, healthy living, positive character, self-direction, teamwork, leadership, and community engagement. The site offers The Power Series as a set of handout tools to help coaches and parents in teaching the skills through sports. Each tool is designed as a one page handout based on the one of the life skills of the model, and there are tips for coaches on how to deliver and use the handouts to encourage participation.

The second part of the model encourages coaches and administrators to implement T.E.A.M. Leadership: Teach, Enforce, Affirm, Model. The T.E.A.M. Leadership model is a simple approach to helping kids learn positive life skills.

Those are just a two examples of tools and approaches to use in helping to create a fun, rewarding experience for the kids who play youth sports in your programs. Simply following a script or completing a document will not transform your organization, however. What goes into those documents and processes is important, but the level of commitment to upholding the mission of your organization is what will determine how well your activities serve the needs of your young athletes. If your youth baseball program values participation and instruction over competition, then you can't look the other way when a coach decides to let players sit on the bench so that the team has a better chance to win. Conversely, if the star player never comes to practice but is always available for games, then your organization must have clear and well-known guidelines for how lack of attendance affects playing time, and must enforce them consistently and regardless of athletic skill.

Next: Defining and Modeling acceptable standards

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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The Role of Adults in Youth Sports

(Third in a series)

Jay Coakley is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He's also an author and an commentator on sports, society, and culture and focuses primarily on youth sports and socialization issues. Coakley has said the he has offered groups of students $100 for a photograph of eight or more adolescent girls playing sports unsupervised by adults. In 15 years, Coakley says, "I've never received such a photo."

Youth sports become more organized every year, from manicured fields kept in pristine condition to expensive uniforms that resemble those at the high school and college levels. Seasons are extended an extra couple of weeks, teams regularly travel to play in out-of-state tournaments requiring overnight stays, and even the food at the snack stands gets better every year! Without adult involvement, none of these changes would have occurred. Are these changes good for youth sports?

Adults, and specifically parents of youth athletes, have been fingered as the culprits for everything that is wrong with youth sports. And there are certainly legions of psychologists, sociologists, educators, and others who are more than willing to point the finger. While the most glaring of poor behaviors are not at all typical, they're the ones that are reported the most widely, and those incidents fuel the perception of an epidemic of out-of-control parents at youth sports events. But there are more subtle influences of adult involvement in youth sports, from the level of organization to the behaviors on the field and in the stands.

The push to get parents out of youth sports is being fueled primarily by those who see the boorish behavior evident at far too many contests. It's the rare event that does not include parents berating officials for bad calls or coaching their child from the sidelines or bleachers. But there are also those who think that youth sports are too organized, and that kids are missing out on fundamental lessons taught on the sandlot fields, where they develop skills like negotiating, conflict resolution, and leadership.

Tim Donovan, the Director of the Youth Sports Institute based at the State University of New York at Cortland, has been traveling around the state of New York promoting Sandlot Day 2010. On that designated day, the kids make the rules. They decide what to play, say, home run derby vs. baseball vs. wiffle ball. They decide what to wear (uniforms or not). They make the lineups. The program's guidelines give the players choices like coach the bases or not, umpire among themselves, and make any rearrangements necessary to play. The guidelines are only suggestions. Parents are welcome to attend, but they're not to be involved in the activity in any way. Donovan is not averse to organized sports. He just thinks that there should be other opportunities for kids to play sports where they are in charge of the game and the rules. "We're not the sports sheriff," Donovan said. "We think organized baseball is great. But we think it's also good for kids to play home run derby, to have passion and a sense of ownership about their sports."

It's unlikely that youth sports will return to the sandlots. It's much easier to get on Xbox and play a virtual basketball game than it is to find three other kids from the neighborhood for a 2-on-2 game. That's assuming a kid can even find a court near his house. While it's important to encourage kids to get out and play pick up games, it's equally important that adult involvement in organized youth sports contests provide some of the same benefits by removing the adult egos and tuning in to what's best for the kids. That doesn't always equate to winning a game. Most parents involve their children in youth sports with the best of intentions. Somewhere along the way, those intentions get distorted. Eliminating or minimizing parental involvement is not the answer, implying that all parental involvement is detrimental to a child's participation.

