This article was forwarded to CYO Athletics, and discusses some of the medical risks involved in playing soccer, particulary in relation to concussions. It is important that athletes are continuously educated as to how to use proper technique when heading a soccer ball, and learn how to identify proper spacing with other players when making the decision to go for a header.
In addition, coaches, parents and athletes should all be able to identify the signs and symptoms of a concussion. For more information about concussion safety, visit the Lystedt Law section of the CYO Athletics website.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Young People Need Good (PLC) Coaches
It seems that today’s athletic culture is driven by the notion that sports is nothing more than an opportunity to assert physical dominance over an opponent. Winning has become the ultimate goal with little or no concern for the shrapnel that is left in the lives of the young people who are reared in this single-minded environment.
Ok, perhaps the first paragraph was a little strong… but here are some simple reasons why coaches are now more important than ever in the lives of young people.
• Only 3.8% of elementary schools provide physical education (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2009).
• Children are on the average spending over 50 hours a week on electronic media – television, video games, email, social media, etc. (Bloomberg Business Week, 2010).
• According to the Center for Disease Control, one in three children are likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure due to sedentary lifestyles (Good Housekeeping, 2012).
• 58% of children age 2-5 can play simple computer games versus 44% who know how to ride a bike (CNN, 2012).
Heart disease…as a teenager? No P.E.? Kids don’t know how to ride a bike? Fifty hours per week on electronic media? That’s a full time job plus overtime on and above school related activities. Now more than ever the role of the coach is critical in helping shape the lives of young people. The critical question is: “What are our coaches teaching our young people?”
According to Play Like a Champion Today® philosophy, coaches are teachers using a different platform to educate. Instead of English, math and science they use practice time, discipline and teamwork to teach life lessons and moral development through sport.
That said moral development doesn’t spontaneously happen through organized sports. Just as practices require “reps” to get better physically, coaches have to be deliberate about promoting moral development by taking “moral development reps” throughout the day. Here are a few fundamentals that will support anyone who is truly coaching their student-athletes for moral development:
• emphasize that moral values come before all else
• take time before each practice and game to call attention to moral values
• take time after each practice and game to evaluate how well the team lived up to its espoused values
• help players to develop their moral reasoning by discussing moral problems as a team
The wide world of sports has changed in many ways…the one thing that stays consistent is the need for good coaches to guide, mentor and love young people. Remember to Play Like a Champion Today®!
VIA Play Like A Champion Today(R) Sport Parent Notes
Ok, perhaps the first paragraph was a little strong… but here are some simple reasons why coaches are now more important than ever in the lives of young people.
• Only 3.8% of elementary schools provide physical education (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2009).
• Children are on the average spending over 50 hours a week on electronic media – television, video games, email, social media, etc. (Bloomberg Business Week, 2010).
• According to the Center for Disease Control, one in three children are likely to develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure due to sedentary lifestyles (Good Housekeeping, 2012).
• 58% of children age 2-5 can play simple computer games versus 44% who know how to ride a bike (CNN, 2012).
Heart disease…as a teenager? No P.E.? Kids don’t know how to ride a bike? Fifty hours per week on electronic media? That’s a full time job plus overtime on and above school related activities. Now more than ever the role of the coach is critical in helping shape the lives of young people. The critical question is: “What are our coaches teaching our young people?”
According to Play Like a Champion Today® philosophy, coaches are teachers using a different platform to educate. Instead of English, math and science they use practice time, discipline and teamwork to teach life lessons and moral development through sport.
That said moral development doesn’t spontaneously happen through organized sports. Just as practices require “reps” to get better physically, coaches have to be deliberate about promoting moral development by taking “moral development reps” throughout the day. Here are a few fundamentals that will support anyone who is truly coaching their student-athletes for moral development:
• emphasize that moral values come before all else
• take time before each practice and game to call attention to moral values
• take time after each practice and game to evaluate how well the team lived up to its espoused values
• help players to develop their moral reasoning by discussing moral problems as a team
The wide world of sports has changed in many ways…the one thing that stays consistent is the need for good coaches to guide, mentor and love young people. Remember to Play Like a Champion Today®!
VIA Play Like A Champion Today(R) Sport Parent Notes
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Hands only CPR 1 minute video
Here is a link to a video put together by the American Heart Association which shows how to do hands-only CPR on adults. A person is two to three times more likely to survive cardiac arrest if hands only CPR is performed on them after 9-1-1 is called and before paramedics arrive. As their website states, “The life you save is most likely someone you love.”
Thursday, May 3, 2012
CYO Athletics - "Lay your heart on the line"
In these words, the head football coach of Marshall University exhorts his team to give their best effort in the movie, "We Are Marshall". Heart is a much used word in athletics. We can point to athletes giving their best effort and Jesus Christ living out his full commitment in His Passion as lessons for our youth in CYO Athletics.
In our upcoming track season, we are asking our athletes to lay their heart on the line and "wear red" to advocate for heart health. We are sending out materials for our coaches to review with our athletes and families about the importance of cardiovascular health and encouraging them to wear red socks, bands, wrist bands, ribbons, shoelaces, etc. in our preliminary (May 5) and qualifying (May 12) meets.
In our upcoming track season, we are asking our athletes to lay their heart on the line and "wear red" to advocate for heart health. We are sending out materials for our coaches to review with our athletes and families about the importance of cardiovascular health and encouraging them to wear red socks, bands, wrist bands, ribbons, shoelaces, etc. in our preliminary (May 5) and qualifying (May 12) meets.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Volunteers Needed This Saturday
CYO Athletics Track & Field season starts this Saturday with the Preliminary Meet at Southwest Athletics Complex in West Seattle (2801 SW Thistle St, Seattle, WA 98106). Every Track meet requires over two dozen volunteers. Track teams are assigned events to have volunteers for, so people interested in earning volunteer hours should contact their team's coach to see if they can help. For the full schedule of this season's Track & Field events, visit the Track & Field page on the CYO Athletics website.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
