By Ken Reed
Our children have never been more sedentary.
According to the CDC, in 2016, only 21.6 percent of children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 met the recommended 60 or more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity at least five times a week. It’s a safe bet that number is even lower today.
Moreover, […]
Continue Reading →: Physical Inactivity a Growing Problem for Our Youth
P.E. Done Right Can Improve Physical Fitness, Academic Performance and Reduce Behavioral Problems
By Ken Reed
In a new video report from The Atlantic, physical education programs in our nation’s schools are criticized.
Some of the criticism is justified, most notably in cases where the P.E. teacher simply rolls out the ball and allows […]
Continue Reading →: New Video Report Focuses on the Negatives of Physical Education
By Ken Reed
Reports of sex abuse and other misconduct in Olympic sports are up 55 percent in 2019 over last year at the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Unfortunately, the Center is understaffed and underfunded to deal with the caseload.
The Center is now receiving an average of 239 reports a month, compared to 154 […]
Continue Reading →: U.S. Center for SafeSport Overloaded and Underfunded
By Ken Reed
California is leading the way towards economic justice for college athletes.
Earlier this week, the California State Assembly unanimously passed the Fair Pay to Play Act. If Governor Gavin Newsom signs the bill, or allows it to go into law without his signature, college athletes in California will be able to […]
Continue Reading →: California Wants to Junk NCAA’s Stone Age Amateurism Model
By Ken Reed
Major college sports programs mimic professional sports. They are revenue-generating and profit-making machines.
In a recent Forbes article by Chris Smith, just how rich our country’s top 25 college football programs are was revealed.
“So much for amateur athletics — the sport’s 25 most valuable programs combine to earn an average […]
Continue Reading →: In Big-Time College Athletics, There’s Plenty of Money to Share With Athletes
By Ken Reed
In a recent Washington Post commentary, Dr. Robert Cantu, clinical professor of neurology and neurosurgery and co-founder of the CTE Center at the Boston University School of Medicine, and Mark Hyman, professor of sports management at George Washington University, suggested the following Surgeon General’s Warning be placed on all youth football helmets […]
Continue Reading →: Should Youth Football Helmets Carry a Surgeon General’s Warning?
Pressure From Coaches Jeopardizes Athletes’ Health
By Ken Reed
John Gerdy is one of my favorite sports reformers. He has an extensive background in many aspects of sports. His essays on various sports issues are always well thought out and supported.
In the September issue of his newsletter Quick Hits, John has a compelling […]
Continue Reading →: College Coaches Have Too Much Influence Over Collegiate Athletic Trainers
By Ken Reed
A survey of 3,500 former NFL players, conducted by Harvard researchers, revealed NFL players are six times more likely to suffer from a variety of cognitive problems than members of the general public.
“These guys are such fantastic athletes, but a significant percentage of them are doing serious damage to themselves,” […]
By Ken Reed
Too many sports fans view athletes as robots designed to play games for their entertainment.
They sit in the stands, or on their sofas, a cold beer in their hands, and yell at injured players for being “too soft” and “not tough enough.” They think jocks should just “suck it up” […]
Continue Reading →: Fans That Booed Andrew Luck Should Be Ashamed of Themselves
By Ken Reed
The latest episode of Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel on HBO looks at the shocking number of high school football players who have died as a result of heat stoke resulting from intense football practices, often conducted during periods of intense heat.
The sad part is that all of the […]
Continue Reading →: HBO Show Shines Light On the Tragedy of Football Players Dying From Heat Stroke