It's summer again and chances are good you're working at top speed. Kids are out of school, so summer sports camps, team tours and rec programs are in full swing, as are everything from tennis tournaments to 5Ks to swim meets. It all adds up to a full schedule for planners.
But in the midst of our crunch season, it's essential we remember how we got here, and what (or actually, who) keeps us here: the athletes. We love their ever-developing skill, their enthusiasm and their competitiveness. We love the way they've embraced their sports. And (need we say it?) we love the way they keep us busy.
Our most important responsibility -- to sport, to society as a whole and even to ourselves -- is to keep those athletes coming up through the ranks. Get your own athletes together and offer a free afternoon or morning skill clinic at least once this summer to teach local kids about the sport. Maybe it's volleyball, maybe it's lacrosse or swimming or something else. The point is to get kids active and turn them on to all the fun things sports can offer.
Over the last five years, youth and junior age sport competitions have grown while the association convention has declined. While this may seem like a great thing for the sports industry, it has brought challenges to those who are negotiating sites for nationally and even geographically structured events as they grow. more....