Sports Parent Highlights
August 30, 2008
We sports parents are always on the lookout for good resources to learn more about our youth athletes sport and how to be the best sports parent we can be. There is so much to take in and often times we can simply wonder if we are doing it right? Is my youth athlete getting all she needs to be a success in her own right? Below are a few except from some great parent resources to help us be the best sports parent we can be.
Brooke de Lench, MomsTeam Founder and Editor-in-Chief wrote this great overview on parents starting their child on the journey of sports participation.
“What you need to take along in your journey are the sports parenting basics, the information that every parent should know about: things like child development, how to set realistic expectations for your child, how parenting a male athlete is different from parenting a female athlete, how to keep sports fun so as to minimize the risk that your child will burn out and quit sports, what to do if your child is an early or a late bloomer.”
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Young Bodies Under Pressure by Mark Hyman. Mark has a blog devoted to Youth Sports.Check it Out!
“It’s not only the young Olympians. It’s the millions of kid athletes starting earlier and training harder, hoping to be transformed into a sports champion who can muscle her way onto the local elite team or hook an athletic scholarship to college. Some young stars love their sports so much that their moms and dads can hardly hold them back. Others would be happier playing video games or hanging with friends at the mall, but their parents are pushing hard to advance their sports prospects. Some have a real chance to become standouts. Others have lots more ambition than talent”.
Read The Enitre Article Here
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“As parents and coaches, we should be sufficiently motivated by good sportsmanship, decency and common sense to keep ourselves from acting like idiots when our kids play sports. Failing that, the simple knowledge that video cameras and YouTube are ever present should be enough reason to keep our hands to ourselves and our mouths shut”.
Time To Put The Medals Away
August 29, 2008
Smaller 3 gold medals 100m,200m and Long Jump at top AAU Pacific Southwest Championships
Lower Medals Are to the (left) 100m Gold (middle) Copper 7th place Long Jump (right)200m Gold
(Not showm 7th place finisher USATF 100m Copper)
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Lauren and and I are leaving from a girls get away in Palms Springs California today. Palms Springs has been our favorite “go to” place since she was 4 years old. As she’s gotten older the things we do have changed,but the fun remains constant.We love to shop and the peacefulness of the desert and it’s way of making us conform to the rules of enjoyment. What are those you ask?? Well, it so hot, all you can do is swim ,read, eat out,cook on the balcony grill, taken in the beautiful serene landscapes and relax . It is my favorite back to school ,end of track season activity. For me it’s very important to give Lauren a complete get away (even though it’s only 1 1/2 hours from out home) because of track we can’t have a traditional vacation so this little get away helps fill the void of a non vacation,vacation (the Championships).
It’s also time to move past the excitement of the Championships and put the medals away,and get ready for 4th grade, volleyball,cycling,piano and what ever else comes up between now and January/February when track season begins again.This is my time to look at the season and see what we can do better to have an even more enjoyable, productive season next year. Henry and I have a continuous discussion on training methods and approaches, what we liked, what we didn’t. What we want to try next season, what we have to get rid of. Pehaps you feel the same and need to get a fresh start…Here are few places to start………
Ask Coach Henry…What Are Spikes For? Do I Need Them?
Restoration and Transition Between Seasons
Food for Recovery ….. Keep It Simple
Sprinting and the Nervous System
Back to school next week. Have a good send off.
Until Next Time
Training Through Fun
August 28, 2008
Little Kids and Training through Fun
Kids never stay still. Everybody knows that! What better way to train them than to take advantage of this? Children are always running around and have so much excess energy that you can’t help but wonder where they’re getting all of it from. It’s easy to nudge them in the right direction to make sure that all this energy in the develop their bodies and minds in the best way. They will reap the benefits for this throughout their lives.
The correct forms of exercise until children are six years old can have significant effect on their muscle coordination, the development of their respiratory system, cardiovascular system as well as make sure that they have the right posture. Exercise is important,VERY important,but during this time,(playing) training has to be fun. Making play seem like work is a big mistake!
Children always want to imitate their parents and their older siblings . So invariably, they will want to play football, basketball and anything they see the ‘big kids’ play. This can be learning and beneficial exercise for them if you simplify the rules and let them have their own games. Fun activities like building a snow fortress or an ice castle, a snow ball fight, sledding, skiing and skating during winter are also great options. )
Of course in SoCal this isn’t happening,but we do have the ocean blue and lot and lots of coastal sand. So those of you in the beach communities of the U.S. and of course the fastest country on the planet right now Jamaica can plan your play training right at the beach no shoes necessary . A fun run ,tag and running from the waves in the spring and summer months are other ways of making sure that your child stays on the path to becoming a life long athlete while still having fun.
