Youth Sports Heroes of the Month: Dan and Susan Farren (Rohnert Park, CA.); Ray Antonopoulos & Jeff Meisner (West Newbury, MA)

Submitted by Douglas E. Abrams, J.D. on Fri, 05/31/2013 - 13:40. | comments

In a Cal Ripkin Baseball game on April 13, eight-year-old Matthew Henry was hit in the chest by a pitch and left the batter's box on his way to first base. He collapsed after a few steps, reportedly the victim of commotio cordis ("agitation of the heart," in Latin).

The value of having trained medical personnel and an automated external defibrillator nearby was never more apparent then in this month's Youth Sports Heroes blog honoring two pairs of Good Samaritans who, in an 11-day span, saved the lives of an 8-year-old baseball player and a mom watching her son play baseball.

Hal Tearse

Why Tougher Rules for Dangerous Hits in High School Hockey Will Not Work

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Sun, 05/12/2013 - 01:14. | comments

As I watch the Stanley Cup playoffs I am reminded each spring about the ever-changing rules in hockey: One set for the regular season, and one set for playoffs. Or should I say one rule book and two or more interpretations of the enforcement of the rules in the book. Clearly there is much more leeway from the rule book during the playoffs. Players tripped on breakaways do not draw a penalty. Obvious rule violations are ignored. But lets be clear about the NHL: the league is an entertainment business that happens to play hockey. Fans like the brutality and violence. It sells tickets so it is allowed to happen.

Tougher rules against checking from behind and blind-side hits in hockey won't make the sport safer. The problem is a lack of training, certification, education and compensation for on-ice officials, argues one longtime Minnesota hockey official and coach.

Brooke de Lench

A Mother's Day Wish List

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Thu, 05/09/2013 - 18:20. | comments

It's May once again. Time for spring sports, warmer weather, longer days, and, of course, Mother's Day. This year, instead of celebrating mothers with the usual cards and flowers, I have put together a special wish list for the mothers, grand mothers, step mothers and other caregivers in this country with kids playing sports.

Here's this year's list:

This Mother's Day, as has been her Brooke's practice in years past, she has a wish list for making youth sports better. Here's this year's list.

Gretchen Rose

Watching "The Smartest Team" Documentary: A 3-Day Test of Endurance, But Worth The Effort

Submitted by Gretchen Rose on Mon, 05/06/2013 - 15:51. | comments

I was thrilled to get my copy of "The Smartest Team." This great documentary is the creation of MomsTEAM founder Brooke de Lench, who clearly has a great interest in concussion prevention in sports - especially football. Having had a concussion as a child, I know all too well about the pain, the setbacks, and the long road it sometimes take to recovery. I had to relearn the multiplication tables for 6s and 7s in 5th grade! I was mortified. To this day I have trouble with 6x8=48! Gretchen Rose and son

A football mom from Texas was thrilled to get her copy of "The Smartest Team" and couldn't wait to watch it with her son and his football buddies. While the short attention span of 12-year-old boys meant that it would end up being a three-day test of endurance, it proved to be a very educational experience.

Douglas E. Abrams, J.D.

Youth Sports Heroes of the Month: Ethan McConnell and Davan Overton (Oregon); Jonathon Montanez and Mitchell Marcus (Texas)

Submitted by Douglas E. Abrams, J.D. on Wed, 05/01/2013 - 12:49. | comments

This month’s spotlight shines on a quartet of high school basketball players who, in two games more than 1,200 miles apart this season, figured in last-second shots that made no difference in the outcome of either game. With the scores already lopsided, nothing suggested that the few hundred fans or anyone else would remember anything about the games for very long. After the buzzer, however, both shots quickly became YouTube sensations.

This month’s spotlight shines on a quartet of high school basketball players who, in two games more than 1,200 miles apart this season, figured in last-second shots that made no difference in the outcome of either game. After the buzzer, however, both shots quickly became YouTube sensations.

Brooke de Lench

Improving Concussion Safety in High School Football: Promising Developments, But A Long Way To Go

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Sat, 04/27/2013 - 16:14. | comments

It has been a good two weeks for parents looking to make high school football safer, with a number of promising developments. But it is not time to declare victory, and many questions remain to be answered.

The last two full weeks of April 2013 have been a good one for parents looking to make high school football safer, but it is not time to declare victory, and many questions remain to be answered,

Tim Twellman

College Cost = It’s Time for YOU to Set a New Standard!

Submitted by Tim Twellman on Mon, 04/15/2013 - 17:27. | comments

College has become a burden - specifically, a financial burden for families and college graduates all across the United States. At one point in history, receiving a college education was an honor of the highest quality. A college education not only guaranteed you a job but it didn't cost anywhere near what it costs today. In fact, most college students could work their way through college and not have a single cent of debt after graduation.

High school student-athletes and their families need to set a new standard in their college search, says a longtime college soccer coach.

Brooke de Lench

Stricter Enforcement of Rules Against Helmet-to-Helmet Contact: The Time For Action Is Now

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Thu, 04/11/2013 - 13:10. | comments

The most recent consensus statement on concussion in sport (1) states that "rule enforcement may be a critical aspect of modifying injury risk."

Watch any high school football game and you will see a lot of helmet-to-helmet contact in the trenches, much of which has been technically illegal for over three decades. The problem is that penalties are rarely, if ever, called; so much so, that linemen see leading with their helmet, perversely, as a form of self-protection. The time for that to change is now.

Barbara Bleiweis

The (Fork in the) Road to Varsity

Submitted by Barbara Bleiweis on Tue, 04/02/2013 - 19:07. | comments

Love March Madness! Like many of you, from March 19 through April 8th, I am glued to the television, flipping channels and watching my favorite teams. In my case, I ALSO watch my favorite refs. From the opening toss, I pretend I am one of the crew and I make calls all the while comparing my call selection to theirs. The "block" versus "charge" calls are especially fun- and difficult- no matter if calling a Division I mens game or a high school freshman game. Both require split second judgement, positioning, and rules knowledge... with emphasis on the "split second".

Gretchen Rose

Louisville's Kevin Ware: Thinking More About His Team Than His Injury Was A Great Lesson For Easter

Submitted by Gretchen Rose on Tue, 04/02/2013 - 15:02. | comments

Is it just me, or did we just see the Easter Story re-enacted during the Louisville/Duke game on Sunday?

Christian parents around the world lovingly take their children to church and celebrate the Lenten season in the hopes that their children will eventually understand the story of Jesus Christ and the gift of Salvation that he gave to humankind. The religious story is simple: he died so that "we" can live on with a rich spiritual life on earth and in Heaven.

That Louisville's Kevin Ware's first thought after suffering a gruesome injury on Sunday against Duke was for his team, not himself, gave Easter Sunday a whole new meaning for one Texas mom and her 12-year-old son.