Parents have a significant impact on the positive outcomes of their children's participation in youth sports. A child's perception of their skill level, a key factor for young participants in whether they continue to play sports, is derived from two sources: their ability to demonstrate appropriate skill, and their parents' feedback on their ability. That is to say, if a parent thinks his or her child is performing well, then the child will also believe they are performing well. Parents have the ability to override outside perspectives and cues and instill a sense of confidence in their child.

It's important for parents to base their positive feedback on skills improvement rather than on comparison or on a standard of skill development. Telling Sally that her throws are stronger and more accurate will increase her confidence and motivate her to continue her improvement. Adding "you need to be able to throw as good as Betty" will have the opposite effect. The feedback must, however, be accurate. Even at ages as young as 8 or 9, children can evaluate feedback and compare it against their performance. If the feedback doesn't match the skill level, then the feedback could undermine participation and enjoyment. So telling Sally that she has the strongest arm on the team when in fact she can't reach first base with a throw will discourage her from continued participation.

As parents, how do we walk a fine line between being appropriately involved in our children's youth sports activities and becoming too involved? If we create a positive environment that supports development and enjoyment and provides honest, non-critical feedback, our children will enjoy youth sports and will be open to the lessons it can teach. Despite what other parents and coaches are doing, we can emphasize behaviors and attitudes that reflect a positive approach to youth sports.

Require your children to honor the game, and personally demonstrate the behavior that you want them to emulate, regardless of what other people say or do

Attend your child's games regularly, and cheer positively

Make sure your child gets to games and practices regularly and on time

Applaud good plays by all participants regardless of team, and be friendly to fans and players from the other team

Ask your child how they would like you to be involved, and respect their feedback

Make sure you know and put your child's goals ahead of yours

After games, do more listening than talking

There is a consistently strong message in the research concerning the effect parents can have on their children's youth sports activities and enjoyment. Parents play a critical role in how much benefit their children receive from their participation. Despite the media frenzy around out-of-control parents, study after study confirms that parental participation, with the appropriate level of involvement and attitude, is vital to the success of youth sports. Rather than exclude parents, youth sports administrators must send the message that they want and value positive parental involvement in their organizations. The healthy development of their children's physical, social, and emotional growth depends on positive, involved sports parenting.

Next: Defining and Creating Successful Programs

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Why Kids Play Sports (and why they quit)

(Second in a series)

"Youth sports are about building better kids, not building better athletes," says Dr. Bruce Svare, Director of the National Institute for Sports Reform and author of the book Reforming Sports Before the Clock Runs Out: One Man's Journey through our Runaway Sports Culture. But the continuing emphasis on early specialization and the "professionalization" of young athletes increasingly causes us to miss this point.

Regular season high school games are broadcast on national television, and prized high school recruits announce their college plans on ESPN. Parents spend years of weekends shuttling kids from one practice or game to another, often changing clothes and equipment en route with barely enough time to gulp down a sandwich and a drink. Niece's birthday party? Can't make it, we have a game at that time. Mother's day dinner? Sorry, the traditional soccer tournament is that weekend and we'll be out of town. Induction into the National Honor Society? Sorry, Timmy can't attend the ceremony, he's got a standing appointment with his personal trainer - we waited two years to get into his program and can't risk getting kicked out!

Not that long ago, sports was an extension of the educational experience. The sports culture of a generation ago was defined by high schools, summer leagues, community recreation programs, sandlots, pick-up games, and a distinct beginning and end to a specific season. But sports has become a serious business in the last two decades, and there is more pressure building to maintain the cash cow. The explosion of media outlets has created an insatiable appetite for programming. And while the professional leagues and college athletic programs have billions of dollars thrown at them by major media outlets for the broadcast rights to their events, many small cable channels are also looking to fill schedules. And much like inexpensive reality TV shows, high schools and youth sports programs are all too eager to help fill the schedule, for a small slice of the huge pie. For example, in 2009, ESPN and ABC paid Little League $4.7 million for the rights to broadcast not only the Little League World Series games, but the regional finals.

