The official start to the Pop Warner football season was August 1st, but it has been a rough beginning leading to today's opening day game.
Besides weather that has gone from insanely humid to thunderstorms, we have had a rise in registrations for cheerleaders as well as our flag football teams and 7-9 tackle football teams.
Today's opening day was interesting. The game location had to be changed to our field for unknown reasons, which was good for me, and the rain held off for the day.
I think that overall everyone had fun today. What was important was that all athletes were encouraged to get out there and do their best, regardless of the score. That is what we want to encourage in all of our athletes so that develop respect for the game, themselves, and their opponents.
Go Bulldogs!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
How to Keep Kids Fit and Healthy Over the Summer
How to Keep Kids Fit and Healthy Over the Summer
By Wendy Stewart, aka Coach Wendy
If your kids are like my little brother, then they are likely to have at least one gaming system to choose from and the ability to find age-appropriate games on the computer. Because of this young tech-savviness, it can be hard to get kids out and active when school is out for the summer.
Having a Nintendo Wii is a great place to start as far as gaming platforms because it is designed to keep you active. But what you don’t have a Wii? What options are available for you to keep your child both active and out of trouble during the summer months?
1. Sports Camps
Whether or not your child actually participates in a particular sport, sometimes it’s good for them to get exposure to other sports. In high school I was a 3-sport athlete and enjoyed making a fool out of myself with sports where I did not have as much skill (volleyball).
So, although your child may be a die-hard football player, help him expand his horizons by trying out other sports like soccer or baseball.
You can also get your child into camps that work on skills for the sports in which they already participate. That’s what I did for my sister last summer. One of her sports is basketball, so I signed her up for skills camp. It was 5 days, all day, and not very costly at only $100. She had a great time.
2. YMCA Camps
Your local YMCA has classes for kids going on all year long, but they have a great selection of summer camps. The camps vary by age and location, but be sure to sign up early in order to take advantage of any discounts.
You should also be able to get a discount if your family is a member of the YMCA and this will give you a place to get fit as well.
3. Visit the local park
While this sounds like a common sense thing to do, so many people do not do it. Just take a trip to your local park, which is free, and take some time to get active with your kids.
They can bring bikes, skates, and skateboards, play on the playground or just run around for fun. By the way, you can do those things as well!
Be sure to take plenty of water and food if you are going to be there for a few hours.
4. Send the kids outside
One thing that many of us do is let the kids sit in the house too long. Whether it’s because we think the neighborhood isn’t safe or because there is not a place close by for them to play, we don’t realize how important it is for kids to get moving.
Sending them outside may mean that you have to be out there with them to ensure their safety, but that is a small price to pay for the health and well being of your children.
5. Enroll in a sports team
This is the summer/fall mainstay of my brother and sister. My brother plays Pop Warner football and my sister is a Pop Warner cheerleader (yes, the same sister who plays basketball). In addition, I volunteer as a cheer coach and my mother volunteers as a Team Mom. This way, the whole family gets involved in the activities and that gives a tremendous mental boost to my brother and sister.
Pop Warner is not the only league out there, but there are many teams that begin to have sign ups around spring break so that they can hit the ground running when school is over. Some teams even begin before school is over (like my brother's little league team). Take advantage of these teams to give your kids some activity, help them make new friends, and try something new if this is a new sport for them.
Following these 5 suggestions are great ways to help you get started with keeping your kids fit and healthy over the summer. Also, remember that keeping them fit and healthy can also be good for you too, as it may spark in interest in you to try something new!
*Coach Wendy, Running and Weight Loss Coach, Youth Fitness Coach, and Host of the podcast "Running For Weight Loss."
The podcast is available whenever you want at http://runningforweightlosspodcast.com
Follow me on Twitter
Friend Me On Facebook
Join me on Linked In
Check out Coach Wendy's Running for Weight Loss Blog
By Wendy Stewart, aka Coach Wendy
If your kids are like my little brother, then they are likely to have at least one gaming system to choose from and the ability to find age-appropriate games on the computer. Because of this young tech-savviness, it can be hard to get kids out and active when school is out for the summer.
Having a Nintendo Wii is a great place to start as far as gaming platforms because it is designed to keep you active. But what you don’t have a Wii? What options are available for you to keep your child both active and out of trouble during the summer months?
1. Sports Camps
Whether or not your child actually participates in a particular sport, sometimes it’s good for them to get exposure to other sports. In high school I was a 3-sport athlete and enjoyed making a fool out of myself with sports where I did not have as much skill (volleyball).
So, although your child may be a die-hard football player, help him expand his horizons by trying out other sports like soccer or baseball.
