For more information, contact:
The St. Louis Sports Commission
314-345-5121
bshulman@stlsports.org

ST. LOUIS SPORTS COMMISSION AND MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY TO HOST SPORTSMANSHIP SUMMIT ON JAN. 22

FREE PROGRAM GIVES PARENTS, COACHES AND OFFICIALS TOOLS TO IMPROVE SPORTS EXPERIENCE
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE REGION

FORMER RAM AENEAS WILLIAMS WILL
DELIVER KEYNOTE PEP TALK

            ST. LOUIS – Jan. 11, 2011 – For just three hours of their time, St. Louis area parents and coaches can make a world of difference in the lives of their kids.  The time commitment is the only investment necessary to be part of an entertaining, informative program aimed at improving youth sports and sportsmanship in the St. Louis region. 

The St. Louis Sports Commission and Maryville University host their second annual St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit on Saturday, Jan. 22.  The free program, featuring national and local experts, runs from 9 a.m. to noon at Maryville University.  Youth sports coaches, parents, officials and team administrators are invited to attend the summit to share their experiences and to learn what they can do to create more positive environments for kids to play, enjoy and stay involved in sports.  There is no cost to attend, but those who wish to participate are asked to register for the summit online at www.stlsportsmanship.org or by calling 314-345-5130.

“We know that devoting a Saturday morning is a significant commitment for people, but we believe they’ll walk away feeling good about attending and happy they were part of a program that will positively impact kids’ lives,” said Sports Commission President Frank Viverito.   “This was certainly true of those who participated in last year’s Sportsmanship Summit.”  

Former St. Louis Rams defensive back Aeneas Williams will kick off the summit with a keynote pep talk entitled “Know Your Role and Become a Role Model.”  Williams also will sign autographs for those in attendance beginning at 8:30 a.m. inside the Maryville University Auditorium.  Following his keynote remarks that start at 9 a.m., attendees will participate in a series of breakout sessions focused on important and relevant topics in youth sports, including:

• Coaching Leadership
• Sports Parenting
• Sports Bullying
• Athlete Safety
• Food For Thought (and the fight against childhood obesity)
• Professional Dreams (how to keep the fun in sports)
  
  

National and local youth sports experts will lead the sessions and provide participants valuable tools they can use as coaches, parents and mentors of young athletes.  All in attendance will be able to engage the experts in a Q&A panel discussion addressing the most important issues facing youth sports and sportsmanship. 

“There are so many volunteer coaches and parents out there who generously and selflessly give their time to be involved with youth sports,” said Solomon Alexander, director of the Sports Commission’s Sports Foundation and Sportsmanship Initiative.  “But sometimes we lose perspective on what truly matters when it comes to our child’s sports experience.  When kids stop having fun or have poor experiences, they stop playing sports – and that leads to more damaging consequences like childhood obesity or poor self-esteem. 

“Through initiatives like the Sportsmanship Summit, we can remind adults in the community of the difference they can make in helping young people in our region stay active and lead healthier, happier lives.  We also can emphasize the wonderful opportunity they have to use sports as a platform to build character and teach important life lessons.”

The St. Louis Sportsmanship Summit is a program of the Sports Commission’s Sportsmanship Initiative.  Through the Sportsmanship Initiative, the organization seeks to create more positive environments for kids to play sports – and to make St. Louis a model community for good sportsmanship.  The initiative reaches out to coaches, parents, officials, athletes and fans to make youth sports more enjoyable and to reinforce the values of sportsmanship – respect, civility, integrity and fair play – at all levels.

The St. Louis Sports Commission is the privately funded nonprofit organization that benefits St. Louis through sports.

Its mission is to make the St. Louis region a better place to live, visit, work and play through sports.

- www.stlsports.org -