The Educated Sports Parent
Dear Visitor,
Welcome to the Educated Sports Parent! Here you will find information on a wide
range of issues having to do with youth sports, including Readiness for
Participation, Benefits of Participation, Developmentally Appropriate Program
Modifications, Overuse Injuries, Supplements, and much more. This site is for
parents, coaches, league administrators, or anyone who is interested in helping
children to have the best youth sports experience possible.
You do not have to look far to find examples of what is wrong with youth sports.
In fact, the Citizenship Through Sports Alliance gives youth sports a less than
acceptable grade in its 2005 Youth Sports Report Card. The Educated Sports
Parent is aimed at giving those involved with youth sports the knowledge and
tools to make the youth sports experience an enjoyable one for all involved.
The most important goal of any youth sports organization should be that every
single participant has a fun and enjoyable time. Making youth sports fun for kids
helps turn them on to a lifetime of physical activity. The current obesity epidemic
among both children and adults underscores the need for keeping kids turned
on to physical activity. We cannot afford to allow youth sports to be a negative
experience that leaves children with little desire to continue being active as
adults. Unfortunately, for many children, it is.
I challenge you to browse through this site with an open mind. Many of the
concepts and ideas may be new to you. They may be the opposite of everything
society seems to tell us is important about sports. It is essential that we do
everything in our power to ensure that youth sports leagues are meeting the
needs of our children. I challenge you to hold them accountable.
God bless,
Juliet Cassell
Founder, The Educated Sports Parent
