#FreeRamsTickets for Sportsmanship Blog subscribers

The St. Louis Rams take on the Green Bay Packers this Saturday, August 17 at the Edward Jones Dome. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and I have a set of three free tickets. Yes, I said FREE! All you have to be is a subscriber to the Sportsmanship Blog. How do you know if you're a subscriber? Sportsmanship Blog subscribers get every blog post delivered directly to their email inbox. If you don't, then you are not a subscriber.

If you do get the Sportsmanship Blog emailed to you, then sit back and relax. You don't have to do anything. Your name is already in the drawing. If you are not a subscriber click here or click on the Subscribe to Sportsmanship by Email icon in the right-hand border of this blog's homepage. Follow the instructions and you're in.

A winner will be announced this Wednesday on this blog at 3 p.m. Go Rams and good luck to everyone!

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Redefining Strength from Boston to St. Louis: Part I

There was an amazing segment on ESPN recently about a program called Inner City Weightlifting out of Boston. The organization uses the sport of weightlifting to take at-risk youth off the streets and help them build the physical, mental and emotional strength to overcome violence, gangs and negative street culture.

The story of Inner City Weightlifting is very personal for me. I don't know anyone associated with Inner City Weightlifting or Boston for that matter. No, this is personal because the Inner City story has already taken place and continues to do so right here in St. Louis. Before I get to that, please watch an enjoy the ESPN story on Inner City Weightlifting (email subscribers click here).

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Have you joined #TeamBigSol?

St. Louis Sports Commission Associates Trivia Night is two weeks from tomorrow, Saturday, August 24 at The Heights in Richmond Heights. Doors open at 6 p.m. Trivia starts at 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Sportsmanship Scholarship - which awards $5,000 annually to a graduating St. Louis area high school senior who has exhibited outstanding sportsmanship on the field of play.

Throughout the month of August, we will feature each of our four 2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship winners on our Facebook page. Our $5,000 winner, Brianne Ebenroth of St. Dominic was profiled first. This week belongs to Sherman Calhoun, an outstanding young man from CBC. Sherman was awarded a $1,000 Sportsmanship Scholarship and will attend Lincoln University in the fall. 

Click on the following link and Join #TeamBigSol on Trivia Night. If we want more good sports in the college ranks, we need to field a team of our own players.

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Why do we try to erase sports stars when they do the wrong thing?

Alex Rodriguez Field is no more. Well, the field, in Appleton, Wisconsin where A-Rod played his only minor league season in 1994 is still there. It just won't bear his name anymore. The field was converted to a youth baseball facility and named after the now embattled Yankees slugger in 2003. Earlier this week, the youth organization that operates the field opted to remove Rodriguez's name after his suspension from MLB was handed down.

The Missouri legislature voted to name a stretch of I-70 in St. Louis after former Cardinals home run king Mark McGwire in 1999. In 2010, five years after McGwire's infamous " I'm not here to talk about the past" testimony before Congress, the Missouri legislature voted to remove McGwire's name from the highway.

The University of Florida recently removed every photo of Aaron Hernandez from its campus along with the engraved brick honoring him as a 2009 All-American. And who can forget about Joe Paterno? He had the most wins by a Division I football coach before the recent child sex abuse scandal shattered Happy Valley.

This is not an advocacy piece for A-Rod, Joe Pa, Big Mac or Hernandez. Institutions can do what they want with the honors they bestow. The issue I have with the sports world is that we try to erase these figures by erasing their accomplishments, and by proxy, we hope to erase the wrong they allegedly did.

Let's step away from sports and into real-life for a moment. Adolf Hitler has not been erased from history. You can still find him in history books, museums and educational institutions the world over. Mussolini, Stalin, John Wayne Gacy, Charles Manson, David Berkowitz and tons of other bad people are not gone from history. We don't celebrate the wrong they did. We learn from what they did so hopefully we as a society don't repeat what they did.

Not so in sports...has anyone seen or heard from Rafael Palmeiro since the 2005 hearing? We should be learning. The stove is hot and these are the guys with the burned hands to prove it. As a matter of fact, the erasure attempts make our kids glorify them even more. Instead of talking about what A-Rod took for over a decade and its potentially negative effects, we zero in on his every at-bat to see if he's the same player he was before he got caught.

Lessons can be learned from fallen sports stars. We have to talk about the past. If not, we are doomed to repeat it. More to the point, our kids are doomed to repeat it. Erasure doesn't make anything go away.

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Teen pleads guilty in killing of soccer referee

The teenager charged with killing soccer referee Ricardo Portillo plead guilty to homicide by assault in a Utah juvenile court on Monday. Authorities say the 17-year-old punched Portillo in the head after the 46-year-old father of three called a foul on him. The teen will likely serve a three-year sentence and be released. For more on this story, please read the previous post here.

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Breaking: MLB suspends A-Rod, 12 others in PED scandal

Major League Baseball suspended New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez through the end of the 2014 season under the terms of the league's Joint Drug Agreement for alleged involvement with the South Florida clinic, Biogenesis. This equates to 211 regular season games. Rodriguez is expected to appeal his suspension and will be allowed to play during the appeal process.

Twelve other players accepted their suspensions and will immediately begin serving bans of 50 games each. They are:

Nelson Cruz (Texas Rangers)
Everth Cabrera (San Diego Padres)
Jhonny Peralta (Detroit Tigers)
Antonio Bastardo (Philadelphia Phillies)
Francisco Cervelli (New York Yankees)
Jordany Valdespin (Mets - minors)
Jesus Montero (Mariners - minors)
Cesar Puello (Mets - minors)
Sergio Escalona (Astros - minors)
Fernando Martinez (Yankees - minors)
Fautino De Los Santos (Free Agent)
Jordan Norberto (Free Agent)

For further details, please watch the ESPN story below (Email subscribers click here).

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A's minor leaguer strikes out on one pitch

The Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros) took on the Midland Rock Hounds (Oakland A's) in Double-A baseball action on Friday night. Rock Hounds third baseman Vinnie Carticala struck out on one pitch. Wait, that's not possible. How can you strike out on one pitch? Did the pitcher have that good of a fastball? No, what happened in this incident is what often happens in sports. People step out of their roles and nonsense ensues. Watch the video of the at-bat below (email subscribers click here).



Yes, you saw what you saw. The at-bat was over in less than 30 seconds. Is what the umpire did even allowed in baseball? Unfortunately, it is. The umpire invoked Rule 6.02 (c) which reads:

If the batter refuses to take his position in the batter's box during his time at bat, the umpire shall call a strike on the batter. The ball is dead and no runners may advance. After the penalty, the batter may take his proper position and the regular ball and strike count shall continue. If the batter does not take his proper position before three strikes have been called, the batter shall be declared out.

Comment: The umpire shall give the batter a reasonable opportunity to take his proper position in the batter's box after the umpire has called a strike pursuant to Rule 6.02 (c) and before the umpire calls a successive strike pursuant to Rule 6.02 (c).

