By Ken Reed
This past week, the Aspen Institute presented their “Physical Literacy in the United States” strategic plan.
The Aspen Institute defines physical literacy as “the ability, confidence, and desire to be physically active for life.”
The plan targets children and lays out strategies and tactics to reach young people through the various […]
By Ken Reed
The Huffington Post
December 22, 2014
At its best, athletic competition is about playing hard, striving to do your best and having fun — all while bringing out the best in each other.
That’s the beauty of sports to me. And for years, that meant focusing on youth […]
A League of Fans Special Feature
Terri Lakowski was an outstanding high school athlete who grew increasingly frustrated with the gender inequities she encountered in athletics.
“My teammates and I were tired of feeling like second-class citizens to the boys,” says Lakowski.
That frustration was the impetus for Lakowski studying Title IX while playing basketball […]
By Ken Reed
According to a new survey, only one in four U.S. teens 12 to 15 meet national guidelines for physical activity.
“It’s definitely very concerning to see that our kids are engaging in such a limited amount of physical activity each day when we are still battling” an obesity epidemic, said Dr. Stephen […]
By Ken Reed
The Huffington Post
January 10, 2014
We all need to think more deeply about the insanity of our youth sports culture, with its focus on early specialization in one sport, and, especially its seasons without end. -Michael Sokolove, author of Warrior Girls
Youth sports: a chance to run […]
By Ken Reed
Basketball was invented in the United States. However, when it comes to developing young basketball players in the most effective, efficient and ethical manner, we’re way behind a lot of the basketball world.
The fact is American youth basketball has a terrible reputation. In particular, summer AAU basketball is often synonymous with […]
By Ken Reed
The Huffington Post
November 27, 2013
I love sports.
I’m also fed up with sports.
I’m guessing that a lot of you are conflicted in the same way.
I’ve been involved in the world of sports, in one capacity or another, my entire life. Born the […]
By Ken Reed
The Huffington Post
August 31, 2013
Following this Labor Day weekend, virtually all of the nation’s students in grades K-12 will be back in school. Unfortunately, fewer of them will be participating in physical education classes and intramural sports programs.
It’s mind-boggling that at a time when overweight and […]
Good Sports, Bad Sports is a regular feature from League of Fans highlighting recent, often underreported, news stories that positively or negatively impact sports & society.
By Shawn McCarthy
In this edition, 19 U.S. states/territories are Good Sports for lowering obesity rates among preschoolers for the first time in decades. Keith Olbermann is a Good […]
A League of Fans Special Feature
Tom McMillen
Tom McMillen was a three-time All-American basketball player at the University of Maryland. He then was a Rhodes Scholar and played professional basketball in Europe for a year before embarking on an 11-season career in the National Basketball Association.
He retired in 1986 to begin a […]
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #32 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Prolific Author Joe Posnanski Joins the Show – Posnanski is one of America’s best sportswriters and has twice been named the best sports columnist in America by the Associated Press Sports Editors. We chat about his new book, “Why We Love Baseball,” his new Substack newsletter called Joe Blogs, and we cover topics including how baseball treats its fans, MLB’s numerous rule changes this past season, how the sport can become more fan-friendly, the greatness of Negro Leagues champion Buck O’Neil, and much more.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Google Podcasts; PocketCasts; & Anchor
Episode #31 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Foul Ball Safety Is Still an Important Issue at Ballparks – Our guests are Jordan Skopp, founder of FoulBallSafety.com and Greg Wilkowski, a Chicago based attorney. We discuss the historical problem of foul balls injuring fans and why some teams are still hesitant to put up protective netting in some minor league and college baseball parks.
Episode #30 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The State of College Athletics with Dr. David Ridpath: Problems and Potential Solutions – Ridpath is a sports administration professor at Ohio University and a member of The Drake Group, a college sports reform think tank.
Episode #29 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The Honorable Tom McMillen Visits League of Fans’ Sports Forum – McMillen is a former All-American basketball player, Olympian, Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Congressman. We discuss the state of college athletics today.
Episode #28 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: A Chat With Mano Watsa, a Leading Basketball and Life Educator – Watsa is President of PGC Basketball, the largest education basketball camp in the world. We discuss problems in youth sports today.
Episode #27 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Kids’ Sports: How We Can Take Back the Game and Restore Quality Family Time In the Process – Linda Flanagan is author of “Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids’ Sports and Why It Matters.” We discuss how commercialized and professionalized youth sports are hurting kids and their families.
Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- Reed Appears on Ralph Nader Radio Hour League of Fans’ sports policy director, Ken Reed, Ralph Nader and the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner discussed a variety of sports issues on Nader’s radio show as well as Reed’s updated book, How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan. Reed's book was released in paperback in February, and has a new introduction and several updated sections.
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Vanderbilt Sport & Society - On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss with guest Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director for League of Fans and author of How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
Books