Young athletes shine, too
Toolbox
Published: November 3, 2009
In recent weeks I have been promoting the accomplishments of area youth teams, the unheralded kids from middle school up to the JV level, who typically fly well under the media radar.
A number of people have approached me on the street or written me to question whether or not my singular focus on "winning" is appropriate at these grade levels.
It's true; I have highlighted success to the unfortunate exclusion of deeper inquiry into issues of sportsmanship, teamwork, positive coaching and other essential virtues of the youth sporting world.
Fortunately, there is still time. I have every intention of following the venerable sports writer Dave Morse of the Hardwick Gazette deep into my Third Age with this column.
In future columns I will dig a mile deeper and a mile wider into these subjects.
One of the most thoughtful responses I received came from Amy Molina, U-32's Athletic Director.
She noted in a lengthy e-mail: "When you herald "winning" youth programs, you put pressure on kids, parents and coaches to win instead of concentrating on the more important parts of youth sports."
To promote winning at the youth level sends wrong messages, she said.
"Winning is important, but the process is what counts the most."
"Most of our school-based programs are about participation, building skills and enjoying the sport," she said. "Most of the local coaches are charged with playing everyone and making that work."
Molina is particularly concerned when she hears feedback from parents to the effect "that we should not worry about equity of playing time or teaching fundamentals, but we should be thinking about 'winning so that we can have undefeated seasons and get our names in the paper.'"
What's a columnist to do? Here is what Molina recommends:
"Please promote the coaches who are doing it right at the youth level, and that means teaching skills, sportsmanship and integrity. It means making sure that all participants get a chance to be involved — not in the last minute of a football game or when the basketball game is a blowout. How about starting a discussion on the virtues and values of having mandatory coaching education at all youth levels? How about a discussion as to how we can reform youth sports so that they return to the educational value of teaching teamwork, commitment and ethics?"
I'd like to begin this deeper enquiry by asking my readers to submit the names of the extraordinary coaches they believe are presently "getting it right."
These are the men and women coaches who have struck the profound balance between character building and competitive success.
These are the coaches whose gifts are such that their finest achievement is churning out kids who will yearn as adults to give back to the youth sporting world the teachings of their former coaches.
As the names and testimonies accumulate I will pass along to readers the stories of these coaches who have "won" at every level of the game.
Beneath the radar: Barre soccer girls flying high
? Congrats to the Spaulding J.V. girl's soccer team that finished their season with an eight-game winning streak en route to a 10-4 overall record.
Coach Jamal Jacobs' comments: "Our team had three great captains, Courtney Lawson, Taylor Bellavance and Olivia Baker. Goal keeper Taisha Pelkey helped to post seven shut-out wins, and freshman Conner LaFrance had six goals and six assists. This group was great to be around and I look forward to monitoring their growth as they climb through the ranks to become outstanding varsity players."
? Kudos to the Barre Town seventh-grade girls' soccer team just completed a 10-0 season, outscoring their opponents 50-8. The team was led by captains Megan LeCours, Julia Ormsby and Morgan Gosselin. The team of 26 girls was coached by Phil Joyal and Sarah Chap.
? Tip of the hat to the BYSA fifth- and sixth-grade Green team which posted a 5-1 record, led by Tori Biondolillo, who netted 27 goals in 6 games. This is a group that had a run of 28-2 over the past five years.
Coach John Biondolillo comments: "We were fortunate to have Paul Hutchins, who is the Chairman of the Board of Capital Soccer, volunteer to assist me coaching the team this year. Paul is an awesome coach. I think he helped Haley McNally become the premier goalie in our league. With Haley in the net and Tori running the field, the outcome of most of the games was never in much doubt."
Puzzler No. 142
Last week I asked a few historical questions for the Phillies fans amongst us.
1. What was the nickname of the 1950 World Series champion Phillies? Answer: "The Whiz Kids," led by former Montpelier, Vermont, pitcher, and 20-game winner, Robin Roberts, whose name embellishes a plaque at the Montpelier Recreation Field stands.
2. The Phillies are seeking to become only the third NL team to repeat. What NL team was the last one to win back-to-back championships? Ans: The 1975 and 1976 Cincinnati Redlegs, the first "Big Red Machine."
3. The 1950 Phillies were led by a pioneer closer, a bespectacled reliever whose 22 saves at the time were the second-most in history. Who was that guy? Ans: Jim Konstanty, who. Sean Bradley informs me, was providentially born in Strykersville, New York.
4. What former AL manager said: "As far as the similarities between the Philly club and the Yankees, there's a lot of fearlessness."? Ans: Joe Torre. Second best guess: Casey Stengel
Congrats to Sean Bradley, Jan Gantzhorn, Jim Slotter, Larry Abbott, and Peter Youngbaer, a diehard Phillies fan from "Plainphield."
Youngbaer tells me he still has the newspaper photo of himself with Richie Ashburn (by then a TV announcer), Phillies catcher Clay Dalrymple and three other kids on the infield at Connie Mack Stadium during the regular Saturday pre-game TV quiz show.
This week's Puzzler question is the one asked to those Whiz Kids, of which Youngbaer was the only one to answer correctly.
Puzzler No. 143
In 1961, who was the only active player-coach in the American League? Hint: AL East.
Bonus: Who was the Phillies player who once hit the same person with two foul balls in the same at-bat?
Send your sporting news and Puzzler answers to jimhiggins@pshift.com.
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