Approximately 500 delegates from more than 20 countries worldwide participated
in the third annual International Youth Sports Congress in mid-September
in Indianapolis, Indiana. The delegates took part in more than 20 sessions
encompassing a wide range of issues and topics pertaining to children
and sports that were led
by some of the top experts in their respective fields. Sessions covered
empowering girls through sport, starting kids and parents out right
in sports, conducting criminal background checks on adult volunteers,
sports nutrition keys for optimum health and performance and utilizing
sports as a platform for inclusion, among many others.
Cal Ripken, Jr., one of baseball's all-time greatest players who is
deeply concerned about children and the quality of their sports experiences,
delivered the keynote address to kick off the Congress.
The Congress attendees featured Certified Youth Sports Administrators,
Police Athletic League administrators, park and recreation professionals,
military youth sports directors, private league administrators, key
officials of international sports organizations, representatives from
the YMCA, YWCA and JCC, as well as a contingent of international delegates
from countries across the globe.
Prior to the Congress, high-ranking sports officials from India, France,
Hungary, Nepal, Zambia, Kenya and Morocco, among many other countries,
participated in the International Summit on Youth Sports.
During the Summit the Hon. Loreen Bannis-Roberts, Ministry of Education,
Sports & Youth Affairs in Dominica, discussed how they are working
to make sports and cultural activities safe and positive for children
through Game On! Youth Sports. Game On! Youth Sports is a worldwide
initiative of the National Alliance For Youth Sports (www.nays.org),
which hosted both the Summit and Congress. Game On! Youth Sports creates
opportunities for children worldwide to participate in healthy physical
activities that otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to do so. The
initiative also includes the implementation of training programs for
coaches, parents and administrators to help ensure that youth sports
programs are properly designed and focus on the best interests of children
at all times.
The fourth annual International Youth Sports Congress will be held in
Denver, Colorado, on September 15-18, 2005.
Global Gear Drive targets putting sports equipment in
the hands of underprivileged children worldwide
Underprivileged children around the
world will be receiving much-needed sports equipment, thanks to a new
initiative spearheaded by the National Alliance For Youth Sports.
The Global Gear Drive was created by the Alliance to collect new and
used youth sports equipment that will be distributed to children in poverty-stricken
regions of the world.
"We are looking forward to working with agencies worldwide that
are interested in lending a hand by donating both new and used sports
equipment," said Fred Engh, founder and president of the Alliance.
"By working together we can put soccer balls and basketballs and
other sports equipment in the hands of youngsters and make a tremendous
difference in their lives."
Initially, the Global Gear Drive will focus on obtaining soccer, basketball
and baseball equipment for children in Africa, the Middle East and the
Caribbean, although useable equipment for any sports will be accepted
and distributed.
Sports-related products like stopwatches and flip scoreboards, for
example, will also be accepted, as well as cash gifts that will be used
to purchase new equipment and pay for shipping costs.
For information on donating equipment to the Alliance for distribution
around the world contact Keith Michlig, the Alliance's Director of Marketing
& Community Affairs, at (800) 729-2057; or via email at kmichlig@nays.org.