Chat: Youth Sports Done Right: Creating a Better Environment for Youth Sports

Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005, 3 to 4 p.m (ET)
WHERE: http://www.edweek-chat.org

This chat will focus on the environment of high school athletic events and will use as its jumping off point Maine's Sports Done Right initiative, a national model for creating a more positive athletic experience for young people.

As young athletes increasingly complain about unruly fans, overbearing coaches, and the pressure to perform (on the playing fields and in the classroom), Maine's initiative is designed to instill core principles and supporting practices to guide athletic experiences. The standards include promoting sportsmanship over a win-at-all-costs mentality; increasing opportunities for learning through sports; and holding parents and community members to higher standards and behavior.

The initiative is backed by a $397,000 federal Department of Education grant and has been endorsed by both the state's governor and commissioner of education. School and sports leaders from more than thirty states have requested copies of the initiatives seminal report, "Sports Done Right: A Call to Action on Behalf of Maine's Student Athletes."

As Director of the Maine Center for Sport and Coaching, Karen Brown is guiding the implementation of the Sports Done Right initiative and will be our special guest for the chat. In her role as director Ms. Brown also develops, inplements, and oversees professional development programs to improve the quality of coaching for Maine youth.

Join us for this discussion with Karen Brown. Submit your questions in advance.

No special equipment other than Internet access is needed for this chat. A complete transcript will be posted soon after the chat ends.