1/19/2012

Child-Abuse Prevention Webinars

Register for Feb. 2 Child-Abuse Prevention Webinar for Coaches and Leaders, hosted by PCA and Kidpower

Register for Feb. 9 Child-Abuse Prevention Webinar for Parents, hosted by PCA and Kidpower

How PCA Protects Against Child Abuse in Youth Sports

PCA’s mission of providing all youth athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience entails addressing ways to ensure children’s safety. This concern is heightened by the late 2011 allegations of child sex abuse against prominent coaches and youth sports leaders.

A Founding Member of PCA’s National Advisory Board, and Founder of Common Cause, John Gardner, once said, “There isn’t any other youth institution that equals sports as a setting in which to develop character. There just isn’t. Sports are the perfect setting because character is tested all the time. It means a great deal if that time in sports is well used.”

So many parents involve their children in youth sports precisely because it is THE best place to build character and learn life lessons, such as teamwork and overcoming adversity.  While the alleged abuses are horrific in and of themselves, they also are troubling because they call into question the safety and trustworthiness of the institution of youth sports.

We all, as leaders in the youth sports community, have the opportunity and obligation to make a difference – to do all we can to protect the kids in our programs by intentionally and deliberately creating organizational prevention measures, reporting policies and procedures for dealing with reports of abuse.

To be clear, PCA is not an expert in the area of child abuse prevention. But we are experts in building positive youth sports cultures, and in that vein, we provide youth sports leaders, coaches and parents with the following resources  to make you more aware of and prepared to combat child sexual abuse.

Resources for Youth Sports Parents

Resources for Youth Sports Leaders

Resources for Youth Sports Coaches

via original News Article.

“USS CARL VINSON, At Sea (NNS) — Five “Tigertails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Five (VAW-125), embarked aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17), flew an historic flight on Jan. 25 when they participated in the Navy’s first all-female E-2C Hawkeye combat mission…”

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=65011

Xochi, who is now 11 and lives with her family in the Mission District, performs the ritualistic folk dance based on the legacy of the Aztecs at major events around the Bay Area. She wears the colorful beaded dress, headdress made of exotic feathers and ankle bands adorned with shells.

via Aztec energy flows through S.F. folk dancer.

Parents spend a lot of money on lessons.  Sometimes it’s worth it, and sometimes it’s not.  My mission is to have something AFFORDABLE and WORTH THE MONEY. At Bases Loaded we run a 16-week off-season hitting program.  Each week has a different emphasis.  My favorite week, and the one that I believe our students get the most out of, is by far video week.  When they can see what they are doing, and link that to what you have been telling them, it makes all the difference in the world.

 With that in mind my idea for this site was born.  Send me your video. I will send a personalized video back to you with the feedback you need.  Along with drills to correct the issue and an action plan to make it work.  After that it’s up to you to make it happen.

via Mission Statement – Hit More Line Drives.

You work hard to make sure the kids you serve are learning the skills they need to grow into capable, confident and healthy adults. And the truth is you do it with a limited amount of resources. This is why we are committed to providing you with excellent coaches, support and trainings so you can focus on what matters most. Your kids.

Without you as partners, we would not be able to provide hundreds of kids across California with high-quality sports opportunities with trained and caring coaches. Your dedication means that kids across the state who would normally be left on the sidelines have the chance to get on the field.

This page is for you. Here you will find tools, curriculum, training videos, webinars and more. Need something and cant find it? Contact us at coaching@teamupforyouth.org.

via Partner Resources | CoachingCorps.

Kevin Youkilis Hits For Kids is a charitable organization established by Youkilis in 2007. Youkilis’s foundation focuses on raising support and awareness for the health, advocacy, safety, and medical healing of children across Massachusetts, in his hometown of Cincinnati, and beyond. Rallying the support of volunteers, local business, and the heart of Red Sox Nation, Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids teams with existing, community-based children’s charities and medical research efforts that lack sufficient funding and awareness. One organization that Hits for Kids works with is the Joslin Diabetes Center’s Pediatric Health Services.[145] He has a special sensitivity about youth suicide, since his college roommate, a close and supportive friend of his since high school, committed suicide on Thanksgiving during his sophomore year. To this day, he said, “I sit back at night and wonder what I could’ve done.”[146]

“In my religion, the Jewish religion, that’s one of the biggest things that’s taught, is giving a mitzvah, forming a mitzvah”, said Youkilis. “I was always taught as a kid giving to charity. You’re supposed to give a good amount of charity each and every year…. It’s just a great thing when you can make a kid smile that’s going through some hard times in life … I wish more people, not just athletes, would give people just a little bit of their time. It doesn’t take much … It can make a huge difference.”[147]

After the first game of the ALDS, Youkilis re-shaved his head for good luck in a sign of solidarity with cancer patient Mitt Campbell. Following the team’s 2007 World Series victory, Youkilis shaved his goatee for a $5,000 donation by Gillette to his foundation.[148]

All profits from his charity wine “SauvignYoouuk Blanc”, released in 2008, support Hits for Kids.[149]

via Kevin Youkilis – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

One Hit at a Time

“I was fortunate to grow up with a loving family that supported me in all my endeavors, instilled in me the importance of working hard and showed me the rewards of giving back to the community. As an athlete, I have also been lucky to experience the camaraderie, confidence and pride that comes from being part of a team. These values and experiences are the foundation of Youk’s Kids”

via Youks Kids.