Youth sports are becoming less about what's good for the kids and more about what the adults want. Seasons don't end because kids are told they need to start specializing in a sport if they hope to be successful. Personal trainers and private instructors are hired for 10 year olds. But most kids want to play several different sports, and specializing at age 11 or 12 has very little to do with whether a child will play on a high school team, let alone at the college or pro level. What we've created is over-committed kids, exasperated coaches, and really tired parents.

In survey after survey of kids who play sports, two themes emerge loudly and clearly: kids play sports to have fun, and kids would rather play on a losing team than sit on the bench on a winning team. That's not to say that "fun" eliminates any seriousness or competitiveness for kids who play sports. In his 2006 report Sports, Youth, and Character: A Critical Survey, Robert K. Fullwinder, from the Institute for Philosophy & Public Policy at the University of Maryland, states that "...young people may be more serious about their games, and less "childish" - less in need of fun, amusement, or work disguised as play - than critics of youth sports believe. The challenge for youth sports organizations...is to find the middle ground between the two extremes. At one extreme, adults can forget that youth sports is for the enjoyment of the youthful participants. At the other extreme adults can render "enjoyment" into a notion that excludes the serious approach to sports favored by many boys and girls."

Why kids stop playing sports is a complex issue, and has as much to do with the kids themselves as with their youth sports experiences. The primary reason that most children cite for quitting sports is "it's not fun anymore." But the definition of fun is subjective and complex. Sports can cease to be fun because a child develops other interests and would rather spend time on them. Other children may find their physical maturity peaking, and that they are less skilled than teammates, so they leave for some other activity. And of course, some leave because of a series of negative experiences that have taken the "fun" out of participating.

The challenge facing youth sports organizations is to create an atmosphere that's fun, competitive, serious, enjoyable, repectful, supportive, and cooperative! Not an easy task, but certainly one worth the effort. Creating such organizations takes the commitment and participation of everyone, from administrators and coaches to parents and players. Fun and competitiveness need not be mutually exclusive, and we'll highlight organizations that are successfully combining the two in future posts.

Next: The Role of Adults in Youth Sports

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Developing a Model Youth Sports Program

In this ongoing series, Wagdogs takes a look at the current state of youth sports. We'll examine the challenges presented to players, parents, and administrators in creating a program that promotes cooperative and supportive participation, helps ensure the safety of all participants, and emphasizes the values and principles of youth sports beyond just winning and losing. Wagdogs will examine real-life situations and provide suggestions for creating a model youth sports program. We'll show you tools and techniques to improve your program and help it run more smoothly and enjoyably for all participants. We'll also highlight programs that are leading the way in refocusing youth sports on its core mission.

(First in a series)

The continued growth of youth sports programs has triggered an increase in the numbers and types of adverse incidents that arise from a highly-competitive environment which, until recently, had little need for nor experience in setting participant guidelines. Combine that growth with the skyrocketing cost of higher education, mix in the money spent annually by families on their children's participation (registration fees, travel, lodging, meals, uniforms, professional instruction, equipment, etc.) and the mounting financial pressures of the current economic climate, and it's easy to see how youth sports can become more than just a game that kids play.

There is no question that youth sports programs are far different than they were a generation ago. The level of instruction, increased knowledge of fitness and nutrition, and the structure that surrounds all aspects of a child's participation have combined to raise the intensity with which adults and children participate. With that increased intensity comes an almost daily onslaught of stories involving parental misbehavior. Many of these stories defy belief. Here are a few. See if you can determine which of them are actual events.

• A father of a little leaguer puts Ipecac in his 12-year-old son's juice bottle and tells him to give it to a specific teammate that has taken his playing time. Many of his other teammates drink from the bottle, and eight of them are taken to the hospital.
• Parents win $125,000 settlement from their local Little League, after their son sprains his knee while sliding into second base.
• Three parents file a civil rights lawsuit after a 6-member evaluation panel leaves their daughters off the high school girls basketball team.
• Police issue a ticket to a woman for leaving her daughter alongside a highway because of the daughter's "unsatisfactory" performance in a soccer game.
• A father, unhappy with his son's playing time, hires a private investigator to tail the basketball coach, and to call authorities if the coach is seen drinking and driving.

