Author Description

Welcome to the Wacky, Challenging World of Youth Sports! If you have a child playing sports, this book is written for YOU! Sports parenting is easier said than done. It's difficult to watch our kids play a sport and not have any control over the outcome. And it's challenging to stay calm and supportive while helping our kids navigate the terrain of choices available to them. However, if done properly, this experience can be very rewarding. #HeySportsParents starts off with a segment on Sports Parenting 101 written by Sharkie Zartman covering the basics of parenting a young athlete including the perks and pitfalls of youth sports, how to choose the right program for your child, how to feed a young athlete, what your role is as a parent, coaching your own child, how to navigate the college recruiting process, and a special chapter on stress management. The second segment, The Sports Doctor is In, is written by Dr. Robert Weil, also known as the Sports Doctor. He shares valuable tips on sports safety and the dangers of overtraining and specializing too soon in a sport and also the real dangers of contact sports and concussion. The book also includes two special sections written by sports parenting experts and parents of elite athletes Expert and parent contributors include: Dr. Denise McDermott, Kate Davis, R.D., Janis B. Meredith, Ian Goldberg, Melissa Orth Fray, Dr. Dave Epperson, Robert Andrews, Dr. Steve Horwitz, Dr. Holly Benjamin, Dr. Claire Gross, Kirk Mango, Cat Dols, Nancy Ryan, and Timmer Halligan. Also, Damian Fulton from Dream House Productions contributed twenty one cartoons designed to both educate and entertain. He was also a sports parent and his cartoons will have you both laughing and nodding in agreement. We've all seen some of these sports parents in action. So hang on, and get ready for a wild, unpredictable ride! Make this time with your child the BEST it can be.</p