You can also get your child into camps that work on skills for the sports in which they already participate. That’s what I did for my sister last summer. One of her sports is basketball, so I signed her up for skills camp. It was 5 days, all day, and not very costly at only $100. She had a great time.
2. YMCA Camps
Your local YMCA has classes for kids going on all year long, but they have a great selection of summer camps. The camps vary by age and location, but be sure to sign up early in order to take advantage of any discounts.
You should also be able to get a discount if your family is a member of the YMCA and this will give you a place to get fit as well.
3. Visit the local park
While this sounds like a common sense thing to do, so many people do not do it. Just take a trip to your local park, which is free, and take some time to get active with your kids.
They can bring bikes, skates, and skateboards, play on the playground or just run around for fun. By the way, you can do those things as well!
Be sure to take plenty of water and food if you are going to be there for a few hours.
4. Send the kids outside
One thing that many of us do is let the kids sit in the house too long. Whether it’s because we think the neighborhood isn’t safe or because there is not a place close by for them to play, we don’t realize how important it is for kids to get moving.
Sending them outside may mean that you have to be out there with them to ensure their safety, but that is a small price to pay for the health and well being of your children.
5. Enroll in a sports team
This is the summer/fall mainstay of my brother and sister. My brother plays Pop Warner football and my sister is a Pop Warner cheerleader (yes, the same sister who plays basketball). In addition, I volunteer as a cheer coach and my mother volunteers as a Team Mom. This way, the whole family gets involved in the activities and that gives a tremendous mental boost to my brother and sister.
Pop Warner is not the only league out there, but there are many teams that begin to have sign ups around spring break so that they can hit the ground running when school is over. Some teams even begin before school is over (like my brother's little league team). Take advantage of these teams to give your kids some activity, help them make new friends, and try something new if this is a new sport for them.
Following these 5 suggestions are great ways to help you get started with keeping your kids fit and healthy over the summer. Also, remember that keeping them fit and healthy can also be good for you too, as it may spark in interest in you to try something new!
*Coach Wendy, Running and Weight Loss Coach, Youth Fitness Coach, and Host of the podcast "Running For Weight Loss."
The podcast is available whenever you want at http://runningforweightlosspodcast.com
Follow me on Twitter
Friend Me On Facebook
Join me on Linked In
Check out Coach Wendy's Running for Weight Loss Blog
Monday, April 20, 2009
Can You Do the Hoedown Throwdown?
Thanks to the "Hannah Montana" movie, even I, Coach Wendy, has learned the steps to the big dance number, "Hoedown Throwdown." It's basically a country line dance and I pulled the video from You Tube to originally learn the steps along with Miley Cyrus and her choreographer.
This could be a fun thing for your kids to do as well. Of course, once you get the steps down and learn the words, then it gets easier. Then it gets more fun to see if you can do the dance full speed along with the song (still working on that).
Here's the video from You Tube and let me know if you can get the dance! Have fun!
-- Coach Wendy
Youth Fitness Coach
This could be a fun thing for your kids to do as well. Of course, once you get the steps down and learn the words, then it gets easier. Then it gets more fun to see if you can do the dance full speed along with the song (still working on that).
Here's the video from You Tube and let me know if you can get the dance! Have fun!
-- Coach Wendy
Youth Fitness Coach
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tips for Coaching Girls Sports
Check this out from the Women's Sports Foundation:
1. Encourage girls to get dirty: Little girls can tackle, dive into headers, snag rebounds in traffic and be tough just like boys – if they are coached to. Give the girls you coach room to be as strong as they can be within the parameters set by the rules of the game.
2. Set clear goals: Individually and as a team, kids need focus for their energies. To facilitate progress, set clear, concise goals for every practice and game. Make sure goals are attainable and relevant to the skills and tactics your team needs to work on.
3. Evaluate progress regularly: Setting goals is only the first step. Evaluating strides each player made in a given direction is equally important to improvement. Girls need to know when they have achieved – so they remain engaged and enthusiastic. On the other hand, girls need to know when they have fallen short of their goals – so they can alter their effort or approach next time.
4. Be mindful of social dynamics: Sports don't exist in a social vacuum at any level. Crushes, cliques and power dynamics come to practice every day, like it or not. Observe your group and work to understand what social forces are affecting their progress. Exploit positive behaviors (leadership, support, honesty) and intervene to diffuse negative behaviors (bullying, isolation, caddiness).
5. Take a process-oriented approach: The athletic development of kids is slow to come when wins and losses are the success gauge of a season. Concentrate on how to shoot the ball rather than whether or not a goal is scored. Focus on fundamental skills, tactics and strategies over the obsessed-about victory.