Catricala struck out and was thrown out of the game in less than 30 seconds. Usually, I'm a staunch defender of officials, but baseball often has issues with its umpires wanting to be the stars of the games. The theatrics with strike counts and out calls are mildly entertaining. However, no one wants to see an umpire throw his weight around because he doesn't like a player taking exception to a bloated interpretation of the strike zone.

It wasn't as if Catricala started a full-blown argument with the umpire. He said something, then stepped out of the batter's box, readjusted his gloves and prepared to step back in. Catricala didn't even realize that the umpire had called a second strike on him. Before another five seconds had passed, a third strike was called and the umpire ejected Catricala as soon as he turned around.

Calling a professional baseball game was not enough for this umpire. He was determined to become a part of the show. Every national highlight show had this guy featured as the umpire who used one of baseball's little-known rules. Awesome! It would also be good for him to take a second look at the rule regarding the Strike Zone. It's the area over the plate from a batter's letters to his knees. Just making a friendly suggestion.

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Baseball coach teaches players a lesson in personal responsibility

By all accounts, Michael Goodrich is a good man and a good baseball coach. He started the Waverly (Neb.) High School baseball team five years ago. Goodrich also coaches the Waverly Class B American Legion team in the summer. Waverly had advanced to play rival Hickman-Norris in the state championship game last Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, Goodrich conducted a final bed check to make sure his players were in their hotel rooms. All 14 young men were accounted for. Coach Goodrich went to bed. Police officers knocked on his door two hours later. Watch the KETV story below to find out why (email subscribers click here).



It's not clear if Goodrich would have faced discipline from the American Legion, but Waverly School District officials had no plans to take any action against him. He didn't leave the decision to someone else, though. Goodrich contends he does not know how his young players obtained alcohol or why they went on a vandalism spree. He told the Omaha World-Herald, "I have a lot invested in a lot of really good young men. But being the head coach, I'm responsible for the actions of this team and I accept that responsibility."

With the facts as they are, does Goodrich deserve to lose his coaching jobs? Probably not. His players are old enough and apparently sneaky enough to do a lot under the coach's nose. However, Goodrich understands that anyone who coaches or teaches kids is responsible for what happens to them - even if you had no idea what they were up to.

You need eyes in the back of your head and every other tired cliche there is when dealing with kids. And you still may not catch everything. In the end, Goodrich taught his players a very valuable lesson. Personal behavior has collective consequences. None of those kids wanted to see their coach lose his job or forfeit the championship, but their lack of personal responsibility caused those things to happen anyway.

Short of natural disasters, taking personal responsibility can help us all avoid potentially negative situations. Whether young or old, when you don't take responsibility for your own actions, someone else takes it for you. Goodrich took responsibility for his players and himself. This concludes the lesson. We'll see if the players received it.

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Riley Cooper is looking for a fight

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper is looking for a fight. He attended a recent concert featuring country music star Kenny Chesney. As is often the case these days, someone near Cooper had a phone out recording the festivities. The context is unknown, but Cooper clearly said, "I'll jump that fence and fight every (N-word) here."

The video made it to YouTube quicker than Cooper can run a slant pattern. He was immediately vilified by fans, players and media alike. The Eagles consulted the NFL and Cooper was fined and ordered to undergo sensitivity training. Now, this is not the forum to debate issues of race in America. In the context of this blog, what needs to be explored is how Cooper's behavior off the field will affect his teammates on the field.

Football is often described as the ultimate team sport. While the sport has its stars, quarterbacks don't catch their own passes. Someone has to make the hole that the stud running back goes through. Defensive tackles clog up the middle of the line so defensive ends can get to the quarterback. Every football player needs the guy next to him to do his job.

This need his heightened in the NFL because the athletes play for millions of dollars. Poor offensive line play can mean a smaller paycheck for the quarterback. It's hard to throw touchdowns from a prone position. Quarterbacks often have "go-to" receivers - guys they can always count on to make a catch. Those receivers catch a lot of balls and rack up tons of yardage. At contract time, the "go-to" receiver is rewarded handsomely.

What if you're Riley Cooper and your quarterback is African-American? What if 80% of your teammates are African-American? What if 3 out of every 4 players in the league is African-American? Well, all of this is true for Riley Cooper. The very people he depends on for his livelihood are the ones he has offended the most.

His statement may make him someone that no one else wants to play with. On a team, no one wants to be that guy. Like it or not, the world is at the point where what you do off the field when you think no one's watching is just as important as what you do on the field when you know everyone is watching. Riley Cooper may have irreparably damaged his relationship with his teammates - which is worse than almost any injury or dropping any pass.

If Cooper were hurt and came back stronger, everything would be good. If he dropped a pass, but caught the next one, all would be forgiven. Cooper won't get the fight he was looking for at the concert. He's in for an even bigger one. How does he prove to his teammates that he doesn't hate them?

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2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship Winner: Sherman Calhoun

The St. Louis Sports Commission Associates Sportsmanship Scholarship awards $5,000 to a deserving St. Louis area high school graduating senior who exhibits outstanding sportsmanship in athletic competition. We were fortunate to not only issue the $5,000 award, but we were also able to issue three additional $1,000 scholarships to deserving student athletes as well. All of their stories will be published here. 

We now present the third of our three $1,000 scholarship winners - Mr. Sherman Calhoun.

Sherman Calhoun competed in track and field as a sophomore, but the gridiron was his true home in four years at Christian Brothers College (CBC) High School. Sherman is the embodiment of the saying, "Tough times don’t build character, they reveal it.” During his senior year, CBC lost to rival DeSmet in the district playoffs, bringing the Cadets’ season to an abrupt end. Sherman described the contest as “the hardest game” he’s ever played. After the game, a heartbroken Sherman did something practically unheard of in football. He walked over to the DeSmet sideline and congratulated each of the players and coaches and wished them luck in the next round. 

It’s common for teams to meet at midfield for the obligatory handshake after a game. But Sherman went a step further, showing tremendous class and respect for his opponent. It was a remarkable display of sportsmanship. Sherman’s loyalty and character extended beyond this game and throughout his high school sports career. One of his coaches noted that Sherman is respected by his peers because he gives them respect. The coach called Sherman one of his favorite players because of his contagious smile and tremendous spirit. Sherman is continuing his education at Lincoln University.

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2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship Winner: Katie Ringhausen

The St. Louis Sports Commission Associates Sportsmanship Scholarship awards $5,000 to a deserving St. Louis area high school graduating senior who exhibits outstanding sportsmanship in athletic competition. We were fortunate to not only issue the $5,000 award, but we were also able to issue three additional $1,000 scholarships to deserving student athletes as well. All of their stories will be published here. 

We now present the second of our three $1,000 scholarship winners - Ms. Katie Ringhausen.

