TrueSport®, a movement powered by the experience and values of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, champions the positive values and life lessons learned through youth sport. TrueSport inspires athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators to change the culture of youth sport through active engagement and thoughtful curriculum based on cornerstone lessons of sportsmanship, character-building, and clean and healthy performance, while also creating leaders across communities through sport.
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Does your team have any rituals? At first, you might be shaking your head. But think about it: Are there team chants or cheers that you do before every game? Does the team paint their faces or wear certain clothes before big meets? Do you have a certai...
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If your athlete has torn, ruptured, or otherwise injured a muscle, tendon, or ligament, they’re dealing with a soft tissue injury. These injuries can be frustrating, since the area that’s injured can look perfectly normal, but on the inside, the body i...
Although two-a-day practices remain a standard in many clubs and high school sports, they have been discontinued by a number of college and professional sports programs because the downsides often outweigh the benefits. Pair practices with school, game...
If you’ve ever wandered around in a sporting goods store or pharmacy, you’ve likely noticed an aisle largely dedicated to different wraps, braces, bandages, and tape designed to help an athlete recover from an injury or ease pain. But not all bra...
For parents and coaches, the temptation to push an athlete to specialize in a single sport is tempting, even at a young age. Stories of athletes like Tiger Woods, who was intensely focused on golf since early childhood, give credence to the notion that...
It can be hard to make meals that are healthy and satisfying for athletes with certain food restrictions. But with a bit of prep and pre-planning, you can easily have snacks and meals on hand that are soy, dairy, and gluten-free. TrueSport Expert...
Assumptions and biases are unfortunately impossible to avoid entirely—and to say that you don’t have any around race, gender, sexuality, class, religion, disability, or any other identities, makes it impossible for you to grow as a person. ...
Coaching isn’t easy…there is pressure from coaches, administrators, and athletes – all with different agenda and needs. These days, helping athletes through mental health struggles and tough times can also be part of your role as a c...
Bringing up topics like race, gender, sexuality, religion, or class can be intimidating and uncomfortable as a coach. But in many cases, staying silent on those topics can alienate athletes on your team, and make them feel as though they aren’t b...
Meal prepping is a common recommendation for busy parents who want to provide healthymeals and make weeknights smoother, especially when there’s a young athlete with a packed scheduleand a big appetite in the house. But meal prepping ca...
Choosing the right footwear for your athlete can be frustrating and confusing given the constant foot growth, the different shoes for different sports, and the huge variety of styles and price points. According to Dr. Michele LaBotz,&...
Have you evaluated your diet, met with a physician, and fine-tuned your training program only to find that you really do need to use a supplement? Now it’s time to decide which supplements might actually work and learn how to pick the l...
As a coach, you may have suggested icing a sore ankle or taking a hot bath after a grueling practice to alleviate aches and pains. But some of the age-old recommendations around ice and heat have been debunked. Ice and heat still have a place in an ath...
For young teenagers, diet culture is hard to avoid. Whether they hear about a new fad from friends or read about a new diet trend in a health magazine, there's often pressure to have some kind of stance on food. And while some diet trends like intermit...
If your team has a hefty travel schedule and you regularly compete in cities that are more than 3,000 feet above sea level, you may be concerned about how to ensure your sea-level-dwelling athletes are prepared for the higher altitudes. ...
Now that you know supplements are regulated post-market, you’re probably aware that all supplements are not created equal. Some are manufactured in safe environments with high quality control standards and then tested and certified by indepe...
Your young athlete works hard on the field, at practice, in training, and at school—which means their bodies need proper nutrients and fuel to keep up. But with so much going on, it can be hard to prioritize a healthy nutrition plan and that can ...
Disordered eating covers a large amount of dieting and exercising behaviors—and while it may not be as severe as a full-blown eating disorder, it can seriously affect a young athlete's health in the short and long term. Here, TrueSport Exper...
When a competitive athlete leaves sport, permanently or briefly to recover from an injury or pursue another activity, it's normal to feel a mixture of emotions. Even if the athlete is choosing to take a break from sport, issues surrounding body image, ...
Did you know supplements aren’t regulated like medications? Did you know that a ‘natural’ supplement doesn’t mean a safer supplement? Did you know that you can’t trust supplement labels? Due to post-market regulation,...
As the parent of a young athlete, you're probably used to seeing a whole range of emotions, from wild joy to intense anger to devastating sadness. While it's tempting to try to help your athlete ditch the anger and sadness, it's actually more important...
Many athletes believe they need dietary supplements to perform at their best, but what do you think? Is this trust deserved? While it’s true that some supplements can be helpful in some circumstances, often, the benefits and safety of supplements...
Chicken is a meal-prep staple for a reason. It's easy to prepare in bulk and it's basically a blank slate when it comes to how you want to prepare or season it. You can shift from Taco Tuesday to an Italian-style dish to a curry with the same batch of ...
As a coach for young athletes, whether they're in elementary school or high school, you're going to deal with the emotional rollercoasters that young people experience. A fight with a friend over the weekend can translate to feelings of despair on game...
Whether you're a child or an adult, a coach or a parent, a teammate or a team leader, difficult conversations are never easy. Having frank discussions that feel confrontational can be intimidating and emotionally taxing at any age, but fortunately, the...
It’s been a full year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, forcing coaches, parents, and athletes to change how they viewed team sports. Entire seasons, including practices and competitions, were canceled, and for many, the future of youth sport is...
When it comes to diet trends, it's nearly impossible to keep up. One minute, juicing is the latest and greatest, and the next time you pick up a magazine, there's a whole new food group to avoid. It can be easy for adults and young athletes alike to as...
We all make assumptions throughout the day—it's part of human nature. But young athletes sometimes make judgements based on assumptions that may or may not be true, and these misguided assumptions can hurt a team's dynamic. The COVID-19 pan...
Good news—research shows that kids who cook at home are more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables. While getting in the kitchen and cooking healthy meals after practice might seem daunting and unreasonable, it doesn’t ...
It's no secret that many young athletes are over-extended, often playing on school and club teams in one or more sports, traveling for competitions, and squeezing in conditioning sessions. Two-a-day practices have become the norm for many athletes.&nbs...
When it comes to youth sports, we’ve all seen the shocking videos of parents letting their emotions fuel violent outburstsagainst other parents, coaches, and even young officials. But what if that angry outburst comes from one of the at...
If you've been wondering if you should start feeding your growing athlete an organic diet, the answer isn't a simple yes or no. There are certain reasons that an organic diet may be healthier, but eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in ge...
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