Community Conversation about Youth Sports with Dr. Richard Ginsburg

Dr. Richard Ginsburg is a faculty member at the Harvard Medical School and the co-director of the PACES (Performance and Character Excellence Institute of Sports Psychology) program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Ginsburg provides talks and consultations nationally to youth, high school and collegiate athletic programs. He is the co-author of Whose Game Is It, Anyway?, a comprehensive guide that helps parents ensure a positive sports experience for their children.

“Travel teams, early specialization, daily practices and competitive tryouts are dominating our recreational and school sports programs across the country at all levels,” says Dr. Ginsburg. “While there is much attention given to the pressures our sporting culture places on athletes, parents are in need of support to guide their young athletes through these challenging times and endeavors, particularly as athletes move from one developmental stage to the next.”

In this presentation to parents of young athletes, volunteer parent-coaches and professional teacher-coaches, Dr. Ginsburg will review what he terms “The Three-Step-Approach” (Know Your Child, Know Yourself and Know Your Child’s Environment) as a means to help parents navigate this unpredictable and demanding sports environment in the service of helping their children achieve to their best ability while developing strong and lasting character.

The one-hour presentation will be followed by a 30-minute open Q&A session covering topics such as:

• How Much Should I Push My Kids in Sports?
• Is Specialization a Must These Days?
• What to Do When “Silent Sidelines” Are Anything But?
  

Space is limited! You may reserve a seat by responding to this email invitation. For more information, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Brett Aronow, Chair, Westport PTA Council, at 203-222-7554 or Scott Smith, Family Y Communications Director, at 203-226-8981, ext. 112.

For further details regarding Dr. Ginsburg, please visit his website whosegameisitanyway.com. Copies of Whose Game Is It, Anyway? will be available for sale prior to the speaking engagement, with a book-signing session to follow the Q&A.