Article List
DateSubjectAuthor
06/26/2006 Sports Injuries
All youth sport activities carry the risk of injury. The following table outlines the statistics for various sports activities. Rank Sport Estimated... 		Jeff Farris
06/06/2006 Born in December? Maybe You Aren't Good Enough?
A variety of studies show that the cutoff age for a sport and a child's relative birthdate are two of the largest factors determining future success. Kids born... 		Jeff Farris
05/23/2006 Think You are the First to Complain?
As you read the following letter, please note that it was written 40 years ago. The players involved were 7 years old. See if you think things have changed much... 		Jeff Farris
05/23/2006 Motivating by Fear
Player motivation can come from a variety of sources and in both positive and negative ways. The best professional athletes are always driven by their own... 		Jeff Farris
05/19/2006 Don’t You Wish Your Coach Had Written This?
If only every coach could write this at the end of a youth sports season... "It never gets old. Not just winning, but working with this group of young men. My... 		Jeff Farris
05/12/2006 Dying for Summer
As a child once observed, the sun rises in the summer just like the winter, it just rises more so. Too much sun can bring a bad end to a good time. In order to... 		Jeff Farris
08/03/2005 That Competitive Spirit
Though competition for adults is often about more substantive matters, competition is most intense and pronounced in kids. Every day, kids compete to: Be the... 		Jeff Farris
12/03/2004 Building the Right Physical Foundations
There is no question that the ability to perform well during a game is often dependent on the skills a player develops through practice and repetition. However,... 		Jeff Farris
11/18/2004 Betting a Childhood on Sports
Ask children to draw pictures of themselves as adults and the odds are that you will get back a picture of someone in a sports uniform. Sports and the people... 		Jeff Farris
08/05/2004 Coach’s Code of Conduct
As a coach, I will conduct myself at all times in a way that demonstrates my commitment to the following: Coaches must create a positive and fun environment for... 		Jeff Farris
08/05/2004 Parent’s Code of Conduct
As a parent, I agree to receive the Sports Esteem Email Newsletter and to read the book Building All-Star Kids. During the season, I will: Emphasize fun. I will... 		Jeff Farris
08/05/2004 Player's Code of Conduct
As a player, I will conduct myself at all times in a way that demonstrates my commitment to the following: Players must create a positive and fun environment... 		Jeff Farris
07/05/2004 Frequently Asked Questions
The following attempts to answer some of the more common questions from parents. Q. Why didn't my child seem to get as much playing time as some of the other... 		Jeff Farris
06/05/2004 Team Ice Breakers
Icebreaker #1 - Player Interviews Separate players into groups of two or three. Try to match players with others they do not know. Each person in the group... 		Jeff Farris
06/05/2004 Promoting Better Health for Young People
A Report to the President From the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Our nations young people are, in... 		Jeff Farris
05/05/2004 Managing Your Childs Development
Just as children bring home homework that is beyond what a parent can help with, so young athletes often progress beyond the abilities of a parent. If the... 		Jeff Farris
04/16/2004 Choosing Sports Heroes
When parents hear their child compared to professional athletes, they hope to hear that their child has the moves of Wayne Gretzky or the arm of Brett Favre.... 		Jeff Farris
03/05/2004 Half of All Teams are Going to Lose
Everyone wants to play on winning teams. Yet on any given day, half of all teams will lose or at best play to a tie. For parents of young athletes, dealing... 		Jeff Farris
02/05/2004 Losing Only Teaches You How to Lose
"Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." "If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?" "Losing only teaches you how to... 		Jeff Farris
01/15/2004 What to do When Your Child Doesn't Hustle?
Sooner or later, every parent will have to face the perceived shame and humiliation caused by a child who didn't "hustle" during a game. Most of the other... 		Jeff Farris