Katie Ringhausen participated in track and field as a freshman, but her love of golf catapulted her to new heights during her four years at Francis Howell High School. She played in two state championships and was the No. 2 ranked player on the team her senior year. The only thing consistently better than Katie’s scores was her character. Katie penalized herself for the smallest of infractions – even those unbeknownst to her competitors. She always used her counting device to keep an accurate number of strokes during play. 

Katie displayed great sportsmanship in a particular match when her competitor ran out of golf balls, which would result in the player’s disqualification. Rather than take the easy win, Katie gave the opponent a sleeve of her own golf balls which allowed her to finish the round. Katie has been recognized multiple times for outstanding sportsmanship on the state and conference levels. She is continuing her education at the University of Central Missouri.

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2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship Winner: Blake Dryer

The St. Louis Sports Commission Associates Sportsmanship Scholarship awards $5,000 to a deserving St. Louis area high school graduating senior who exhibits outstanding sportsmanship in athletic competition. We were fortunate to not only issue the $5,000 award, but we were also able to issue three additional $1,000 scholarships to deserving student athletes as well. All of their stories will be published here.

We now present the first of our three $1,000 scholarship winners - Mr. Blake Dryer.

Blake Dryercompeted in baseball, basketball and track and field while at Rockwood Summit High School. Blake’s basketball coach described him as “soft-spoken, respectful, hard-working, and highly coachable.” This stellar attitude was challenged during a varsity basketball tournament when the level of physical play became intense. An opposing player elbowed Blake under his eye causing an injury that required stitches. Later in the game, the player who injured Blake found himself on the floor after a hard foul by one of Blake’s teammates. Showing great class, Blake, with butterfly tape over his eye, reached down to help his fallen opponent up. Officials complimented Blake on the selfless act.  

It’s no surprise that Blake was recognized with the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award from the Missouri State High School Activities Association. In his junior year, Blake persevered during a challenging time as his father fought through a devastating Lymphoma diagnosis. On the court, he kept his emotions in check, never allowing the adversity of the situation to affect his interactions with teammates, opponents or officials. Although Blake is not competing at the collegiate level, he said he does plan to participate in intramurals and intends to continue to set an example of sportsmanship for others to follow. Blake is continuing his education at Rockhurst University.

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2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship Winner: Brianne Ebenroth

The St. Louis Sports Commission Associates Sportsmanship Scholarship awards $5,000 to a deserving St. Louis area high school graduating senior who exhibits outstanding sportsmanship in athletic competition. We were fortunate to not only issue the $5,000 award, but we were also able to issue three additional $1,000 scholarships to deserving student athletes as well. All of their stories will be published here. 

Without further delay, we first present our $5,000 scholarship winner - Ms. Brianne Ebenroth.

Brianne Ebenrothis a multi-sport athlete who participated in cross country, basketball and soccer during her four years at St. Dominic High School. Although she competed in several sports, it was soccer she excelled in. Brianne garnered multiple all-St. Louis, all-conference and all-state honors. She earned a full athletic and academic scholarship to Drury University. 

But prior to her senior season, Brianne was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), which causes chronic fatigue and other symptoms. Because of the illness, she was no longer able to play at such a high level. Faced with this reality, she opted to return the scholarship so that Drury could use the funds for another deserving player. It was a tremendously classy, selfless and mature decision. 

Even with the medical condition, Brianne made the most of her senior season at St. Dominic. With Brianne as its captain, the school’s soccer team won its second consecutive state title. In the championship game, with three minutes to go and St. Dominic up 2-0, Brianne asked her coach to substitute her for any teammates who had not yet played. 

St. Dominic Director of Athletics Jim Welby said, “Despite being her last competitive soccer game ever, Bri even wanted to take herself out so her teammates could have the memory forever. She had the foresight, compassion and sportsmanship to think past the moment and think about her teammates in the biggest game and moment of the year.” Brianne is continuing her education at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

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Youth baseball teams prove it really doesn't matter who wins

The Sportsmanship Brigade wrapped up the youth baseball season with a trip to the 6th grade CYC Closed Division Championship on Saturday afternoon. Look closely at the picture below. It contains both the champion and the runner-up. Can you tell which is which? I'll give you a moment. Maybe try humming the music from Jeopardy while you figure it out.

Both the champion and the runner-up came from the same parish. Immaculate Conception-Dardenne (ICD) fielded two 6th grade boys teams this season and both advanced to the championship game. The smiling faces in the picture signify what youth sports are all about. Sure, each team of boys wanted to win, but in the end, it was about having fun.

Don't think the picture is staged, either. These kids played hard and had a great time. They showed great respect for each other, their coaches and they represented their families and parish very well. One parent said, "Too bad someone had to lose in this game." I quickly replied, "Nobody lost. Look at the kids." She agreed by saying, "You're right. These boys had a blast!"

Why not add to the celebration? Pizza for everybody courtesy of the Brigade. Congratulations to the entire ICD community.

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.

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Free Missouri Valley Conference Youth Sports Clinic

The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) is hosting a FREE sports clinic for kids this Saturday, July 27 from 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. inside the beautiful Danis Field House on the campus of St. Louis University High School. This clinic is open to children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Each kid will be partnered with a student-athlete from an MVC school and participate in each of four stations which will include drills for soccer, basketball, football and track and field.

Please click here to download the registration form. Space is limited. So, register ASAP. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my good friend Kristin Gregory at the MVC. You can call her at 314-444-4315 or email kgregory@mvc.org. Don't be the one who missed this great opportunity!

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Youth brawl at Disney World

Walt Disney World hosted the finals of the Disney Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament between Orlando FC/QPR Academy and Pachuca Academy of Miami last weekend. Orlando won a close match, but witnesses say Pachuca did not take the loss well and rushed the field. Kids, parents and even grandparents joined in the melee. WSVN-TV filed the following story (email subscribers click here).

WSVN-TV -

Granted, there should have never been a fight. Teens of this age should be able to control their emotions. However, adults always make it worse when they start throwing punches. Why were adults exchanging blows with kids? Why was someone's grandpa on the field doing anything with a pacemaker in his chest? These incidents continue to happen because adults choose to add fuel to the fire rather than smother it.

This one is definitely on the parents and grandparents. Instead of breaking kids up and helping them off the ground, these adults chose to encourage fighting and help knock kids down. It's pretty bad when a kid has to get carted off on a stretcher at Disney World.

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What to tell your kids about Ryan Braun

Ryan Braun, an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers and former National League MVP, was suspended for the remainder of the 2013 baseball season yesterday after being found in violation of Major League Baseball's joint drug treatment and prevention program. The suspension will cost Braun 65 games and roughly $3 million in salary.

The same question seems to always come up when an athlete gets caught up in drugs or some other illegal situation: What do we tell our kids? That's easy. Tell them the same thing you did when Chris Kelly of the rap duo Kriss Kross died earlier this year. Maybe you mentioned how rap star Lil' Wayne made multiple trips to the hospital after it was widely circulated he may have overdosed on the popular codeine syrup or sizzurp.

