Mark Hyman's Blog, page 13

Answering the ACL epidemic with training, coaching

Should parents invest in specialized sports fitness and skills training for their kid athletes? Usually, I'm a skeptic about such programs. The younger the kids, the more skeptical I am. (Batting lessons for 7-year-olds? Why?)

In Thursday's Washington Post, there's an article worth reading about a training regimen for kids that makes total sense. Its purpose: reducing ACL injuries in girls.

The article relates how Patricia Lake, a "determined Bethesda mom" is protecting her daughter.

The story e...

Coming soon, a national title for high school tennis

Just announced: IMG, the ubiquitous event planner and sports promoter, plans to stage annual high school sports championships at its posh academy for young athletes in Bradenton, Florida.

Steve Wieberg, reporting in Monday's USA Today:

"IMG executives foresee their championships landing on national television, and say they anticipate strong sponsor interest. The company, in partnership with the National High School Coaches Association in Easton, Pa., plans to roll out events in boys' and girls'...

Cash bonuses for five-year-old soccer players

Thanks to Nicole LaVoi for passing along an article on this improbable topic: pay-for-play soccer. The author, Daniel Frankl, Professor School of Kinesiology and Nutritional Science at California State University, cites an email he received last October.

"In essence, the writer whose "children have all played soccer and are now all grown," reported observing soccer parents and other family members "doling out cash…$5.00 to $10.00" as a payoff for scoring a goal. As inappropriate and inexcusabl...

The latest from Cartoon Network and the NBA

I had a similar idea when I was a kid, only the title would have been: "My Dad's a Dentist (and Coaches my Little League Team)."

This post originally published at http://www.youthsportsparents.blogspo...

Little League World Series moves to prime time

ABC has announced that the Little League World Series (US title game) is moving to prime time. That's a first. It'll be on Saturday, August 28.

I like what sports psychologist Richard Ginsburg has written:

"I have a hard time watching 11 and 12 year-old boys playing baseball on national television. In fact, I just change the channel. Don't get me wrong. I love the kids, but are they ready for that kind of exposure? Aren't we exploiting the trials and tribulations of children for adult entertain...

Little League fields will grow, except in Williamsport

Thumbs-up to Little League Baseball for recognizing that it was time to shake things up.

There have been two major changes out of Williamsport in three months, which just about matches the total over the first 70 years. Monday, LLB announced it is creating what amounts to a new league for kids eligible for the traditional Little League 12-year-old program (and 13-year-olds, too), but mature enough to play on a larger diamond. In the spring, local leagues will have the option of moving games to...

Giving coaches a silly reason to run up the score

In Houston last week, a high school basketball game ended with this score: 170-35. At halftime, things were almost as lopsided: 100-12.

The victors were the Yates High School Lions, for whom trouncing opponents comes easily and often. The Houston Chronicle reported that Yates is 14-0 this season and on a 39-game winning streak. The Chronicle also noted that this was the eighth time during the season that Yates had scored more than 100 points and the sixth time its victory margin exceeded 60.

Th...

For the fan in the crib, a Wolverines pacifier

These hard economic times haven't touched one well-conceived company. The Sports Business Journal reports that sales are booming at Babyfans.com, a one-stop Internet shop for licensed infant and toddler team gear. Sales leaped 81 per cent last summer (over summer 08) and company founder Todd Wilson told SBJ, "We're trying to forge a niche, particularly as it relates to getting multiple teams in one location, and think we've really struck on something."

There's a lot to choose from here. Notabl...

A high school golf team and a 10-minute flight

One more look back at 2009. The Washington Post ran this amusing (or sobering) piece on the past year's "Wildest Moments in High School Sports."

I am trying to imagine trying to make these up. And I can't.

Here are a few for the record books.

Allentown, Pa. -- A girls' basketball coach, angered by the heckling of a player's father, was found not guilty of disorderly conduct after he went into the crowd during a game and allegedly placed his hands around the man's neck. "As long as you're yelling...

Dusty Baker to sports parents: Less is more

Now and then, we salute pro athletes doing something needed, important and too rare: calling out overly invested sports parents.

The list grows by one today. Here's Reds manager Dusty Baker, speaking at an event sponsored by the Positive Coaching Alliance, reminding parents that it's not a great idea to pull your child aside to offer a batting tip or pitching secret during a game.

Others pro athletes, coaches, executives who've recently offered similarly sage advice: Wayne Gretzky, Phil Jackson...