Honoring young athletes and the organizations that serve them, the National Council of Youth Sports – through a collaboration with youth sports technology leader, SportsEngine – will host National Youth Sports Week, Oct. 24-29, dedicated to educating and inspiring parents, coaches, volunteers, and administrators.
The six-day celebration will incorporate both virtual and live events, which will promote topics including the importance of child safety, excellence in coaching, and health & wellness. Each day will be themed with content and activities presented in partnership with NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine, TrueSport, Positive Coaching Alliance, National Center for Safety Initiatives, and LakePoint Sports. The event is free and open to the public.
“National Youth Sports Week is an unprecedented initiative to Mobilize our country in collective impact, Engage more young people physically, and Communicate youth sports benefits and how they help to create a healthier society,” said Wayne B. Moss, National Council of Youth Sports Executive Director. “Safety is foundational to the youth sports experience and protecting young people should be our collective top priority.”
National Youth Sports Week agenda includes both virtual and live events, including learning webinars, award nominations, tip sessions for coaches & administrators, ideas & checklists for families, and participation activities. Additionally, SportsEngine will host a special edition of For the Love of Sport podcast focusing on information and resources about keeping young athletes safe.
Monday, Oct. 24
NCYS will kick off the week’s activities by sharing insight and information about the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports. Attendees will be encouraged to share what they have learned on social media, using the hashtag #nationalyouthsportsweek.
Tuesday, Oct. 25
Coaches Day by Positive Coaching Alliance will provide tips about how to be an effective coach, as well as opportunities to sign up as a volunteer. Also offered will be a coaching webinar, titled “Develop Winners in Life Through Sports,” as well as access to select courses within the PCA’s curriculum. Training also will be made available courtesy of the CoachSafely Foundation.
Wednesday, Oct. 26
Athlete Health & Wellness Day by TrueSport will highlight tools, resources, and content that support a healthy athlete in body and mind. Learn about nutrition and habits that promote good mental health.
Thursday, Oct. 27
Sport Safety Day by NCSI (National Center for Safety Initiatives) will promote the importance of safety on and off the field through background screening, abuse prevention and training, concussion awareness, and more. The day will culminate with a live webinar, bringing industry leaders from the U.S. Center for SafeSport, USA Lacrosse, and USA Artistic Swimming to discuss The Future of Safety (in youth sports). The panel will begin at 2 p.m. ET. Registration is open to all organizations, administrators, volunteers, coaches, and parents.
Friday, Oct. 28
Spirit Day by SportsEngine provides an opportunity for athletes, coaches, and parents to win prizes by showing their team pride by wearing their team jerseys or spirit wear and sharing it on social media. Also, they can learn about some of sports’ greatest traditions and how to create their own.
Saturday, Oct. 29
Play Day by NCYS invites youth sports enthusiasts in the greater Atlanta area for an in-person experience at the 1,300-acre LakePoint Sports campus in Emerson, Ga. The day will be hosted by Olympic Champion sprinter Sanya Richards-Ross and will offer participation activities for young athletes and their families in basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, and futsol. Joining Richards-Ross will be members from the Harlem Globetrotters and Freddie Falcon from the Atlanta Falcons NFL team. Richards-Ross also will host an autograph session.
For more information on National Youth Sports Week and to register for various activities throughout the week, visit the event schedule on the National Council for Youth Sports website.