Surely, you talked with your kids about how pop legends Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson died. Better yet, you did have that sit-down with your kids to talk about why Glee star Cory Montieth passed away last week, didn't you? Uh oh, you didn't, huh? Let's get back to what Ryan Braun was busted for. Then, we'll address the other stuff.

The specific performance-enhancing drug Braun is accused of using doesn't matter much. Sports media types call all performance-enhancing drugs or PEDs steroids whether they are actually steroids or not. What matters are the effects these drugs have on the human body when abused. PEDs can damage the heart, liver, kidneys and other vital organs when abused.

They can cause girls to grow thick facial hair, develop deep voices, and have a whole host of reproductive and breast health related issues. Boys can fall victim to organ damage as well - not to mention the permanent damage they can do to their own reproductive systems by abusing PEDs. Yes, I said permanent damage. Parents and coaches, I'll let you fill in the blanks.

Tell your kids Ryan Braun used drugs and he cheated the game of baseball. Be sure to also tell them he needs help. As adults, we tend to not see things that way. We differentiate between the drugs that can make you rich and the ones that can make you poor. Aside from the fact that they didn't have to steal money from anyone to finance their drug usage - Ryan Braun, Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong and others exhibit similar traits to those who abuse recreational drugs.

Each has lied to and on investigators, family, friends and the media. They gave half-hearted apologies and still play the victim while admitting to mistakes. Tell your kids that PEDs won't turn you into a superstar. There isn't a substance on Earth that will turn your Bruce Banner into The Incredible Hulk. Barry Bonds was born great. His PED usage made him an all-time great.

No amount of PEDs will enable your kid to run down Usain Bolt. He won't be 5'5 and be able to dunk on LeBron. He still won't be strong enough to run through Jason Pierre-Paul. Tell your kids to workout, practice hard and learn everything they can from their coaches.

And when you're done, talk to your kids about the greater threat - recreational drugs. Kids can't get PEDs from their friends or at the gym. The big guy in the skullcap isn't prowling around the gym looking for kids to take a "hit" of steroids. People get PEDs from athletic trainers, doctors and from labs like Biogenesis and BALCO.

On the other hand, kids can find recreational drugs without looking hard. Their existence is pervasive in schools, at parties, on street corners and in many households. Recreational drugs have derailed more careers and lives than there is room to mention in this space. Tell your kids that drugs make you lose control and you can't be a great athlete or person if you're out of control. Tell your kids there are no shortcuts. Anything worth having in life is worth working for.

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The Adventures of Sportsmanship Guy: Vol.1, Ep. 1

I have always dreamed of being a superhero. Superman's my favorite. Batman's a close second. I'll never be either of those guys, but I think I've settled into my current role quite nicely. Just call me Sportsmanship Guy. My navy blue polo-style shirt, khaki pants and backpack make me easily identifiable to the citizens of Youthtropolis (my name for the community of people involved in youth sports).

Every hero has a power source. Superman's source is the sun. Batman's is his utility belt. The source of Sportsmanship Guy's power is in his backpack. Yes, it's the backpack. The contents of which are vital to Sportsmanship Guy and his entire Sportsmanship Brigade. Inside are postcards that identify the Brigade to the citizens of Youthtropolis. It also contains certificates and numerous gift cards to be awarded to those citizens who uphold the principles of sportsmanship.

Sportsmanship Guy and his Brigade attended the first round of the CYC baseball playoffs over the weekend. Of particular interest was a seventh grade contest between Sacred Heart of Florissant and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. This was baseball as it was meant to be played - good pitching, timely hitting, and outstanding defense. Baseball purists would have been proud of these boys.

No one yelled at the umpires or the kids. No helmets were thrown and no one got ejected. Fans of both teams cheered loudly for their boys, but did nothing to discourage the other side. Sacred Heart advanced to the second round, but both teams are winners. We rewarded both teams for their efforts. What can I say? Sportsmanship Guy is a sucker for an all-out team effort.

Sacred Heart of Florissant

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Just so no one thinks I'm a raving egomaniac, the kids of Sacred Heart bestowed the moniker of Sportsmanship Guy on me. I always explain to the kids who I am and why they're getting an award every time we go out. I usually say, "You don't know who I am, but..." About five or so kids from the Sacred Heart team stopped me mid-spiel and said, "We know who you are!" Another kid explained, "You're the sportsmanship guy! You've been to our basketball and volleyball games before. Did we do something good?" Yes, they did and their parents and coaches should be proud of them.

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.

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Join #TeamBigSol for Trivia Night

JJK is on #TeamBigSol

I want you to join me for the St. Louis Sports Commission Associates Trivia Night on Saturday, August 24 at The Heights in Richmond Heights in suburban St. Louis. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the trivia begins at 7 p.m. Beer, wine and soda will be provided. You and your friends are welcome to bring any food you like.

Each table of eight costs $200 and I want to fill 5 tables with #TeamBigSol supporters. This breaks down to $25 per person. You'll have a great time and go a long way toward helping a deserving young person achieve his/her educational goals. There are a wide range of categories. So, you won't be stuck if you're not a walking sports almanac.

If you'd like to purchase a table and recruit seven friends of your own to complete the team, then click here. If you don't care who's on your team, as long as you're on #TeamBigSol, call me directly at 314-345-5130 or email me at salexander@stlsports.org. Lastly, if you don't want to participate, but you want to support the scholarship, contact me and I'll be more than happy to help you. I'm counting on you. The kids are counting on you.

In the coming days, the Sports Commission will announce the recipient(s) of its 2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship. Over the past four years, the Sports Commission has awarded $20,000 in scholarships to St. Louis area high school seniors to put toward furthering their education. The Sportsmanship Scholarship requires that the recipient show outstanding sportsmanship on the field of play.

This year, the total amount awarded will exceed $25,000 and we want to award a lot more. Join #TeamBigSol and the kids will be the guaranteed winners.

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Coach arrested for assault during tee ball tournament

Tee ball is among the most basic of youth sports activities. Kids who participate are usually kindergarten-aged or younger. They're not ready for live or machine pitching. Most don't hold the bat correctly and some even put their glove on the wrong hand when in the field.

This is not a commentary meant to put the kids down. Anybody who's ever coached or seen a tee ball game knows it's downright cute. They're five for goodness sake and they're getting their first taste of baseball. The score doesn't matter. Who wins doesn't matter. Parents can often be seen cheering for everything from kids catching a ball to running to the right base. You'd be surprised at the number of kids who take off for third base after hitting the ball.

But all of it is in fun and it's all meant to be cute. However, what happened in South Bend, Indiana last week defies logic and the spirit of tee ball. Watch the news story below detailing a fight between tee ball coaches (email subscribers click here).


The incident in South Bend is indicative of a recurring and disturbing narrative in youth sports: When you let anyone coach, anything can happen.

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Think the kid on the other team looks older? He may be

Wonder what middle school parents said about him

Whether you were at the top of the school's Honor Roll or the last kid to turn in homework, there's one thing no kid ever wanted to do: Repeat a grade. Seems that doesn't matter much anymore in the world of high-stakes athletics where the NBA justifies the means.

