The Battle For Balance One of the most distinct memories from my first coaching experience happened before I ever had a team! I signed my son up for T-ball and volunteered to coach.
Ushering In Change In the late 1980s and early ‘90s, the Ohio Department of Commerce began discussing the formalization of programs to regulate the safe operation of underground fuel storage tanks (USTs), in addition to the safe removal of aging, leaking tanks that contained petroleum and other hazardous substances.
Monday Nights Under The Lights Athletes and organizations around the country recently celebrated National Girls & Women in Sports Day. It always makes me feel great to see all the social media posts about young girls engaged in sports. This article is for Paid-members only
Standing Firm In my youth, I enjoyed coaching kids’ sports and shaping the minds and attitudes of young athletes. Baseball is one of those fabulous teacher’s aids. As part of the recreation department experience, I also had to umpire and referee games. This article is for Paid-members only
All In? A metaphorically constructed proverb about the importance of seemingly insignificant things from Poor Richard’s Almanack by Benjamin Franklin This article is for Paid-members only
Valuable Volunteer Voice One bonus of working for a national youth-sports organization is the opportunity to interact with several volunteers and youth-sports professionals doing great work around the country. My favorite annual task is notifying and interviewing our national volunteer parent and coach of the year. This article is for Paid-members only
Making Space Poet Robert Herrick used these six words—simple in nature—to declare a profound message: we have only one life and one youth, and both must be enjoyed while they last. This article is for Paid-members only
Help Wanted Most people can agree that today’s youth-sports landscape has changed significantly. Volunteers are burdened with many requirements that weren’t concerns 20 years ago. This article is for Paid-members only
Taking Fun Seriously "We take our fun pretty seriously. We've really looked at what keeps kids coming back. Because if they're not having fun, they’re not enjoying the experience, they vote with their feet. They just walk away." This article is for Paid-members only
When Less Becomes More During one of my college summers, I worked for an earth-moving contractor and, being the new man and lowest on the totem pole, I was often tasked with asking the boss questions. This article is for Paid-members only
Mental Health Matters Mental health is an essential aspect of overall well-being, yet it's often overlooked in youth sports, which can lead to devastating consequences. This article is for Paid-members only
Taking A Chance The Board of Commissioners noticed a pattern. Of the many commodities and services our park system engaged, the same awardees were recommended year after year. This article is for Paid-members only