At last! An online college recruiting service that makes sense!
If you have a youngster in HS who aspires someday to play sports in college, I do hope you had a chance to listen to the Sports Edge this AM. I had the opportunity to speak with Vish Prabhakara, the young CEO of BeRecruited.com, and I must admit that I came very impressed with how … Read more
Equal Playing Time Before Middle School (Part III): Protecting Players Emotional Safety
By Doug Abrams For the past two weeks, I have discussed the importance of equal playing time in games below the middle school age. Last week, Part II said that youngsters who participate fully in each game finish the season with permanent recollections of camaraderie and accomplishment. This week’s column explains how equal playing time … Read more
Another Top HS Prospect Gets Burned by the Internet…When are these kids going to learn?
For the past several years, we’ve been preaching on WFAN’s The Sports Edge that kids have to be EXTRA diligent when it comes to using social media. Whether they’re posting comments or photos on their Facebook account, or sending text messages, or posting comments on Twitter, they have to be aware that once something is sent … Read more
Equal Playing Time Before Middle School (Part II): Why Youth League Coaches Should Think Years Ahead
By Doug Abrams Last week I added my voice to others who have advocated equal playing time on youth league teams below the middle school age. I said that chronic benchwarming is an unacceptable price to pay for a chance at victory in elementary schoolers’ games whose scores will soon be forgotten anyway. At this … Read more
Why Force Talented HS Soccer Players to Choose Between their School team and Travel Program?
We all know that life is full of choices – many of them quite difficult — so why put talented soccer players in an awkward spot where they have to choose between two passions? Playing for their HS team or their US Soccer Academy travel team? But that’s what’s happening with increasing frequency around the country. … Read more
Equal Playing Time Before Middle School (Part I)
By Doug Abrams For years now, leading voices have urged youth league coaches to assure each team member equal playing time in every game, particularly in age levels below middle school. Rick Wolff, for example, says that equality serves the needs and expectations of both parents and their children. “When parents come to watch their … Read more
Are You Okay with Public Schools Charging for Team Tryouts?
In an effort to defray the soaring costs of HS sports, I had read where some scbools in the Midwest were now charging kids a fee of $50 if they wanted to try out for a school team. As was pointed out on my radio show this AM, parents routinely fork over anywhere from $30 to … Read more
The Five Most Inspiring Youth Sports Stories of 2011
By Doug Abrams As the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics prepared for game four of the 2008 National Basketball Association finals, the coaches – the Lakers’ Phil Jackson and the Celtics’ Doc Rivers – wrote an editorial in the San Jose Mercury News. The joint editorial offered no insights into the NBA playoffs. … Read more
"The Sports Edge"
Rick Wolff
Steve Kallas
Doug Abrams