Matthew Stanmyre of the Newark Star-Ledger reported on a pretty disturbing trend in youth sports earlier this week. He specifically looks at four top recruits over the past two years. Kids are intentionally repeating grades in middle school to gain an athletic advantage in high school basketball. A kid only has four consecutive years of high school eligibility. What can he do if he hasn't grown into his body or needs to work on his game?

Most people would just say that kid should work hard and things will take care of themselves. By his junior and senior years, the kid should be fine. This scenario isn't good enough for those who want to separate themselves from the pack on day one. Instead of entering high school as a 14-year-old freshman who will turn 15, a kid can enter at 15 and turn 16.

A 16-year-old freshman who's already good will look dominant among younger teammates. The young man becomes a "freshman sensation" or a "man-child" and colleges take notice. Wait a minute! A kid still has to complete four years of high school. Wouldn't this strategy backfire and create a ton of 19 and 20-year-old high school seniors?

Theoretically, yes, but high school is not necessarily a four-year proposition. High school is about credits and students are classified based on the number of credits earned. Many school districts now offer online classes and kids blaze through coursework in the summer, reclassify to their original graduating class and leave high school at 18.

Fair-minded people can argue all day about the merits of college versus the NBA, but no one ever intended for this type of manipulation to occur at the middle and high school levels. There are legitimate reasons for having a kid repeat a grade. Working on his jumper is not one of them. It makes a mockery of the educational system and is unfair to all of the kids the superstar is competing against.

How does this happen? Why do school districts allow children to repeat for athletic reasons? There is an irony in all of this, though. It appears superstar kids have no problem staying in eighth grade an extra year, but don't ask them to stay in college.

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'Just' My Friend

Bye Kristin. See you soon...

Tomorrow, St. Joseph's Academy in suburban St. Louis will be the setting of a going away party for Kristin Just Folkl-Kabuarkis. The greatest athlete I've ever known will officially leave the Sports Commission. This is not about her exploits on the court. Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch did an awesome job chronicling the basketball career of one of the Gateway City's favorite daughters last Sunday. This post is about friendship and what you learn after the ball stops bouncing.

The title of today's post was taken from Kristin's middle name (pronounced Yoost). I figured it appropriate to mention because Kristin and I have had many conversations about names. We talked about why our parents named us what they did and why we named our kids what we did. She said she never thought she'd marry a guy from Greece. I told her I never thought I'd marry a woman I met on a blind date. Our spouses, Tassos and Madelyn, have always been OK with this strange pairing of two strange people.

Kristin and Tassos' son, Ian, was born with a severe heart ailment and they weren't sure he would make it. And if he did, what quality of life would he have? He had trouble learning to talk as a toddler. The Kristin I talked to then would have given up every point, rebound, medal and trophy just to hear her baby boy say a few words. Well, Ian made it. Not only does he talk, it seems as if he is making up for all the words he couldn't say as a toddler.

Oh, and his heart ailment...what heart ailment? The kid has energy to spare and is every bit the train-loving, rough-housing six-year-old that Kristin and Tassos always wanted. I remember the first time we went out to lunch, Kristin said, "I'm not a dainty eater. Hope you're not put off by that." Didn't matter to me. I figured she wouldn't be grossed out when I went to get my second or third plate from the pizza buffet we frequented.

We rarely talk about sports. Kristin's not consumed by her playing career or anyone else's. Some former athletes can't wait for you to ask them about their careers and what it was like. Kristin would much rather tell you about her husband's professorship at St. Louis University or how her daughter Sophia likes to play dress-up by putting on mommy's shoes. Kristin is refreshing because she has found a way to do what so many athletes fail to do. Kristin actually retired.

All athletes stop playing at some point, but few retire. Kristin doesn't sit around wishing she could have one more shot at glory. She doesn't wear her old uniform under her clothes like some superhero costume waiting for a game to break out. My friend is a legend. My friend is also a friend. She was a great support when my mother-in-law, my sister and my niece all passed away in the same year. There has never been a time that Kristin did not show up for me when she said she would - whether it was something work-related or otherwise.

We're done working together, but we're not done. Because I know she'll read this, we'll do Qdoba next time. My treat. Kristin will be successful in whatever she does going forward because she has two rare qualities not seen in athletes or people in general: She is not in awe of herself and she can move without the ball. Godspeed, my friend.

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Ref stabs player to death, player's family then kills and dismembers ref

Referee Jordan Silva issued Josenir Santo Abreu a red card during a soccer match in a northern Brazil village last week. A red card means a player has been ejected from the game. Abreu did not take his punishment well. A heated argument between the two turned into a fight. This resulted in Silva pulling out a knife and stabbing Abreu in the chest.

Yes, a referee stabbed a player in the chest on the field of play.

Abreu's family and other angry fans cornered Silva and tied him up as the mortally wounded player was rushed to the hospital. Abreu died before reaching a nearby medical center. Word quickly got back to his family who still had the offending referee tied up. The angry mob, which included Abreu's family and some fans, took revenge on Silva. They stoned him to death and dismembered his body.

Yes, a player's family and a group of fans stoned a referee to death and cut his body into pieces. 

And everything from the stabbing to the stoning to the dismemberment took place on the field of play. 

The culture of sports is worsening and we must do something about it. This type of behavior can no longer be ignored. Violence has become ingrained in sports and it must be removed. I'm not talking about a tackle in football or a takedown in wrestling, either. 

No one should ever be in danger of being stabbed, stoned, shot, beaten or dismembered at a sporting event. It's not just about respecting the game anymore. It's about respecting each other as human beings. Participants in sport are treating each other more like enemies than opponents. Referees are authority figures - not authoritarian figures.

The reward of sport is greater than this incident and others like it. We must again lift the mantle of respect, integrity and civility or be crushed under the weight of selfishness, violence and apathy.

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Blackhawks win Stanley Cup...raise NHL's level of class

When the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last week, they did more than hoist a trophy. They made the Second City first in sportsmanship. The team took out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe conveying its respect for the Bruins franchise and the people of Boston. Here is the open letter in its entirety:

The third paragraph caught this blogger's eye in particular. It reads, "From Boston's political leadership to every member of the Bruins organization: from the players to the people on the streets, you demonstrated respect, good sportsmanship and a genuine love for the great game of hockey."

They are champions in attitude and aptitude. Ladies and gentlemen - your 2013 Stanley Cup Champions - the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Tip of the Week: July 1, 2013

When you hear or read the same message from the same person over and over again, the message can get stale. That's how plenty of good coaches get replaced. To keep the message fresh, I've decided to include a fresh face for our new Sportsmanship Tip of the Week feature. Same great message - just someone with far more beauty and talent delivering it. And now, my lovely assistant...(email subscribers click here).