Hard as it is to believe, every one one of these incidents is a true story. And the list grows everyday, from the ridiculous to the tragic. Granted, it may be that 24-hour news channels, the power of the Internet, and our appetite for information makes it seem that there are more of these incidents than in years past. But the goal of a model youth sports program should be to eliminate the types of attitudes and behavior that give rise to these and more serious issues. Youth sports programs should strive to create an environment that rewards healthy competition, mutual respect, and enjoyment for all participants.

Over the next several weeks, Wagdogs will examine the issues facing youth sports programs, and provide information and resources for helping players, parents, and administrators overcome them. We'll identify steps to take to create a youth sports program that balances winning with social development, fun with competition, and intensity with respect. There are many examples of how youth sports programs, administered properly, can help our kids become respectful, involved, and responsible adults. We'll focus on several areas including:

• Why kids play sports (and why they quit)
• The role of adults in youth sports
• Defining and creating successful programs
• Modeling acceptable behavior
• Four key elements in ensuring success
• Best Practices
• Using "Social Marketing"
• How to use technology to support your objectives

Along the way, we'll cite helpful resources, provide sample documents, identify best practices, and enlist expert opinions. We also ensourage you to participate by offering your opinions and ideas, citing your experiences, and helping us highlight the programs that are "doing it right."

Next: Why Kids Play Sports (and why they quit).

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Update on Previous Post - Coach Allan Trimble

In the blog post below entitled "High School Coach Suspends Himself,", we told you the account of Jenks (OK) High School football coach Allan Trimble, who was found to have illegally recruited an out of state player to his highly successful football program. The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) found 7 additional recruiting violations and suspended Coach Trimble and the Jenks Athletic Director indefinitely.

During his suspension, Trimble will forfeit more than $8,000 of his coaching salary. That sounds like a lot of money, until you read further he is technically employed as a school district administrator, and in his capacity as Director of Football for the school district he is paid $83,219. In addition, he receives a car allowance of $2,400, a $300 phone allowance, and a district retirement payment of $300. And to round out his compensation, he receives a stipend of $16,243 for his "extra duty" assignment as Head Varsity Football Coach. Without the suspension, Trimble would have made $102,462 from his 2009-2010 contract, according to this story.

On March 1, Trimble appeared before the Jenks School Board to explain his actions and his desire to return to coaching. After the hearing, one school board member issued a prepared statement supporting Trimble. Trimble is eligible for reinstatement in June if approved by the OSSAA.

Although Trimble should be dismissed for his history of flaunting the rules, my instinct tells me that he'll will be back on the Jenks sideline in the fall. We'll keep an eye on this story and see if the Jenks School Board and the OSSAA have the courage to send the right message to the kids in their school district.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Does "Winning" Get a Bad Rap?

Spring is finally here, and there are a few sure signs that it has arrived: the birds chirping outside at daybreak; the arrival of daylight savings time and longer daylight hours; kids out in the neighborhood burning off some of the energy they accumulated over a long winter spent mostly indoors; and spring cleaning, the annual top-to-bottom scrubbing of the house that "officially" puts an end to the winter season.

Whether you have already completed your spring cleaning rituals or are still trying to talk yourself into getting started, there's a good chance you'll be cleaning an ever-increasing collection of trophies and awards collected from your children's activities. And there's also a good chance that many of these awards have nothing to do with winning a championship, tournament, or competition.

A generation ago, kids played sports in organized leagues. They played because they enjoyed playing. Some went home with trophies, most did not. It did not diminish their enjoyment if they did not get an award. Today, if your child has played sports for a few years, it's likely that there are several trophies, medals, and/or awards in his or her bedroom. Many youth sports leagues and coaches give out "participation" awards. Kids are essentially rewarded for just showing up.

The participation-era has been spawned partly as a backlash against a culture that too often over-emphasized winning. A few years ago, it seemd that we couldn't go more that a week without hearing about an overzealous coach humiliating young athletes in the name of winning. But the pendulum has mostly swung back, and setting winning as a team or individual goal is now vilified by many.

Without an attempt to win, an activity is no longer defined as "sport." According to Wikipedia, "A sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive, and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. It is governed by a set of rules or customs. In a sport the key factors are the physical capabilities and skills of the competitor when determining the outcome (winning and losing)."

