FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Congratulations, Pat Summitt, on Your 1,000th Victory! What Does It Take To Reach The “Summit”?

RESTON, VA, February 6, 2009 – For Coach Pat Summitt's emphasis on the value of education, integrity and commitment to her athletes, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) inducted the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team into its NASPE Hall of Fame in 1996. Today, NASPE congratulates Coach Summitt on reaching the summit of 1,000 victories!

"Every athlete deserves a quality sport experience similar to the one that Coach Summitt offers her players," said NASPE President Fran Cleland, P.E.D., professor of kinesiology, West Chester University (PA). "Caring and professionally trained coaches are critically important for children to have an optimal sport experience. Parents across the country send their children to practices and events with the expectation that adult supervision will bring positive sport outcomes, maximal learning and skill development. Yet, horror stories persist about dramatic increases in winning-obsessed parents, sport injuries, over-specialization of young athletes, and children quitting sports because they simply aren't fun anymore. NASPE's goal is that every athlete – not just the elite - can enjoy a positive sports experience."

Well-educated coaches like Coach Summitt know how to bring out the best in the individual and build winning programs. Seeking athletic excellence and the positive benefits of sport participation are not mutually exclusive. Coaches who understand the science and the art of coaching can maximize sport performance as well as empower athletes to grow personally and develop to their full academic or professional potential.

From establishing the first position paper on Standards for Youth Sport Coaches in1984 to publishing the second edition of the National Standards for Sport Coaches in 2006, NASPE is an advocate for quality sport programs. This past year, NASPE published the National Coaching Report: The State of Coaching in the U.S. The purpose of this report is to educate the American public about the training and qualifications currently required to coach athletes whose quality sport experiences are a number one concern.

The National Coaching Report provides a baseline of what is being done to train coaches at the youth and interscholastic sport levels. It allows sport officials, State Board/Department of Education administrators, legislators and parents to view the requirements set forth by state legislation, mandates, or sports organizations for coach preparation in each state and the District of Columbia. As a public service, NASPE is providing a full copy of the report online on its website at www.naspeinfo.org/coachingreport. Printed copies of the report may be obtained by calling 800-321-0789. The price for the 156-page publication is $24.

Recommendations for Action

NASPE recommends that all coaches be required to complete a quality coaching education program. In addition, NASPE recommends that decision makers:

• Promote communication between the state activities association and the Board of Education
• Develop an infrastructure to track and record the number of interscholastic coaches and the number of coaches who have completed coaching education programs
• Recognize that the role of the coach requires specialized skills and knowledge that must be developed through formal training based on the National Standards for Sport Coaches
• Redefine strategies to make coaching education accessible, affordable and based on the needs of adult learners
• Mandate that all coaches complete coaching education requirements prior to working with athletes.

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Contact:
Paula Keyes Kun
PKun@aahperd.org
703-476-3461

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.

AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 20,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.