A SCOUT'S PERSPECTIVE - OBSERVATIONS & RUMINATIONS

                                                     Chris & Heather Herren & their 3 kids. Sat down on Tuesday night, November 1, 2011 to watch ESPN's feature on Chris Herren, entitled "Unguarded." About 30 minutes into it my 11 year old son walked into the house and started watching it with me. He had a lot of homework, but I thought this documentary was more important for him to watch than doing his homework. Why? Most young kids only see the glamorous side of sports when they watch a top flight college or pro athlete in person or on television. I wanted him to see the darker side of life and the sports world. I wanted him to see what can happen to an individual when he is unable to say "no" to temptation, drugs, alcohol, negati...

It's that time of the year again. March Madness! High School playoffs are happening across the country. Conference tournaments abound. In California, we get a double dose of fun. Both high school soccer and basketball playoffs are in full bloom. One thing that most, not all of these playoff or tournament games share, is that it will be the end of the season for one of the teams, the last time that these athletes and coaches will ever be together. That fact alone heightens the intensity of the majority of these contests and piques the curiosity and attention of so many.      COACH STEVE FINAMORE I was reminded of the down side of March when I heard that Coach Steve Finamore's East Lansing Spartans lost their first round district game on 3/7/11 to Okemos High School. This is Steve's first year coaching at ELHS. Previously, he has been a head coach at the Junior College level and an assistant in college. His team had a sensational year under his guidance. They were...

I volunteered to be a youth soccer (AYSO) coach the second year (2001) my daughter played soccer. I was an assistant coach that year and in 2002 I decided to become a head coach. Since then, I have always been a head coach to all of my daughter's or son's regular season teams (13). I coach for many reasons, but the main reason I coach youth sports is because it allows me to bond and communicate my philosophy of sports and life to my children and other children. My daughter no longer plays soccer. She gave up soccer after playing it in her freshman year of high school to try basketball. She had an outstanding year as a member of her school's JV team, and if she decides to play next year, can be a valuable interior player on the varsity.  The sport that she loves is volleyball and she is currently training with a club volleyball team.  Soccer was her primary sport as a youth.  When parents ask me what's the first team sport their child should do, I reco...

Dr. Lorraine Johnson Williams is the guiding force behind Track Mom, which is one of my favorite Youth Sports sites. Lorraine asked her readers to write about their most memorable track and field experience in 2010.  I penned the following article for her web site, which she titled  "Don't Worry Dad." My most memorable track and field experience had nothing to do with actually witnessing a track event, but everything to do with my son's response to an event he ran for the first time in his life at the SCA Junior Olympic Track and Field Meet in Cerritos, CA on 6/12/10. His response, "Don't worry about it dad, we know what I did and that's all that matters." Garrett is an outstanding athlete. He also participates in soccer, basketball, and flag football. Track and Field was the first sport that Garrett wanted to do without me suggesting that he do it. He had to find his way in track and field. Garrett thought he was fast...