The modern day youth sports environment has taken the enjoyment out of athletics for our children. Currently, 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 13, which has given rise to a generation of overweight, unhealthy young adults. There is a solution. John O’Sullivan shares the secrets of the coaches and parents who have not only raised elite athletes, but have done so by creating an environment that promotes positive core values and teaches life lessons instead of focusing on wins and losses, scholarships, and professional aspirations. Changing the Game gives adults a new paradigm and a game plan for raising happy, high performing children, and provides a national call to action to return youth sports to our kids.

A 2022 Choice Reviews Outstanding Academic Title Dispels the myths surrounding head impacts in youth sports and empowers parents to make informed decisions about sports participation “They’re just little kids, they don’t hit that hard or that much.” “Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) only happens to former NFL players.” “Youth sports are safer than ever.” These are all myths which, if believed, put young, rapidly maturing brains at risk each season. In The Brain on Youth Sports: The Science, the Myths, and the Future, Julie M. Stamm dissects the issue of repetitive brain trauma in youth sports and their health consequences, explaining the science behind impacts to the head in an easy-to-understand approach. Stamm counters the myths, weak arguments, and propaganda surrounding the youth sports industry, providing guidance for those deciding whether their child should play certain high-risk sports as well as for those hoping to make youth sports as safe as possible. Stamm, a former three-sport athlete herself, understands the many wonderful benefits that come from playing youth sports and believes all children should have the opportunity to compete—without the risk of long-term consequences.

Fully revised and updated!My First Book of Football, a Rookie Book from Sports Illustrated Kids, coaches young kids through the game of football with a visual retelling of an actual NFL game--from the nail-biting coin toss to the exhilarating winning touchdown! Rules, plays, and basics of the game are all explained using a fun mix of Sports Illustrated action photography, simple text with engaging graphics, and a full glossary of essential terms and phrases including punt, tackle, kickoff, end zone and more. An illustrated rookie player character also appears on every page, providing fun facts to help the next generation of fans better understand the game. Perfect for beginning readers, My First Book of Football is meant to be a shared reading experience between parents and their young minor league rookies before, during, and after game day.

Now available as a board book for budding basketball fans!My First Book of Basketball introduces young kids to the game of basketball with a visual retelling of a professional basketball game— from the jump ball to the game-winning basket! Dribbling, passing, traveling, shooting, dunks, and more are all explained using a fun mix of Sports Illustrated action photography, simple text, and awesome graphics. Illustrated "Rookie" characters provide fun facts and simple explanations to help kids better understand the game. Perfect for the youngest hoopers, My First Book of Basketball is meant to be a shared reading experience between parents and their little rookies before, during, and after the game.

Big Book of WHO is a book your young sports fans will return to again and again! This 128-page collection features the brightest stars in sports, past and present. The editors of Sports Illustrated Kids profile the top stars in sports history, with thrilling sports photography and age-appropriate writing that Sports Illustrated Kids is famous for. This fully updated edition includes today's stars alongside sports' all-time greats – from Michael Jordan to LeBron James, Tom Brady to Patrick Mahomes, Mia Hamm to Megan Rapinoe, Babe Ruth to Mookie Betts, and more. Completely redesigned to match the modern look of Sports Illustrated Kids, this fun collection of questions and answers will have kids stumping their friends and adult sports fans with their expert knowledge of sports' brightest stars.

A basketball asks to be taken outside to play.

In the past decade, few subjects at the intersection of medicine and sports have generated as much public interest as sports-related concussions - especially among youth. Despite growing awareness of sports-related concussions and campaigns to educate athletes, coaches, physicians, and parents of young athletes about concussion recognition and management, confusion and controversy persist in many areas. Currently, diagnosis is based primarily on the symptoms reported by the individual rather than on objective diagnostic markers, and there is little empirical evidence for the optimal degree and duration of physical rest needed to promote recovery or the best timing and approach for returning to full physical activity. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture reviews the science of sports-related concussions in youth from elementary school through young adulthood, as well as in military personnel and their dependents. This report recommends actions that can be taken by a range of audiences - including research funding agencies, legislatures, state and school superintendents and athletic directors, military organizations, and equipment manufacturers, as well as youth who participate in sports and their parents - to improve what is known about concussions and to reduce their occurrence. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth finds that while some studies provide useful information, much remains unknown about the extent of concussions in youth; how to diagnose, manage, and prevent concussions; and the short- and long-term consequences of concussions as well as repetitive head impacts that do not result in concussion symptoms. The culture of sports negatively influences athletes' self-reporting of concussion symptoms and their adherence to return-to-play guidance. Athletes, their teammates, and, in some cases, coaches and parents may not fully appreciate the health threats posed by concussions. Similarly, military recruits are immersed in a culture that includes devotion to duty and service before self, and the critical nature of concussions may often go unheeded. According to Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, if the youth sports community can adopt the belief that concussions are serious injuries and emphasize care for players with concussions until they are fully recovered, then the culture in which these athletes perform and compete will become much safer. Improving understanding of the extent, causes, effects, and prevention of sports-related concussions is vitally important for the health and well-being of youth athletes. The findings and recommendations in this report set a direction for research to reach this goal.

Focused on understanding the key underlying group processes that contribute to youth sport experiences, The Power of Groups in Youth Sport provides an innovative and expansive overview of the research in group dynamics within youth sports. The first section of the book examines topics relating to forming and structuring groups, including team selection, athlete socialization, normative expectations, roles, coach and athlete leadership, social identity, and more. The second section reviews concepts associated with group functioning and management, such as cohesion, subgroups, motivational climate, teamwork, and team building. This book concludes with a series of chapters focused on specific developmental considerations in youth sports that are often overlooked in group dynamics research including parental involvement, bullying and hazing, mental health, ,and disability and accessibility. - Synthesizes the research of group dynamics within the context of youth sport - Highlights how groups form and function - Discusses the role of parents and peers on youth sport experiences and development - Suggests ways to advance the field of group dynamics in youth sports

The United States of Sports takes kids on a first-of-its-kind journey across the U.S. with stops in every state in the union. Super cool maps with unique hand-illustrated icons show where all the great sites can be found, including arenas, stadiums, halls of fame, championship golf clubs, the greatest ski mountains, Olympic cities, and more. Each state’s Greatest Moments and homegrown heroes are pro led, and we wouldn’t forget to run down all the numbers! Championships, pro teams, famous events, and more— spread by spread—it’s the book to pore over this season.

My First Book of Baseball, the second Rookie Book from Sports Illustrated Kids, coaches young kids through the game of baseball with a visual retelling of an actual MLB game--from the first pitch to the game winning hit! Strikes, outs, steals, foul balls, home runs and more are all explained using a fun mix of Sports Illustrated action photography, simple text with engaging graphics, and a full glossary of essential baseball terms and phrases. An illustrated rookie player character also appears on every page, providing fun facts to help the next generation of fans better understand the game. Perfect for beginning readers, My First Book of Baseball is meant to be a shared reading experience between parents and their young minor league rookies before, during, and after the ball game.