A New Season Awaits!

Finally, we are starting to see some positive changes with school sports. Seasons have started and its very exciting for the players as well as parents. My oldest daughter has begun her college basketball season and is so happy to be back on the floor (she missed all of her freshman year due to COVID-19 restrictions). My youngest daughter has started her high school basketball season as well, and the smile on her face is incredible.

Watching them compete is a very rewarding experience as a parent. The key word there is…. watching. Parents are spectators. Not coaches or referees. I have learned over years how to watch and appreciate the game and not chime in with my input, or even get into it with my kid after the game. Staying engaged, encouraging, and supportive is the key to being a good parent of a youth athlete.

This issue is chock full of exciting content. The cover story on the Huerter family is a really good read. This is a great family from my local area. It’s exciting to see a local player make it to the league and he has definitely found his niche. Not to mention the success that his  siblings have had at the high school and collegiate level. It takes a village to make it all come together and the Huerter’s have put in the work. Our feature writer, Josh Cupp, captured their story very well. You’ll definitely want to check out the facility they opened. Impact Athletic Center is a basketball player’s haven and I am excited to play there on a weekly basis.

Thanks to Greg Bach form NAYS (National Alliance for Youth Sports) for his contribution on winter Olympians—heartfelt insights from true competitors. Amy Master from isport360 shares the importance of giving thanks to coaches and the various ways to share appreciation. I love this piece. Especially, around the Holidays.

Our Sports Doctor, Bob Weil, DPM, provides a great piece on universal exercises regardless of your child’s sport. Sports Psychologist, Linda Sterling, PhD, delves into the ever-important topic of social media and the impact and pressure that our athletes have to face today. This is a growing issue that we all need to be aware of.

Thanks to Phil Stotter, CEP, for his overview of technology and when our youth athlete is ready to incorporate that into training. Technology has its benefits and timing is everything. Dr. Peter Gorman discusses winter training for youth baseball and the use of radar to understand speed.

And last but not least, is the contribution form the NATA (National Athletic Trainers’
Association) on sports specialization and youth sports safety—great advice for preventing a potential career killer.

The power of MVP Parent is the credibility and evidenced-based approach that we take to educating parents. This knowledge will help you keep your youth athlete in the game performing at the highest level while allowing you to be the best parent you can be.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, and prosperous season.

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