Will we see commercials called 'Tips From a Former Junk Food Junkie'?
By: Jill Castle, Guest Contributor
Co-author "Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School"
My son brought to my attention an ad campaign launched by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) called “A Tip from a Former Smoker.” If you haven’t seen it, it showcases Terrie, a 51-year-old, thin and frail woman who provides guidance on how she gets ready in the morning. Initially, she speaks to us with a hand over her throat, and proceeds to place a hands-free voice box into the hole in her throat, which helps her speak understandably.
What has happened to respect in youth sports these days?
By: Garrett Pearson, Chapter Management Coordinator
National Alliance for Youth Sports
For more than 10 years I worked in the parks and recreation industry, and oftentimes I found myself coaching in the leagues as volunteerism wavered season to season. What I saw was a growing sense of entitlement among many of the youth sport participants.
What are professional athletes feeding your child?
By: Jill Castle, Guest Contributor
Co-author "Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School"
Wheaties cereal has used top-notch athletes to grace the cover of their box for decades. Now, more than ever, the use of celebrity athletes to endorse food products is mainstream advertising. Michael Phelps and Frosted Flakes. Eli and Peyton Manning promoting Double-Stuff Oreos. Basketball star LeBron James and Sprite.
No doubt, these celebrity athletes can sell the goods.
Do you know what's happening during your child's practices?
By: Greg Bach, VP, Communications
National Alliance for Youth Sports
By now you've seen the shocking footage of Mike Rice, the recently ousted basketball coach at Rutgers, firing basketballs and slinging nasty slurs at his players during practices.
Clearly, Rice has some anger issues which, along with the pressure-packed job of coaching a Division I revenue-producing sport, formed a toxic combination that sparked his off-the-charts behavior and ultimately led to his downfall.
New NFL measures hopefully adopted at youth level, too
By: John Engh, Chief Operating Officer
National Alliance for Youth Sports
It looks like the NFL is taking some extraordinary action this week by addressing more issues with safety and specifically, head injuries. More than any other sport, football has a top down mentality where the divisions below take their lead from what is happening in the levels above. All you have to do is visit any sports bar on any Sunday in the fall to see the impact the NFL has on our society.
Where is nutrition in a coach's game plan?
By: Jill Castle, Guest Contributor
Co-author "Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School "
Brian Wansink, author of "Mindless Eating", identifies the "nutritional gatekeeper" as the individual (usually one parent) who is responsible for the purchase and preparation of the food items allowed and eaten in the home. After all, the food in the house is the food that is eaten.
Can parent-run leagues and city rec programs coexist?
By: Kate Dilworth, Director, Marketing
National Alliance for Youth Sports
Here's the situation: In 2009, Pell City, Ala., decided to stop running in-house youth sports programs entirely. This commonly occurs throughout the country due to budget slashes and staffing cuts many parks and recreation departments are now facing. According to a recent NAYS survey, 88 percent of municipalities have independent youth sports leagues playing at their public facilities.
Are we heading toward a future of no childhood sports?
By: Linda Alberts, Public Relations Coordinator
National Alliance for Youth Sports
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hearing some extreme solutions in reply to the increased awareness of concussions in youth football. From special helmets that claim to reduce the chances of concussions to a politician’s recent proposal for an all-out ban on tackle football for kids 11 and younger, head injuries in football have become a heated topic for discussion.
And it’s about time.
Are convenience foods inconvenient for children?
By: Jill Castle, Guest Contributor
Co-author "Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School"
The advent of convenience foods, especially snacks, has made life quicker and easier for many parents. It’s easy to see their prevalence—just visit an athletic field, a swimming pool or any other sporting venue. Day-Glo candy, orange-colored chips and crackers, and candy-coated granola bars litter the sidelines, and masquerade as “healthy” snacks.
From individually packaged snacks to pre-made mini-lunches, convenience foods were created, in part, to speed up preparation and to keep food fresher for long periods.
Female football phenom NOT what youth sports are all about
By: Greg Bach, VP, Communications
National Alliance for Youth Sports
During Sunday night’s drama-packed Super Bowl telecast there was a shot of a young girl sitting in the suite of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
This 9-year-old was given this prized Superdome seat because she plays youth football – and she happens to play it really well.
So well in fact that her face adorns a Wheaties cereal box and she has been interviewed on ESPN, the NFL Network and Good Morning America, among others.
