In an effort to help parents negotiate the increasingly complicated and pressurized world of youth sports, an alliance of local school, sports leagues and service organizations will host a “Community Conversation about Youth Sports” featuring a presentation by noted youth sports expert Dr. Richard Ginsburg. This speaking engagement and Q&A will take place at 7 pm on Thursday, Oct. 20 at Bedford Middle School auditorium at 88 North Avenue in Westport, CT. The presentation is free and open to the public.
Dr. Ginsburg is a faculty member at the Harvard Medical School and the co-director of the PACES (Performance and Character Excellence Institute of Sports Psychology) program at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the co-author of Whose Game Is It, Anyway?, a comprehensive guide that helps parents ensure a positive sports experience for their children.
“Travel teams, early specialization, daily practices and competitive tryouts are dominating our recreational and school sports programs across the country at all levels,” says Dr. Ginsburg. “While there is much attention given to the pressures our sporting culture places on athletes, parents are in need of support to guide their young athletes through these challenging times and endeavors, particularly as athletes move from one developmental stage to the next.”
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The Oct. 20 presentation at Bedford Middle School auditorium is co-sponsored by the Westport PTA Council, the Westport Weston Family Y, Fairfield Country Day School, the Water Rats Parents' Club, Weston Youth Services, Westport Little League Baseball, Westport Police Athletic League, the Westport Public Library and the Lisa and Roger Krakoff family.
“It’s clear there is widespread support from across the community for a positive, constructive and balanced public discussion about today’s sports environment,” says Westport PTA Council Co-President Brett Aronow, speaking for the event organizers. “We hope all parents will be able to benefit from this talk, whether their children are just beginning to engage in recreational-level sports, are entering travel-league competition or are high-school athletes considering whether to continue their participation in college.”
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Dr. Ginsburg provides talks and consultations nationally to youth, high school and collegiate athletic programs. He has addressed parent groups at the 92nd St. Y in New York City and this past spring delivered a talk on youth sports in Darien, CT. His one-hour presentation will be followed by a 30-minute open Q&A session covering topics such as:
- How Much Should I Push My Kids in Sports?
- Is Specialization a Must These Days?
- What to Do When “Silent Sidelines” Are Anything But?
This community event is free and does not require an entry ticket. Those interested in attending are asked to register online at http://youthsporttalkoct20.eventbrite.com/ to help the organizers with on-site logistics.
“As a child psychologist and a parent of three active kids, I found Richard Ginsburg’s message compelling and helpful,” says Annie Zimmerli, a clinical child psychologist based in Fairfield. “Given the amount of time and energy our kids are spending on sports, parents today need some guidance on how to make decisions about sports that are in line with individual family values. This is a discussion that every community should be having with our kids, coaches, parents and teammates. Richard Ginsburg helps us to think about our choices and what we want out of sports for our kids. I highly recommend taking the time to listen to what he has to say.”
For further details regarding Dr. Ginsburg, please visit his website, whosegameisitanyway.com. Copies of Whose Game Is It, Anyway? will be available for sale prior to the speaking engagement ($15, cash or check), with a book-signing session to follow the Q&A.
For more information about the “Community Conversation about Youth Sports” on Oct. 20, please contact Brett Aronow, Co-President, Westport PTA Council, at 203-222-7554 or Scott Smith, Family Y Communications Director, at 203-226-8981, ext. 112.