If we are to teach life lessons through sports, we must also teach kids how to compete. There is nothing wrong with teams or individuals entering a contest with a desire to win. The definition of sport states that the contest requires "commitment and fair play." Commitment requires preparation, and teaching kids to be prepared for competition and to compete fairly has to be an essential part of youth sports.

When part of an overall approach with the proper perspective, winning builds confidence, increases motivation, teaches kids how to be gracious winners and how to accept and learn from defeat, and demonstrates the value of working hard towards a goal. These are all valuable lessons.

As coaches, parents, and administrators, it's our responsibility to make sure that winning remains an admirable goal. We can do so by keeping it in the proper perspective. It's when winning is confined to the narrowest of definitions and is measured solely on winning percentages and scoreboards that it is rightly condemned. In youth sports especially, winning must include social development, fun, competition, self-esteem, respect, and fair play. It must be one part of an overall philosophy that rewards effort, preparation, teamwork, and commitment, not just skill level. It's OK to win within the rules, and it's OK to win as a team. It's never acceptable to sacrifice your principles or a young athlete's self-esteem for the sake of winning a game.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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To Cut or Not to Cut, ...

Here in southeastern Pennsylvania, the miserable winter has been followed by an equally miserable start to spring. Thousands of local fields across the region are closed until April 1, at the earliest, in hopes that they dry out in time for spring sports to actually begin.

And as registrations are processed and tryouts are held, an age-old question reoccurs: Should teams cut players? It's an especially relevant topic for spring sports because the teams are larger and the numbers are not always favorable. What do you do with a baseball team that has 19 kids registered to play? Do you try to find 6 or 7 more players, who weren't interested enough to register in the first place and whose commitment to the team's activities might not be all that great, just so you can field another team? Can you satisfy 19 kids on one team, getting them all enough playing time so that they aren't discouraged or their parents aren't upset with you? Or do you cut 5 of the kids so that the numbers are manageable, figuring it's easier to have that discussion with those 5 families once, rather than multiple times throughout the season?

Proponents on both sides of the debate present compelling reasons why their position is justified. The "no cut" camp cites the effects that getting cut from a team have on a child. It's certainly a blow to the self-esteem, and done improperly can lead to rifts between kids who make the team and those who don't. Brooke de Lench, the founder of MomsTeam.com, cites a number of reasons why the practice of cutting kids from school teams should be abolished. Many of the reasons she cites are centered around the self-esteem and social issues children face when they do not make a team. But much of the information she presents is anecdotal, and there are few if any large-scale studies that show a correlation between getting cut from a sports team and long-term effects on a child's psyche. That's not to say that these aren't valid concerns. As a parent who's had to deal with a child being cut from a team, I know the anguish that event causes. And as a coach who's had to make those cuts, I have most certainly lost hours of sleep over not only the process, but knowing that I was going to have to deliver potentially devastating news to some really good kids.

Those who argue in favor of cuts cite financial concerns and "life lessons" among their reasons for supporting the practice. Many organizations, particularly school-sponsored programs, argue that a no-cut policy would lead to significant cost increases in having to field multiple teams to accommodate all interested athletes. The cost of supporting those teams has led many schools to cut out entire sports programs, or to institute "pay to play" fees to subsidize the programs. Others say that having to compete for roster spots teaches children that they'll need to be prepared to compete in other aspects of their lives, and that getting cut helps them develop mechanisms that will prepare them to cope with challenges later in life. Many argue that athletics are being unfairly singled out. Very few people argue that the "honors mathematics" program lower its acceptance criteria so more kids can be admitted. So why should sports be any different? Furthermore, is it better to have a kid repeatedly embarrassed game after game by sitting on the bench and not playing? Or is that child better served by suffering that embarrassment once at tryouts?

As long as our kids are involved there will be emotional and passionate arguments by adults on both sides. But the reality is that most kids who continue to play sports well into their teens will eventually be faced with the prospect of getting cut from a competitive team. There are always those kids whose dedication, hard work, commitment, and practice will help them overcome any physical limitations or skill deficiencies they have. And we should applaud those kids and hold them up as examples to our own. However, there are some kids who are athletically more naturally gifted than others, just as there are some kids who are better at math than others. And no amount of practice (or study) will change that fact.

