To the editor:
I was very interested to read your article about sports and civility (“Keeping civility in sports isn’t simple,” Jan, 5, 2005). Even at youth sports events, and certainly at high school varsity competitions, there are examples of poor sportsmanship and out of control parents. Positive examples in sports need to start at the youth levels.
Our Lady of Mercy High School will be sponsoring a series of workshops conducted by the Positive Coaching Alliance, beginning on March 21 and 22, 2005. The workshops are for coaches, organizational leaders and parents, and will offer tools to more effectively teach young athletes not only how to win, but also about teamwork, discipline, respect and goal setting through their sports experience. PCA, a Stanford University-based non-profit organization, has worked with hundreds of youth organizations around the country to develop many practical tools and guidelines to help young athletes, their coaches, and their parents realize that winning is reflected in the effort players give, the learning and improvement they achieve, and the ability they develop to bounce back from mistakes, not only in game scores. Mercy is the only high school in New York State to offer these workshops this year.
I hope we would have many coaches and parents interested in coming. CYO basketball coaches reach and teach so many young athletes, and can set the tone for a positive experience, reflecting PCA’s double goal where winning is only one goal.
Kathy Ryan
Chair, Positive Coaching Workshops<BRBlossom Road
Rochester