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Patriots to offer free exchange on Hernandez jerseys

The New England Patriots seem to understand the difficulty some of their fans may be having with arrest of former Pro Bowl tight end Aaron Hernandez on murder and weapons charges. They also appear to understand the affect all of this may be having on parents who have to explain to their child why they can't wear the #81 jersey they got over the holidays anymore.

An NFL team can only do so much, but the Patriots are making an effort to ease the situation for parents with a unique offer. The following statement was posted today on the team's website:

The New England Patriots ProShop will offer a free jersey exchange of any #81 Hernandez jersey purchased at the Patriots ProShop or online at PatriotsProShop.com for a new Patriots jersey of comparable value. The free jersey exchange will be available exclusively at the Patriots ProShop the weekend of Saturday, July 6 and Sunday, July 7. 

“We know that children love wearing their Patriots jerseys, but may not understand why parents don’t want them wearing their Hernandez jerseys anymore,” said New England Patriots spokesperson Stacey James. “We hope this opportunity to exchange those jerseys at the Patriots ProShop for another player’s jersey will be well received by parents.”

What do you think of the team's decision? Is this a class move by a team looking out for kids or a PR move by an organization trying to distance itself from a bad situation?

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Aaron Hernandez Case: What happens when you're the wrong people?

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in connection with the death of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd. Who knows how the case will play out and what the evidence authorities have will show?

Hernandez has a checkered past and pundits are asking the seemingly age-old question: Why can't successful athletes leave their pasts behind when they reach the pros? Discussions about Aaron Hernandez quickly dovetail into stories about other athletes who couldn't let go of their old lives. Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, Jamal Lewis, Adam "Pacman" Jones and others come to mind.

The people these star athletes grew up with and continued to associate with are often characterized as "the wrong people," "a bad crowd" and "poor examples." These phrases imply that million-dollar talent and poor character have an inverse relationship. In plain English - the ability to catch touchdowns must negate the desire to shoot someone, right?

Success in professional sports is among the most random of happenings. Athletic talent is God-given. We can all maximize what we get, but it mostly comes down to who your parents are. It's that luck of the draw that makes many athletes appreciate the tremendous gifts they've been given and others think the world should worship them like deities.

Our societal obsession with elite-level athletics makes the athletes themselves believe they are invincible. Hero worship feeds the narcissistic monster. We overlook their character flaws because they play so well. Aaron Hernandez was arguably the best tight end in the country coming out of college. He was a First-Team All-American at the University of Florida.

He won the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end in 2009. Hernandez played on SEC and National Championship teams with the likes of Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin. Yet, he was drafted in the 4th Round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

The Patriots looked past his alleged involvement in a previous shooting and his admitted failed drug test to give the kid a shot. He had first round talent and they were getting him at a huge discount. Hernandez delivered big for New England on the field. He and teammate Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski gave defenses fits with record-setting performances and runs deep into the playoffs.

New England rewarded Gronk and Hernandez with contracts worth $53 million and $40 million respectively. Hernandez was never far away from what appears to be his true self, though. In addition to the murder of Odin Lloyd, Hernandez is now being investigated for another double murder which occurred in 2012.

Winning isn't everything. Talent can't be above all else. Everything that glitters ain't gold. A new pair of handcuffs give off a blinding glare against sunlight. Sometimes, the wrong person, the bad influence, the shady character -  is the guy in the mirror.

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Girl dismissed from football team because of potential 'lustful' thoughts by boys

Maddy Paige is a football player. She was the starting defensive end last season for Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove, Georgia as a sixth grader. The now 11-year-old was looking forward to trying out for Strong Rock's middle school football team. Strong Rock will not allow Maddy's to tryout this year, though. Why? Maddy Paige can't tryout for the middle school team because she's a girl and the school's afraid the boys might notice.

Seriously, Strong Rock's CEO told Maddy's mother that the boys on the team would start "lusting after Maddy." I'll give everyone a second because I threw up in my mouth a little bit, too. They're kids. They don't know what lust is. For the sake of keeping down our lunches, I'll replace lust with like for the remainder of this post. The situation presented here is the textbook definition of excessive adult interference. Have a look at the 11 Alive story below (email subscribers click here).



Strong Rock's official position states that "middle school girls play girl sports and middle school boys play boy sports." Are the girls' uniforms pink and the boys' uniforms blue as well? And what should be done about math, science and social studies class? I'm sure there are boys in those classes with Maddy .

School officials are also in error because they allowed Maddy to play in the first place. They were fine with her sacking the quarterback from her defensive end position last season. Now, not so much. I know some readers will contend that Maddy may get hurt playing football with boys who are inching ever closer to puberty.

That would be a debate worth having, but the school doesn't seem to be interested in whether or not the boys will hurt Maddy. They're more concerned about whether or not they will like her. It's silly and insulting to all of the kids, their coaches and parents. If Maddy is good enough to make the team, she should play.

Removing girls from view doesn't make boys like them any less. Any boy who can no longer look at Maddy on the football field need only wait until 4th hour math - where he can gaze upon her until his heart's content. Yeah, I know. It's even sillier in print. Good luck, Maddy!

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Hockey fails again...

I've been very critical of the fighting in hockey on all levels over the years. In response, angry commenters tell me I don't know the game or I should pay closer attention. Well, I invite everyone to pay attention to the following video about yet another incident of violence in hockey (email subscribers click here).



The parents were told by the league that "it's all part of the game" and the police are still investigating. The kid deserved to be assaulted on the ice for snowing the goalie. At no other time in life can someone throw snow on you and you are able to retaliate by giving them a black eye and a concussion without spending some time in jail - except in hockey.

Fighting does not help the sport. I guess if you beat up the other team's best players, that could help your team win. Other than that, what's the point? Hockey is a great game of skill, speed, strength and physicality. The game is good enough on its own. It doesn't need the sideshow of fights to make it more entertaining.

How many beatings does it takes to reach a reasonable level of common sense? The world may never know.

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Sportsmanship is just over the (Blanchette) bridge

The Blanchette Memorial Bridge is the path most St. Louisans take when venturing into St. Charles. The historic structure guides travelers safely over the Missouri River and into the company of the Gateway City's closest westbound neighbor.

It takes a little longer to get to St. Charles these days, though. The bridge is undergoing some much needed repair work - which makes the lanes a little narrow and the speed limit somewhere between a brisk walk and a crawl. Nevertheless, the Sportsmanship Brigade will go wherever good character and respect for the game can be found.

Our most recent trip landed us at Sts. Joachim & Ann for an 8th grade softball matchup between the home squad and St. Elizabeth / St. Roberts. We were impressed with the stellar attitude of the Sts. Joachim & Ann team. It was a tough day for them, but they stood tall together. The young ladies encouraged each other and even gave a group hug to a teammate who was having a hard time on the mound. As you can tell by the photo below, these girls have a winning attitude.

Sts. Joachim & Ann 8th Grade softball

Not to be outdone, St. Elizabeth had its own pair of character twins. Cheyenne Thorpe and Bella Orlando showed tremendous leadership in cheering on their teammates and helping them maintain focus throughout the game. They also displayed great humility in making sure the visitor's bench was in better shape than when they found it. Cheyenne and Bella are certainly mature beyond their years and worthy of recognition by the Brigade.