Aerobic activities like dancing and rhythmic gymnastics are other strategies. Playing with the hula hoop can be fun, while still keeping your child in great physical shape. Children always love to play in water. Swimming is a great option during this time.Michael Phelps has help increase swim classes already and we are enteriing fall.
Once your child turns six, the child is in an active part of development which will focus on the natural advantages of children during that age: speed, agility and flexibility. Boys will be equal to slightly faster than girls more powerful and faster, while girls will have an keen sense of rhythm and better flexibility. This is also the time when development of muscle coordination is optimum. The training at this time should make use of the extra energy that children have to improve their dexterity and their strength.
At no point should training seem like a burden to your child. This is why their natural energy should be focused to help them achieve their potential, instead of pushing them too hard the wrong way. Many track parents naturally guide their children to the sports and activites they enjoyed in their youth or enjoy now.
Be careful as you introduce your child to activites that you allow them to have a say and direct as you introduce sporting activites. One of Lauren’s favorite things to do at the ages of 3-6 was the bars..any bar she could swing on she would,she loved that many children her age and older coundn’t do what she could. She would run to get on over and over and over again and the park was almost daily routine before she started school.When she learned to ride a bike at 3 1/2 (yes it’s true) we began riding at her request. She got a scooter then I had to get on one too. Funny thing, she recently wanted to get a new one her size again and I though “perfect it a great training tool for leg turn over”. So even as your child enters the more formal track training years there is still time and opportunity to “play train” your youth athlete.
There are many activities that you can do with your child that will promote a healthy active lifestyle.
The goal is to help your child continue to pursue an active healthy lifestyle his entire life.
Until Next Time
Should A Parent Begin To Sports Specify His/ Or Her Child Before 12-13 ?
August 27, 2008
My husband is a cycling champion of the Little States of Europe Olympic Games for 1997 (Malta). He started with cycling when he was 12. He says it was too late to make it to the Tour of France. Of course, I am not saying that you should rase Olympic Champions but 4 or 5 years old is a good age to start a child with a sport. It will also teach him/her to some discipline, self control and time planning/programming apart from the benefits from the exersize.
I have a 3 year old daughter who comes with me to the gym. She watches from the childs room while I do yoga and thai chi classes. She repeats the moves and she finds them funny. She takes it as a game and I can see she really enjoys herself. My husband takes her with him when he goes to the tennins court and she collects the balls for him. (My husband now is 40 and has replaced cycling with tennis). They always come grinning from left to the right ear. It is good bonding experience. Perhaps, sport is a good idea to help raising a happy child too.”
Regards,
Ele
Developmentally a child can only benefit from multiple sporting activities to help with a sport they may come to want to compete in ,in the future. TrackMom
Util Next Time
Great Olympic Moments
August 26, 2008
“The ultimate is not to win, but to reach within the depths of your capabilities and to compete against yourself to the greatest extent possible. When you do that, you have dignity. You have the pride. You can walk about with character and pride no matter in what place you happen to finish.” Billy Mills
Is it just me or are some of you going through Olympic WITHDRAWAL too? I can’t get to sleep before 12:30-1am .Last night I just watched over and over C-Span and CNN .Yes it is over…. As my last post on things Olympic (well for now,,) Here are a few great Olympic moments from the past for Inspiration for you and your youth athlete in the Future. Here are 3 of TracKMom’s ”Favorite Moments in Olympic History” .
1. Lawrence Lemieux
Canada’s Lawrence Lemieux leaving the race course during his sailing heat at the ‘88 Seoul games to rescue two Singaporean sailors racing in another event.He then resumed the race, finishing in twenty-first place in a field of thirty-two boats. At the time he was on pace to win ailver medal,but left the course to rescue Chan. The Pierre de Coubertin Medal for his heroic act.
2. Billy Mills
American Billy Mills blazed past Mohammed Gahmoudi and Ron Clarke in the last 20 meters,Mills appeared to be too far back to be in contention to win the 10K race at Tokoyo ‘64. But against all odds he ran a personal best by 50 seconds and the Gold. The sounds of the announcer screaming are priceless (you gotta see this), “Here comes Mills! Here comes Mills”
3. Shun Fujimoto
In 1976 in Montreal, Japan’s Shun Fujimoto broke his knee on the floor of the men’s gymnastics team competition. Japan was defending; Soviets threatened to overtake them. To help his team secure Gold, Fujimoto continued on the rings, landing a 9.7 triple somersault dismount (9.7) the highest score given at that time , saving Gold for Japan. He was noted to saying”My desire to win was greater than my moment of pain.” More of the story Here
There are many great athletes to learn about see Going for Gold
Until Next Time
More Bad News On Soda
August 25, 2008
Low Down On Soda
A few cans of soda today in the young can be damaging when they are consumed during the peak bone-building years of childhood and adolescence. The girls who drank cola were about five times more likely to suffer bone fractures than girls who didn’t consume soda pop.
