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Brady retires on his own terms
I know there are those out there who would liken Tom Brady to Michael Jordan and Brett Favre on a scale of retire-ability. They likely think he chooses to come back from retirement on a whim. I don’t think this is a story of an athlete who just can’t let it go. I think, not…
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Why I started this site
My goal was always to always think about ways to make sport and fitness more accessible and inviting. This took me on a journey to learn more about the field as a researcher, and now I want to start getting my work out to the people who need it most: Everyone who actually works in…
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My thoughts on that viral Little League hug
Perhaps you have seen the video already, that moment that has gone viral. A batter is struck in the head by an errant pitch and falls to the ground. The pitcher is brought to tears. The batter gets up and goes to give the pitcher a hug. The video of that moment is shared again…
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The 8 essential elements for positive youth development settings
In my previous posts, I did a quick run through of what sport-based youth development means. Even quicker: It is basically using sport to promote positive youth development. Now, that means that you need to make sure the environment is set up to maximize positive development. The writers, Eccles and Gootman, identified eight essential features…
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Breaking down sport-based youth development: Supportive environments
As you build out a youth sport program, you definitely need to secure facilities, resources, and players of course. One extra you need to give thought to is the environment. More specifically, how can you craft a supportive environment that is the best for your athletes? A supportive environment is one that is “warm” and…
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So, what exactly is SBYD, anyway?

SBYD= Sport Based Youth Development Programs When you hear about youth sports, you likely hear people talking about how they are great for children, how sports will make them better people. Well, that is not guaranteed. We all have heard about horrible coaching or hazing experiences that have forever altered the course of players’ lives.…
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Breaking down sport-based youth development: Roots in Positive youth development

To better understand what sport-baesed youth development (or SBYD) is you need to understand Positive Youth Development or PYD. PYD forms the basis for sport-based youth development. I have provided a very quick overview. Positive youth development (PYD) is a framework says youth develop to their fullest potential when they are in the right environments.…
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Quick take on sport-based youth development

Sport-based youth development. What does that mean to you? Maybe you have never heard of the term. Or maybe you did a literal dissertation on it and are ready to educate me on what it actually means. In either case, you came to this article to discover something. So, here I am to help. The…