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Brooke de Lench

Youth Sports: Abuse Takes Many Forms

Abuse in youth sports takes four basic forms: physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Unfortunately, all forms of abuse are common and the damage from the most common form of abuse (emotional abuse) is no less real than the damage resulting from other forms of abuse.

Physical Abuse in Youth Sports Can Leave Emotional Scars

Studies have shown that among the many effects of physical abuse are depression, anxiety, cognitive and learning difficulties, even a lowering of IQ (especially verbal IQ), disordered sleep, flashbacks, loss of empathy, aggressive behavior, chronically high stress levels which can lead to chronic health effects such as high blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and inability to maintain relationships.

Getting Cut From A Sports Team

The practice of cutting athletes from middle or high school teams, while it has existed for at least fifty years, is arguably the most controversial practice in youth sports. While the arguments proponents advance in favor of cutting are well-known, the practice is outmoded and needs to be re-examined in light of twenty-first century realities.

Concussion Bill of Rights #1: Mandatory Pre-Season Concussion Safety Meeting

Because one of the keys to keeping athletes safe when it comes to concussion is education, a concussion education and safety meeting should be held for parents and athletes should be held before every season. Ideally, the meeting should include presentations by medical doctors, former athletes, and parents of concussed current or former athletes.

Pre-Season Concussion Safety Meetings: Every Team Should Have One

With pre-season practices beginning around the country for fall sports such as football and soccer which have high concussion rates, it is important for parents and athletes to be on the same page as the coaches and medical staff on the subject of concussions. The best way is for the coach to hold a concussion education and safety meeting for parents and athletes before every season.

New Concussion Study Highlights Need For More Education, Stricter Return To Play Guidelines

A new study in the journal Pediatrics contains some good news and bad news.

A new study in the journal Pediatrics contains some good news and bad news about sports concussion safety.

Winter Can Be A Wonderland, But Safety Comes First

Winter wonderland from the officeI think I may be doing a lot of writing this winter from my home office, by the looks of it. It seems like just yesterday that I was listening to the hummingbirds three feet away from my desk. Today the snow falls deep, giving me an opportunity to take it slow,  and have fun snow shoeing in the winter wonderland.

MomsTeam: Past, Present, and Future

MomsTeam.com founder and editor-in-chief, Brooke de Lench, talks about how MomsTeam got started and its plans for the future.

Competitive Sports: Never Too Late To Achieve Success

Two thought provoking sports stories crossed my desk this week.

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