Bella and Cheyenne

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.

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Radio hosts fired after mocking former player with ALS

Former New Orleans Saints defensive back Steve Gleason has Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. He is putting up a courageous fight while working with his Team Gleason Foundation on a cure and helping those who live with ALS.

Gleason was a guest columnist this week for Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback. He discussed his personal battle with ALS and how his family and others are supporting him. Gleason also wrote about his foundation's work and his refusal to allow ALS to defeat him.

There was nothing controversial about Gleason or his column. The controversy began when Atlanta-based sports talk radio hosts Steve "Steak" Shapiro, Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino decided to make fun of Gleason and his condition during their "Mayhem in the A.M." morning show on 790 The Zone.

Here is the full audio of the segment mocking Gleason (email subscribers click here):



Shapiro, Cellini and Dimino have all been fired by 790 The Zone and the station issued an apology addressing the behavior of its former employees and showed a good deal of humility and regret toward Steve Gleason and his family.

Case closed, right? Relative to this particular situation, the answer is yes. When speaking about the culture in sports which allows us to say and do anything we want to a rival, the issue is far from solved.

790 The Zone is the flagship station of the Atlanta Falcons. Now, the Falcons had nothing to do with this radio stunt and have come out publicly denouncing the behavior of Shapiro, Cellini and Dimino. Nonetheless, the rivalry between the Falcons and Saints is well-documented and some people take rivalries too far.

Done right, rivalries are part of what makes sports fun. Some of the best games are rivalry games. The Chicago Cubs almost always give my Cardinals a good game no matter what the records are. Chicago fans come in droves to St. Louis and vice versa. Restaurants, hotels and local attractions all benefit.

Poking fun at your rival is even OK as long as it's team-oriented, light-hearted and not personal. Mocking Steve Gleason is very personal, has nothing to do with the Saints team and ALS is terminal. So, there's nothing light-hearted about this attack.

You can't just say or do whatever you want to a rival because they wear or cheer for the other uniform. I know what some of you are thinking. What about freedom of speech? What about it? Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. Translation: Atlanta P.D. can't arrest the hosts for what they said, but they can certainly be fired.

Moreover, the damage to their reputations may be irreparable. Rivals and enemies are not the same. Your enemy wants to get rid of you. Your rival simply wants to defeat you so the two of you can play again. Know the difference.

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Charges dropped against coach accused of knocking out opposing player

Nathan Harris is a free man. Whether he should or shouldn't be is still a matter of debate among the many thousands of people who saw the video of him hitting and knocking out an opposing player. Nonetheless, a judge dropped child abuse charges against Harris last week.

The 38-year-old was a coach on a Salt Lake City area youth football team last season. An opposing running back seemed to break away from his defense for an easy touchdown when Harris delivered a blow under the boy's chin as he ran along the sidelines.

The story originally broke last October and it was even featured in our Worst Sportsmanship Moments of 2012 list. In case you missed it, here's the video again (email subscribers click here).



How did Harris escape jail time? Well, his defense argued that the boy he hit didn't suffer injuries as great as originally thought. Attorneys were able to produce video of the kid going back in the same game. I'm not going to use this page to argue evidence. However, those of us involved in sports know that athletes go back into games with concussions all the time.

The pros do it and they have doctors on the sidelines. Kids are lucky if someone remembers to bring the first-aid kit. Whether the boy had a concussion or was able to shake it off doesn't matter. A coach hit a kid in an attempt to stop him from scoring.

While the court has made it's decision, the youth football league in this case has one to make as well. Will it let Harris coach again? This is important because Harris seems eager to return to the sidelines. He told the Deseret News, "If they need me to coach, I'd be happy to coach. I don't think people should shy away from coaching just because of this story."

People should not shy away from coaching. People who hit kids should not only shy away from coaching, they should never be allowed near a field, court, track, mat, rink, ring diamond, pool or gym again.

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Sportsmanship Scholarship applications due TODAY!

That's right. June 14 has arrived. The Sportsmanship Scholarship deadline is TODAY. If you graduated from a St. Louis area high school in 2013 and you have exhibited good sportsmanship on the field of play, then you are eligible. However, your completed application must be submitted to our office by the end of today.  You can email your application to salexander@stlsports.org. You can fax it to 314-621-1391 or bring it by 308 N. 21st Street, Suite 500, St. Louis, MO. Even if you've been a severe procrastinator, you can still download the application at sportsmanship.org. Enough from me already - get to work. Time is running out. Good luck to all of you.

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Dodgers and Diamondbacks embarrass the game in silly brawl

I have openly criticized youth and high school teams for engaging in dangerous team brawls on the field. The potential for injury is great and the behavior embarrasses the sport. Last week, I wrote about a brawl during a softball game where a parent was arrested for assault.

Many condemned the softball brawl as shameful and lauded police intervention. What about the pros, though? What happens when they have a senseless brawl? What happens when the umpire does his job correctly and the teams feel the need to fight anyway? Judge for yourself after watching the following clip of Tuesday night's Dodgers-Diamondbacks game (email subscribers click here).



This just has to stop. The pros must exhibit the same behavior we want on the youth level. Pro sports continues to be one of the few places where a person can commit assault without penalty of law. The umpire was correct in ejecting Ian Kennedy for beaning Zack Greinke and he did it immediately. What was there to fight about?

Maybe the L.A.P.D. officers on-hand could have come down and arrested Don Mattingly, Steve Sax, Matt Williams, Don Baylor, Mark McGwire, Skip Shumaker and others. Maybe if they had spent a night in jail cooling off, they would get the message.

Kids, parents and their coaches watch these guys and emulate everything from their swing to their right hook.  A parent gets arrested for biting, but pros can throw each other over the dugout rail without consequence.

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April, May and June showers bring Sportsmanship

It certainly has been a tale of two summers for the Sportsmanship Brigade. In 2012, the St. Louis area couldn't buy a drop of water. Our grassy plains became unsightly, brown patches of dust. Fast forward to 2013 and communities all over are strengthening levee walls and seeking higher ground in some instances. St. Louis is the new Seattle. Rain has certainly been plentiful in the Gateway City.

As you may have guessed, this has led to numerous baseball and softball cancellations. Kids are a resilient bunch, though. If there's a chance to play, they'll gladly take it. Playing in the mud is nothing new for them anyway. It's the adults that get all freaked out. This brings us to last Saturday morning when the Brigade took in a 5th grade softball matchup between St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Immaculate Conception-Dardenne.

The following report was sent in to the Sports Commission by Brigade Captain Donovan Lucas:

We picked coach Jim Morrissey for Immaculate Conception and Brooke Piessner for St Elizabeth. Coach Morrissey greeted each player and high-fived every player when they left the field no matter how well they did. Brooke was the catcher for St Elizabeth. Brooke cheered her team, shouted encouragement, and gave the team instructions during the game. She was a positive force even when her team was down by a lot.  Both teams played hard and were good sports. We were especially impressed with St Elizabeth as they had only 8 players.