There's no doubt that a child's learning that they're not part of a team is an emotional situation. If that child has truly worked hard to improve his or her skills in hopes of making a team, and then been told that all that work wasn't enough, that's going to be a blow to anyone's ego. But what I've tried to instill in my own kids, and to those that I have the privilege to coach, is that as long as they give their best effort, they'll be able to live with the result. If that child can honestly say that they did everything they could to prepare themselves, then they can be proud of their effort, even if the end result was not what they wanted. That's true in sports as well as in life.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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High School Coach Suspends Himself

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Check out the story of Jenks (Oklahoma) High School coach, Allan Trimble, who allegedly suspended himself for the remainder of the season after he was ruled to have facilitated the use of an ineligible player in 2008 and was forced to forfeit 9 wins from that season. He was found guilty of, among other things, arranging for a transfer student from Virginia (who was academically ineligible at his previous high school) to live with a Jenks booster in Oklahoma and play football for Jenks. The student has committed to the University of Oklahoma on a football scholarship.

On the surface, it seems like a noble gesture by the coach, demonstrating to the kids that he coaches that he is taking responsibility for violations committed by the program. My suspicion is that Coach Trimble, having been directly implicated in the violations, is trying to save himself from further investigations and sanctions by preempting any disciplinary actions by the state athletic association or school. The coach has suspended himself for the remainder of the regular season. As of now, Jenks is only on probation, meaning that they're still eligible for post-season playoffs, and the self-imposed suspension will be over by then. The question will be whether the school or state athletic association sees through the charade, and/or has the courage to take the appropriate action. More interesting will be the reaction by the Jenks community should further sanctions be imposed.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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A Lesson in Sportsmanship

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Here's a letter from the father of Boston College football player Mark Herzlich to the fans of the Clemson Tigers football team, posted on the Clemson University Athletics web site. Mark is a linebacker for the Eagles, and was the ACC Defensive Player of the year in the 2008 season. He skipped the NFL draft to return to BC, only to be diagnosed with cancer in the spring of this year.

Check out what Sandy Herzlich wrote, but if you don't read the whole letter, consider this part of it, where Sandy talks about how supportive the Clemson fans are of his son's situation:

"There was absolutely no lack of support or fanatacism for Clemson football but it was all wrapped up in an understanding that competing doesn't mean hating, that you need an opponent to play a game and that there's a difference between an opponent and an enemy."

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Michael Vick, Role Models, and Redemption

I happened to be sitting in the stands of the Eagles/Patriots preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field when, midway through the 2nd quarter, cell phones everywhere started beeping and buzzing. "The Eagles signed Michael Vick? No way! The Eagles?!?!? The "we are only interested in character guys" Eagles? Are you serious?"

It's not yet two weeks since that announcement, and there have been volumes written and heated discussions held around the signing among sports and political pundits, animal rights groups, die-hard Eagles fans, and those who don't know a Philadelphia Eagle from a Philadelphia soft pretzel.

There is no doubt that what Vick did was horrific and inexcusable, and it would be difficult to argue otherwise. But let's put aside our reprehension for a minute and stop to consider the influences that shaped Vick's early days. He grew up in a rough area of Newport News, Va., where he was exposed to bad characters and illegal activities that were a regular and recurring part of his childhood. While many of us have never, nor will ever, witness a dog fight, Vick likely encountered several a week among the other regularly occurring illegal activities. What seems abhorrent to you and me was Vick's daily existence.

Even with his NFL stardom, he continued to remain loyal to the friends he had made in the Newport News projects. The same friends with whom he shared his childhood and who played with him on his youth teams. The same friends that continued to be involved in the same illegal activities even after Vick's success, and who saw Vick's success as an opportunity for themselves. The same friends who later got involved in the dogfighting ring and used Vick to fund their illegal activity. The same friends who ultimately were his downfall.

We often hear about the stories of the inner city athletes who go on to become successful professional athletes who find a mentor, a coach or other adult who is able to connect with that person and guide them toward a better path. From all accounts, it appears Michael Vick never found that person, and while he alone is responsible for his actions, the absence of that guiding hand probably had much to do with his self-destructive decisions and associations. Those coaches and influential adults who go beyond their responsibilities as just coach or advisor, the unsung community leaders and heroes who guide young people in formulating strong moral character and help them weed out the bad influences and the true friends, did not reach Vick in Newport News.

