Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

INSIDE IOWA STATE
May 18, 2001

Conference focuses on youth success in sports and life

by Kevin Brown
A workshop for parents and coaches who work with young athletes will be held on campus Saturday, June 2.

"Sport for Youth Conference — Changing the Model," is for adults involved in club and school sports, said Rich Engelhorn, associate professor of health and human performance and conference organizer.

"The increase in participation in youth sports has brought an increase in problems related to ill-prepared coaches, parent sportsmanship and early- and over-specialization of children. We will focus on the skills young athletes need to become successful in sports and life," he said.

The main speaker is Jim Thompson, founder and director of the Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University. Thompson wrote Positive Coaching — Building Character and Self-esteem through Sports and Shooting in the Dark — Tales of Coaching and Leadership. He will lead sessions on his coaching concepts.

Also speaking will be Jim Hallihan, executive director of the Iowa Games; Martin Miller, ISU sociologist who leads workshops on developmental coaching; Andrew McKnight, associate director of coaching education for the Iowa Youth Soccer Association; and Mary Meier, an athletic trainer in the Cyclone athletic department.

The workshop is sponsored by the College of Education and the department of health and human performance. It will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Forker Building. Cost is $20, which includes lunch and materials. For more information, contact Engelhorn, 4-8131, e-mail: richarde@iastate.edu.