A big question is what happens when these soft-drinking youth athletes become young to middle-aged adults? They may have a higher rates of osteoporosis, sedentary living and obesity. Soda drinking is harmful to the long term health of our children.
Your youth athletes shouldn’t be drinking soda PERIOD. The HFCS and all the other previously mentioned reasons should be enough to say no to soda.
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Soda Causing Nutritional Deficiencies in Children |
Children and adolescents who drink soda may be depriving themselves of several important vitamins and minerals, results of a new survey suggest.The researchers note that soda consumption among children and adolescents rose 41% between 1989-1991 and 1994-1995, mostly displacing milk and juice, the leading sources of many vitamins and minerals in the American diet.The results are based on data from more than 4,000 children aged 2 to 17 years.Among children aged 2 to 5:
In those aged 12 to 17:
Soda drinkers were less likely to get the recommended levels of:
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine November, 2000; 154: 1148-1152
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It’s Good To Be A Favorite and Win!
August 24, 2008
There Can Only Be ONE
Michael Steele/Getty Images
That’s A Wrap… 2012 London Here We Come
#1 Reason I Loved The The Olympics
August 23, 2008
“Ladies Love The Olympics” had this cute little post on her favorite things about the Olympics
to see all 10 click here
Here’s “Ladies Love The Olympics” Top Pick
Usain Bolt, Fastest Man Alive
Source: Reuters via the Telegraph (UK)
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One Big Reason TrackMom Loves the Olympics
Decathlete Bryan Clay is World’s Greatest All-Rounder
Clay had this to say of his performance:
“I’ve been telling people that I’m in the best shape of my life,” said Clay. “I’ve been training incredibly hard. You might not be able to tell by some of the results, but when you take into account everything we’ve had to go through the last two days, I think I did well. I’m very pleased with my score, of course I’m pleased with the medal and the title that comes with the medal.”
You gotta a man who loves the Lord and a his family
Until Next time
TrackMom Interviewed On Club House Gas
August 22, 2008
TrackMom is one of the many features on ClubhouseGas.com
Watch The INTERVIEW Getting Started in Track
Thanks to Clubhouse Gas for allowing me to share this information about
Jim Weldon (CEO/Founder) andDonald Ratigan (COO/Principal)
“ClubhouseGas.com are a bunch of folks who spend lots of time involved with kid’s sporting events, just like you do. Some of them are coaches, some are TV and video production folks, website experts and regular guys and gals in general (they even have an ump or an occasional ref involved). If this sounds good to you, then checkout the ClubHouse.
Jim Weldon (CEO/Founder) - 25+ years in sportswear manufacturing, import, sales and management. Principal in iwoorx.com, an online software development company. Developer of the original Golf Channel. Played golf on the European and Safari Golf Tours in Africa. Involved as a coach and administrator of youth sports for the last 12 years.
Donald Ratigan (COO/Principal) - Past-president of the North American Division of a S & P 500, Leasing and Finance Company (CIT) and current Director of Georgia Commerce Bank. 15 plus year association as Coach, Board Member and past-president of Buckhead Baseball. Proud Dad of 3 boys and experienced coach of their numerous other youth sports teams, such as, NYO football & basketball, YMCA Soccer and High School roller hockey. 10 year affiliation with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta as a Mentor for a boy from Honduras (Mario), board member and past-president. UGA BBA Finance and lifelong Dawg Fan! Most recent passion besides CHG, webcaster of sons high school football games (paving the way to step in Keith Jackson’s shoes). Investor in Minor League Baseball Teams with Hardball Capital”.
Until Next Time
Not Just Another Uniform
August 21, 2008
Spike The New Heros of Athletics shared this interesting article about Rakia al-Gassra. Were you wondering when you saw her what was up?? Read on to find out.
“You can’t miss Rakia al-Gassra, or Ruqaya Al Ghasra as the English-language media in the Gulf like to call her.
Not only is she winning races in Beijing, having come home in front in her heat and second round outing, but she’s also doing it in a hajib, the traditional headscarf worn by Muslim women.
She’s the only elite performer on the international athletics circuit to wear such a garment.
“Wearing traditional Muslim dress has encouraged me. It’s not an obstacle, it’s quite the opposite. I feel very special to be in this situation, and I don’t feel any pressure by it,” said the Arab women’s 200m record holder.
Al-Gassra also sports her full-length body suit, which leaves only her hands and face exposed.
However, her unique clothing hasn’t stopped her rising to the top of women’s sprinting.”
To read the entire article check out Spike The New Heros of Athletics
*Yesterday her Olympic quest ended with a 6th place finish in the 200 semi-finals.