There have been many who have studied the forces to which inner city athletes are subjected, the codes of loyalties and indebtedness that exist in the inner-city environments, and the ways in which the "entourages" hang on to and eventually drag down their so-called friends. There are countless stories of the instantaneous fortunes that they receive upon signing their lucrative playing and endorsement contracts after having lived in poverty for their entire lives without any knowledge of, experience with, or guidance in how to handle the sudden fame and fortune. Far be it from me to profess any expertise or knowledge of these subjects. But there are plenty of stories where a person of Vick's circumstances has been guided away from those same influences by a strong parent, coach, or influential adult in their life.

As parents, coaches, and people involved with youth sports, we can have a profound impact on the lives of the young people with whom we interact. We can never know which of our words or actions may resonate with a young person, either positively or negatively. Even the smallest and shortest interactions may have a lasting effect on a person. We can, however, be diligent in the way we conduct ourselves and in the lessons we teach through sports. We may never coach a Michael Vick, but our responsibility is no less than for anyone with whose time and talent we are entrusted.

If we take the Michael Vick situation and frame it in the proper context, there are many powerful lessons that can be not only taught to our youth, but learned by us. Michael Vick has an opportunity to redeem himself not by his play on the field, but by the changes he makes to his life. In Tony Dungy, the spiritually strong former NFL coach, he may have finally found that strong, moral, guiding hand with whom he can connect and whose counsel he will accept. We may be able to judge Vick's character in the next weeks or months if he shows himself to be insincere. Or we may have to wait many years, maybe long after his playing days are over and we can measure the sum total of his changes and works and not just those that enabled him to return to the NFL.

In the movie "The American President," which stars Michael J. Fox as presidential aide Lewis Rothschild and Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd, there is a scene where the two are arguing about America's desire for leadership. Rothschild implores the President to take on his political adversary. "People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone." he says. "They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand." To which the President responds, "...People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference." Maybe a young Michael Vick didn't have anyone to tell him the difference between the sand and the water.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Enhancements and Updates to Wagdogs!

Last night we released fixes and enhancements for Wagdogs. We added some optional fields to the registration form to capture more information (shirt size, pant size, comments) and we've made some changes to the administrator functions that make it easier to manage information. Administrators can now sort on column headings, drag and drop columns to (temporarily) rearrange them, and the export data now includes the new fields plus the date a registration was created. We've also cleaned up some of the issues that have been reported.

We're still working on the league commissioner/scheduling functions, and we're hoping to have them ready mid-summer, in time for the fall season. We've also got a couple of other features on the list that we're working on. We'll keep you up-to-date on our progress as they get closer to completion.

If you find any problems with any of the new functionality, please let us now by e-mailing us at info@wagdogs.com. Also, please continue to send us your suggestions for new features and improvements for current features.

Thanks for using Wagdogs to help manage your youth sports activities. We sincerely appreciate your support! We're committed to providing you with useful functionality and responsive support. Please feel free to contact us at any time with feedback, complaints, critiques, or compliments!

The Wagdogs Team

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Poor Attendance at Practice Cancels Season

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As coaches, we often lament the demands on our players' time that interfere with their ability to regularly attend practices and games. It's the rare youth coach who has the luxury of having full attendance at events. We're often left to juggle schedules to make sure we can get most of our players to attend, knowing that it's next to impossible to get them all there consistently.

Here's an example of a coach who had canceled his school team's participation in the playoffs due to a perceived lack of commitment by some of his players because they missed a practice. By all accounts, the coach (who is also a teacher at the school) is a strict disciplinarian.

Reading some of the explanations from the students/players about their schedules (school practice, followed by club team practice, followed by games that got them home at 1:30 AM and too tired to wake up for 7:00 AM practices (the coach's normal practice time)), it's not hard to see the coach's frustration. Not knowing the history of the team, whether his actions were too harsh is open to debate. What we also need to consider where our kids are concerned is "How much participation is enough?" Is playing on a school team and two club teams in the same season too much? What is the proper balance among social, sports, and academic pursuits? It's certainly a personal decision, and is largely dependent on each individual child's ability and desire to keep such a hectic schedule.

