For more information, contact:
The St. Louis Sports Commission
314-345-5121
bshulman@stlsports.org

ST. LOUIS SPORTS COMMISSION TO HOST YOUTH SPORTS SUMMIT
ON JAN. 14 AT MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY

FREE EVENT AIMS TO INFORM AND INSPIRE COACHES AND PARENTS TO
IMPROVE SPORTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE REGION

SESSIONS TO ADDRESS TIMELY TOPICS LIKE
SOCIAL MEDIA, SPORTSMANSHIP

            ST. LOUIS – Dec. 22, 2011 – Youth sports coaches, parents and all who care about the well-being of kids in the community are invited to an important – and free – upcoming event.  The St. Louis Sports Commission’s Sportsmanship Initiative hosts its third annual St. Louis Youth Sports Summit on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Maryville University. 

The program, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., offers those connected to youth sports valuable tools, knowledge and resources to help kids enjoy and stay involved in sports.  Sessions will be led by national and local experts addressing timely and relevant topics.  There is no cost to attend, but those who wish to participate are asked to register for the Summit online at www.stlsportsmanship.org or by calling 314-345-5130.  A complimentary continental breakfast is provided for all in attendance.

“If you’re a youth sports coach, parent or league administrator, this is a must-attend event,” said Solomon Alexander, director of the Sports Commission’s affiliated Sports Foundation and Sportsmanship Initiative.  “A driving force for the Summit is the statistic that 70 percent of children quit organized sports by age 13.  We want to change that in St. Louis because kids who participate in sports reap wonderful benefits like character-building values and a decreased risk of obesity.  They also tend to achieve higher results in school and develop excellent interpersonal skills.  The Youth Sports Summit helps coaches and parents create positive sports environments that make sports fun and keep kids involved in athletics.”

Highlights of the Youth Sports Summit include a “keynote pep talk” by former Saint Louis University and Parkway West basketball star Scott Highmark at 9 a.m.  Following his remarks, attendees will have the chance to participate in a series of valuable sessions, including:

• Coaching Leadership:  Led by Kristin Knopik-Gillette, director of the NAIA’s Champions of Character program, “Coaching Leadership” highlights the importance of teaching character in sports and how to use teachable moments to develop character in young athletes. 
  
  

• Parental Discretion is Advised:  An entertaining session that showcases recent less-than-desirable sportsmanship moments and outlines methods for keeping parent and coach behavior from going out of bounds.
  
  

• Sports Parenting:  An engaging 30-minute presentation for parents to learn how to best support their kids in and out of competition.  Olathe, Kan., School District Director of Athletics Lane Green will show parents how to thrive in their role by releasing their children to the game and helping them be the best athletes and citizens they can be.
  
  

• Follow Your Friends:  A discussion on how to use social media as a positive tool in youth sports.  The Sports Commission’s Alexander will help coaches and parents make sense of it all so they can use Facebook, Twitter and Blogger to create positive sports environments for kids.
  
  

• CPR Training:  Representatives from the American Heart Association will present the basics of child CPR and choking relief.

The St. Louis Youth Sports Summit is a program of the Sports Commission’s Sportsmanship Initiative, which informs and inspires those involved in youth sports.  The Initiative seeks to make St. Louis a model community for good sportsmanship and create positive environments for kids to play sports so they remain active and lead healthier, happier lives.  Through several innovative platforms, the Sports Commission reaches out to coaches, parents, fans and young athletes to make youth sports more enjoyable and to reinforce the values of respect, civility, selflessness, integrity and fair play at all levels. 

Earlier this year, the Sports Commission was selected by the Institute for International Sport as one of 20 American organizations that have enhanced the national consciousness of the importance of sportsmanship and have made significant contributions to the practice of fair play.  The list of 20 included ESPN Outside the Lines, Little League Baseball and Softball, the NAIA, the NCAA and USA Today.

The St. Louis Sports Commission is the privately funded nonprofit
organization that benefits St. Louis through sports.

Its mission is to make the St. Louis region a better place to live, visit, work and play through sports.

- www.stlsports.org -