Brigade member Becky Limback with Brooke Piessner and her coach

Becky doing her best Where's Waldo impersonation with Immaculate Conception

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130.

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Foundation Director issues challenge to local schools

I was on KTRS-AM on Wednesday morning with McGraw Milhaven on his show McGraw in the Morning. Milhaven and I discussed the St. Louis Sports Commission's Sportsmanship Scholarship and the general frustration I was feeling from segments of the St. Louis area. If you weren't up at 6:30 a.m. listening, here's the interview in its entirety. (email subscribers click here).



Where is my frustration coming from? Well, it comes from where personal struggle and professional success intersect. If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know I grew up receiving welfare and food stamps, attended St. Louis Public Schools through 8th grade and graduated from Ladue High School. You are also aware of my past as an educator and my current work at the Sports Commission. I'm asked quite often how did I make it when so many others I knew and grew up with did not.

My answer is always the same. Kids like me - and honestly kids everywhere - make it because of opportunities. Kids are smarter, stronger and more resourceful than we think. They just need opportunities. The Sportsmanship Scholarship represents an opportunity. Two-thirds or more of our scholarship applications come from private schools or what some may consider well-to-do public districts. The kids from those schools are great. Their parents and coaches are responsive and get things in on-time.

However, the number of applications from inner-city schools or what could be called disadvantaged districts is extremely low. That's not good...not good at all. While I cannot guarantee that a kid from the inner-city will win the Sportsmanship Scholarship if he or she applies, I can wholly guarantee one will not if they do not apply. We all know tons of good kids. We all know good kids who show great sportsmanship and character when they play their chosen sport.

Send me those applications. Tell me about those kids. Nine St. Louis area kids have received a total of $20,000 in the Sportsmanship Scholarship's four-year existence. One young man has graduated and eight others are well on their way. I am challenging every St. Louis area high school coach, parent, teacher and administrator to send me one kid.

Surely, among the thousands you teach, coach and raise, there is one worthy of the Sportsmanship Scholarship. Surely, one young person among you is deserving of this opportunity. Apathy and indifference are terrible burdens for a community to carry. Instead, let's rise to the occasion! The deadline to submit applications for the 2013 Sportsmanship Scholarship is Friday, June 14. The application can be downloaded by going to sportsmanship.org. If you have any questions, please email salexander@stlsports.org or call 314-345-5130.

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Parent arrested for biting in huge softball brawl

A fight broke out this week between parents, coaches and players after a close play at third base in a softball game between the Texas Street and Hillsdale youth teams in Mobile, Alabama. The girls are 14 and 15-year-olds. Their behavior and the behavior of those teaching, coaching and parenting them skews much, much younger.

One parent was charged with third degree assault after she bit another parent in the stomach. Yes, somebody's mother allegedly bit another adult in the stomach. Didn't we all learn it wasn't nice to bite when we were two or three? This kind of immaturity is what produces incidents like the one in Mobile. To be honest, it's even more ridiculous than I can describe. Check out the Fox10tv.com video below (email subscribers click here).



"If one swings, we all punch." That's what one of the young ladies said in the piece. What kind of mantra is that? What kind of nonsense is that? It's softball! There's no fighting in softball! "If somebody pushes you, what are you supposed to do? Walk away?" Yes, young lady! Yes! You are supposed to walk away. The alternative is the police coming to arrest someone's mom and your team being kicked out of the league.

Kids have no chance when adults don't act their age. Kids have no chance when adults don't lead. Kids have no chance when the coaches are throwing punches and the parents are biting. In the video, the adult speaking on behalf of one of the teams utters the non-word 'unsportsmanship.' Unsportsmanship is not a word. And this is not some veiled swipe at the woman's vocabulary. I'm using her non-word as an example of the biggest problem in youth sports: Adults can't teach what they don't know.

The Sportsmanship Initiative has tools for your coaches and parents that will keep youth sports safe and enjoyable for kids. Our partnership with Coaching Coaches, LLC enables us to provide the best coaches' training and parent program possible. If you are interested in not having a 40-person brawl in your league, but you are interested in the best experience possible for kids, please call 314-345-5130 or email salexander@stlsports.org.

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Rutgers can't get out of its own way

How difficult is it to find someone in athletic leadership who doesn't have a history or been accused of mistreating players? It's seemingly very difficult if you're Rutgers University. Incoming athletic director Julie Hermann is supposed to bring a fresh face and a new direction to the Scarlet Knights. However, it seems the ghosts of the Mike Rice and Tim Pernetti era have returned to Piscataway.

Former Rutgers men's basketball coach Mike Rice was fired in April after video of him using homophobic slurs, profanity and even kicking a player went viral. Former athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned after negative pressure mounted in response to his handling of Rice's alleged mistreatment of players. New Jersey governor Chris Christie even expressed his displeasure with the situation publicly.

Determined to move forward, Rutgers hired Julie Hermann earlier this month. Hermann has over 25 years of combined experience in coaching and athletic administration on the college level. Her hire seemed to be a good one for Rutgers. Hermann comes in directly from Louisville -  which had one of the great athletic years in school history in 2012-13.

The Louisville football team upset the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl. Louisville's men's and women's basketball teams advanced to their respective title games with the men winning a championship. Conversely, Rutgers men finished 11th in the Big East in basketball. The nearly automatic women's basketball team missed its first tournament in a decade and the football team lost the lightly-regarded Russell Athletic Bowl to Virginia Tech.

If Hermann could bring some of Louisville's winning Mojo, that would make her hire worth the trouble. Yeah, but then comes that word...trouble. The Newark Star-Ledger reported over the weekend that while Hermann was head women's volleyball coach at Tennessee, players accused her of ruling "through humiliation, fear, and emotional abuse."

Hermann's credibility has also been called into question as reports have surfaced about a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit filed by one of her former assistants. The assistant coach, Ginger Hineline won a $150,000 settlement from the University of Tennessee in 1995. When asked about the lawsuit and Hineline's wedding video used as evidence in the lawsuit, Hermann said she didn't remember attending the wedding.

Nevertheless, Hermann is shown in pictures of the wedding party. She extended well wishes to Hineline and her new husband in the video and she caught the bouquet. Yes, Hermann caught the bouquet but doesn't remember being at the wedding. She also doesn't remember the letter submitted by her players and denies calling them names I won't write in this space.

The first responsibility of any school or athletic program - from pre-K to college - is to provide a safe environment for students. This means kids should be safe from physical as well as mental harm. This means that those in charge must do their homework when checking backgrounds on potential coaches and administrators. Coaches must be trained in technique and temperament. The CNN video below sheds more light on the situation (email subscribers click here).



Something tells me Rutgers president Robert Barchi will be getting another phone call from Gov. Christie.

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