6. Respect each players' contribution: Every player on your team has something to offer the group – whether it's a positive attitude, a fast 100-yard dash or a smart play. It's your job to find each girl's strength and encourage it to shine. Learn to highlight all contributions – physical, emotional and mental.
7. Create expectations: Before your season begins, let players know what expectations you have of them (timeliness, effort, equipment) and let them know what they can expect of you (feedback, support, communication). Create a predictable environment to support their learning.
8. Set an example of sportsmanship: Your treatment of officials, opponents and fans will undoubtedly be noted and mimicked – by both players and parents. Recognize your role and make a commitment to respecting the spirit of the game and all those involved.
9. Help parents understand their supporting role: Parental support is a key to a successful season. However, parental meddling in coaching details is a sure sign of trouble. Communicate your goals and expectations with parents – but demand autonomy in coaching practices and decisions.
10. Focus on fun: After all, that's what playing is all about, right?
Ten Tips for Coaching Girls' Sports
Every coach a girl has will undoubtedly leave an impression on her. Here are some suggestions to get you on the road to creating a positive experience for blossoming athletes.
1. Encourage girls to get dirty: Little girls can tackle, dive into headers, snag rebounds in traffic and be tough just like boys – if they are coached to. Give the girls you coach room to be as strong as they can be within the parameters set by the rules of the game.
2. Set clear goals: Individually and as a team, kids need focus for their energies. To facilitate progress, set clear, concise goals for every practice and game. Make sure goals are attainable and relevant to the skills and tactics your team needs to work on.
3. Evaluate progress regularly: Setting goals is only the first step. Evaluating strides each player made in a given direction is equally important to improvement. Girls need to know when they have achieved – so they remain engaged and enthusiastic. On the other hand, girls need to know when they have fallen short of their goals – so they can alter their effort or approach next time.
4. Be mindful of social dynamics: Sports don't exist in a social vacuum at any level. Crushes, cliques and power dynamics come to practice every day, like it or not. Observe your group and work to understand what social forces are affecting their progress. Exploit positive behaviors (leadership, support, honesty) and intervene to diffuse negative behaviors (bullying, isolation, caddiness).
5. Take a process-oriented approach: The athletic development of kids is slow to come when wins and losses are the success gauge of a season. Concentrate on how to shoot the ball rather than whether or not a goal is scored. Focus on fundamental skills, tactics and strategies over the obsessed-about victory.
6. Respect each players' contribution: Every player on your team has something to offer the group – whether it's a positive attitude, a fast 100-yard dash or a smart play. It's your job to find each girl's strength and encourage it to shine. Learn to highlight all contributions – physical, emotional and mental.
7. Create expectations: Before your season begins, let players know what expectations you have of them (timeliness, effort, equipment) and let them know what they can expect of you (feedback, support, communication). Create a predictable environment to support their learning.
8. Set an example of sportsmanship: Your treatment of officials, opponents and fans will undoubtedly be noted and mimicked – by both players and parents. Recognize your role and make a commitment to respecting the spirit of the game and all those involved.
9. Help parents understand their supporting role: Parental support is a key to a successful season. However, parental meddling in coaching details is a sure sign of trouble. Communicate your goals and expectations with parents – but demand autonomy in coaching practices and decisions.
10. Focus on fun: After all, that's what playing is all about, right?
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Did You Know?
Research shows that girls who participate in sports are more likely to experience
academic success and graduate from high school than those who do not.
Women's Sports Foundation Report: Minorities in Sports, 1998
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Children and BMI
BMI, or Body Mass Index is one of the most widely used initial assessments in adults for determining if an individual is overweight or obese.
However, in children, this is different.
Here are the guidelines according to the CDC:
However, in children, this is different.
Here are the guidelines according to the CDC:
For children and adolescents (aged 2–19 years), the BMI value is plotted on the CDC growth charts to determine the corresponding BMI-for-age percentile.
- Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile.
- Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex.
These definitions are based on the 2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United States and expert committee.7 A child’s weight status is determined based on an age- and sex-specific percentile for BMI rather than by the BMI categories used for adults. Classifications of overweight and obesity for children and adolescents are age- and sex-specific because children’s body composition varies as they age and varies between boys and girls.
You can visit the CDC's website to see the growth charts and the child and teen BMI calculator for children and teens aged 2-19.
Calorie Burn
Did you know that you can burn an average of 30% more calories when you exercise outside rather than inside?
That's even more reason to go and play outside!
That's even more reason to go and play outside!
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