Team of Experts

Abuse in youth sports takes four basic forms: physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Unfortunately, all forms of abuse are common and the damage from the most common form of abuse (emotional abuse) is no less real than the damage resulting from other forms of abuse.

Studies have shown that among the many effects of physical abuse are depression, anxiety, cognitive and learning difficulties, even a lowering of IQ (especially verbal IQ), disordered sleep, flashbacks, loss of empathy, aggressive behavior, chronically high stress levels which can lead to chronic health effects such as high blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and inability to maintain relationships.

The practice of cutting athletes from middle or high school teams, while it has existed for at least fifty years, is arguably the most controversial practice in youth sports. While the arguments proponents advance in favor of cutting are well-known, the practice is outmoded and needs to be re-examined in light of twenty-first century realities.

Because one of the keys to keeping athletes safe when it comes to concussion is education, a concussion education and safety meeting should be held for parents and athletes should be held before every season. Ideally, the meeting should include presentations by medical doctors, former athletes, and parents of concussed current or former athletes.

With pre-season practices beginning around the country for fall sports such as football and soccer which have high concussion rates, it is important for parents and athletes to be on the same page as the coaches and medical staff on the subject of concussions. The best way is for the coach to hold a concussion education and safety meeting for parents and athletes before every season.

Wanting to win is understandable. But in Doug Abrams' fourth annual countdown of top youth sports stories, five examples of exceptional sportsmanship involving disabled athletes confronting special challenges serve as a reminder to all of us that the final score is much less important than it seems.

It’s the biggest fear of anybody who runs an urban athletic program, and it just happened in Chicago. A group of gang-bangers with no affiliation with your school or program decide to bring their foolishness into your gym.