BOOK REVIEW: Soccer Tales: Legend of the Shoelace Monster
This is a delightul soccer fable that is written with great passion and joy from Lew Freimark. Although aimed for children, it’s clearly written in a most unusual and fun manner – – and along the way, it introduces the ShoeLace Monster of the soccer pitch. But this allegorical tale really is the story of … Read more
LEGAL CONCERNS: Law Professor Doug Abram’s Analysis of the Lawsuit against an 11-year-old Little Leaguer
WHEN ADULTS SUE AN 11-YEAR-OLD LITTLE LEAGUER FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS By Doug Abrams With perceptive insights from Rick Wolff and attorney Steve Kallas, The Sports Edge did an excellent show on Sunday morning concerning a troubling lawsuit filed recently in Manchester Township, New Jersey. Elizabeth Lloyd and her husband seek thousands … Read more
DANGERS OF LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: 11-Year-old Ballplayer Makes Bad Throw, Gets Sued
The headlines made you do a double-take: “Mom sues 11-year-old Little Leaguer for Errant Throw!” But it’s true. Two years ago, when then 11-year-old Matt Migliaccio was warming up a pitcher in the bullpen at a LL game in Manchester, NJ, he accidentally overthrew the ball back to his teammate. The ball sailed out of … Read more
COACHING TIPS: The Benefits of Being an Assistant Coach
BEING AN ASSISTANT COACH (Part I) By Doug Abrams In the autumn of 1978, I returned to Long Island as a newly minted lawyer, and I looked forward to volunteering as a youth hockey coach, which had already become my hobby. My choice was the Nassau County program at Cantiague Park in Hicksville, where … Read more
CONCUSSION CONCERNS: Pop Warner Steps Up Its Rules about Kids and Hits to the Head
In what amounts to a move that really shouldn’t surprise anyone, Pop Warner Football has announced a number of measures to help protect its young players to try and prevent concussions. This comes, of course, after more than 2,000 lawsuits have been filed by former NFL players against the NFL regarding concussions. Colleges and high … Read more
SPECIALIZATION CONCERNS: Maybe We’re Doing it Wrong here in the US…
For years in this country, active sports parents have instinctively bought into the concept that the sooner your youngster specializes in just one sport, the more accelerated their sports career will become. As a result, we have kids as young as 5 or 6 in this country who are only playing soccer all year round…or … Read more
Crucial Coaching Conversations
By Doug Abrams Normally I do not use this column to reinforce what Rick Wolff discusses on Sunday mornings because his thoughtful commentary about youth sports needs no reinforcement from me. I make an exception here, however, because last Sunday’s show – about what Rick calls “Crucial Coaching Conversations” – recalls a story that has … Read more
Book Review: How to Coach Youth Baseball So Every Kid Wins
Jeff Ourvan is an attorney and literary agent by day, but in his off-hours, he’s clearly a very involved and passionate youth baseball coach. It says on the back cover of his new book that he and his wife have three sons and that he’s coached all three of them on teams. And judging from the … Read more
The Importance of Words: “Crucial Coaching Conversations”
I call them the three “C”s — Crucial Coaching Conversations — and they are at the very basis of effective sports parenting. Whether you’re a coach at the amateur level, or a sports parent, you always hear about how important it is to communicate well with your athletes. Problem is, while everybody agrees with that … Read more
"The Sports Edge"
Doug Abrams
Rick Wolff
Steve Kallas
