Gregg Heinzmann is director of the Youth Sports Research Council, a continuing education division of the Department of Exercise Science and Sports Studies in Rutgers University’s School of Arts and Sciences. The council develops, synthesizes, and disseminates scientific research about the influence of physical activity and organized sports on the healthy development of children and adolescents. Its award-winning educational programs are designed for recreation directors, coaches, parents, and administrators of youth sports leagues.
Rutgers Today: Spring is upon us, and the youth sports season is getting in gear. Rutgers’ Youth Sports Research Council conducts programs for volunteer coaches, parents, and league officials. Why is such training necessary?
Heinzmann: Although the overwhelming majority of people involved in organized youth sports are well-meaning parents and volunteers, they often lack the basic knowledge and skills to coach young athletes safely. For example, everyone knows that children are not miniaturized adults; yet, we see some coaches modeling themselves after their professional counterparts and some parents treating Little League games like they’re “life or death.” Unfortunately, the recreational aspects of youth sports, like fun and socialization, become compromised when adults lose sight of the fundamental purpose – to learn lifelong lessons. In recent years, there’s been an increase in travel teams, privatized instruction, and sports specialization in kids as young as 7, which can lead to overuse injuries and psychological burnout.
Rutgers Today: What does educational training cover?
Heinzmann: The clinic topics evolved from state regulations we helped craft in 1990. Since then, volunteer coaches have been required to attend a safety orientation and training skills program that includes legal, medical, and first aid aspects of coaching and general coaching concepts, including the training and conditioning athletes and the psychological aspects of coaching. Volunteer coaches who complete the program receive partial civil immunity protection under the “Little League Law,” passed in 1986. More than 200,000 coaches in New Jersey have attended the Rutgers S.A.F.E.T.Y. clinics (Sports Awareness for Educating today's Youth). We are widely recognized as the leading authority on coaches’ safety training.
Rutgers Today: How extensive is the training?
Heinzmann: The law stipulates a minimum of three hours. Each coach attending the clinic receives a 200-page handbook that complements the curriculum. Our primary goal is to educate volunteer coaches about their legal duty to provide a safe and healthy experience for youngsters. Armed with this knowledge, coaches are able to recognize potentially dangerous situations and are better prepared to handle emergencies that arise. In turn, many more coaches are obtaining CPR and first aid certification than a generation ago, and today’s young athletes are reaping the benefits.