However, there's also the issue of commitment to a team, to a coach, and to a school or organization. When a player tries out for and makes a team, there's an inherent expectation by the coaching staff that the player will be available for most practices and games. If that's not the case, and that's not communicated before the tryout, then issues will most certainly arise. Coaches today expect that they will not get 100% participation because of all the demands on players. But they should expect a reasonable participation (75%? Games before other teams' practices?). If a coach expects 100% commitment and a player is unwilling or unable to give it, then it's in the best interests of both parties that the player not participate on that team. In this case, it appears that the coach's expectations were widely known.

Were the coach's actions appropriate? Is there any blame for the parents and players? What would you have done if you were the coach? Parent? Player?

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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New Functionality Coming This Week!

In the next day or two, we'll post a message that Wagdogs will be down for a short period of time while we update the site with some new functionality. We're working on implementing many of the suggestions that you've provided to us, and when the updates are released, we'll provide you with a list of the new and/or changed functions. Over the next several weeks, we'll continue to make improvements and enhancements to the site, many of them from suggestions you've made. Please continue to let us know how the site can better serve your needs.

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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Just when you think things are looking up...

(the links in the blog will open in the current window. Use your 'Back' button to return to Wagdogs.)

...you see a story like this one. A Minneapolis Junior College women's softball team lost a game against the top-rated JC team in the country because, in the bottom of the 7th inning of a 0-0 game (and while their pitcher was no-hitting the top-ranked team), their number 3 batter hit what appeared to be a game-winning home run. While rounding third on her way to home, she high-fived several teammates before reaching the plate. A normal reaction, you might say? Well the coach of the opposing team, rulebook in hand, stormed the field and demanded the batter be called out for a rules violation. Long story short, NCAA rules (which also govern JC sports) state that you're not allowed to touch a teammate (other than a baserunner) before reaching home plate. However, what I'm sure the opposing coach also knew, but did not address with the umpire, was that for a first infraction the rules clearly state that only a warning shall be issued. Game over, right? Not so fast. After a long discussion with the umpiring crew and officials at the game, the batter was declared out. The opposing team ended up winning the game in 9 innings.

Surely, the opposing coach knew the rule. If she knew enough to find the rule in the rulebook, she knew that the penalty was to issue a warning, not rule the batter out. More distressing, however, is the fact that the opposing team lost the game on a cut-and-dried play; no controversy, no "called safe when she should have been out", no "it was foul." The ball cleared the centerfield fence by more than 20 feet. The coach clearly could not accept the fact that her team lost. Rather than congratulate the opposing team on a great game and terrific win, the coach cited a "rule," talked the umpires into incorrectly applying it, and won a game that she should have by all rights lost.

Sometimes as coaches, parents, or players, our teams suffer heartbreaking or disappointing defeats. But at those times, it's important to put aside the disappointment for just a bit, congratulate the winners, and accept the outcome. Among the most important things we can teach the kids that we coach is that as long as they give their best effort, they can live with the result. I wonder how many of the girls on the eventual winning team feel good about their victory?

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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We've been away coaching and planning...

Like many of you, we've been busy over the last several weeks coaching spring sports teams. It's been a busy spring season with all the weather changes, and I can sympathize with you over the administrative problems that a little (a lot of?) rain can cause! But the spring seasons are starting to wind down, and with that comes some free time!

In and around the practices, games, tournaments, and other commitments, we've been doing some planning about the next phase of Wagdogs. We've been keeping a list of suggestions from all of you on things you'd like to see, and we are incorporating them into our plans. We have some exciting things lined up for the next phase, and we think you'll like them. Once we have them finalized, we'll publish a "road map" that will let you know about our new functionality and the timing of the releases.

One of our major efforts will be around the ability for you to better communicate with each other. With the next phase, we're also planning to publish some informative articles and information in the Zones. We'll be introducing some great content, and will also be soliciting ideas and stories from our members.

Stay tuned for more information! And feel free to contact us at any time. The best way to reach us is through e-mail at info@wagdogs.com

Posted By: Jim Roynan

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