At Kids in the Game, we prioritize and focus on safe play for all of our young athletes. In order for our kids to have the best performance possible on and off the field, we want to highlight the importance of taking care of our bodies and give you five tips to do so properly! The following tips are a culmination of actions to take before, during, and after any athletic play and practice to give our athletes the best chance of recovery and injury prevention.

Tip #1: Proper Stretching Before and After Activity

An important but at times overlooked part of injury prevention is stretching before and after play, and making sure our bodies are loose and warmed up. In order to best avoid injury, athletes should first warm up the body before intense activity, including stretching by doing light exercise such as running in place or jumping jacks. Once loose, proper and safe stretching is crucial because it keeps the body flexible. When stretching, make sure to hold for 10-20 seconds but never to the point of pain. After exercise, cool down for 10 minutes by decreasing the intensity. Cooling down helps the muscles by decreasing soreness.

Tip #2: Proper Technique and Training

Another major cause of injury in youth is the improper technique used when working out, training, and participating in sports activities. It is important to always remember to listen, follow directions, and not be reckless on the field for not only your safety, but for your peers as well. This includes but is not limited to wearing all equipment the proper way, not taking reckless actions during play, and always having proper form when working out or stretching.

Tip #3: Refraining from Overuse of Body and Muscles

Muscle overuse can cause injuries and have long term effects on the body. Some signs of overuse are severe joint or muscle stiffness, not being able to put weight on a certain body part like the ankle or wrist, favoring one side of the body over the other, and experiencing unusual weakness. In order to best prevent this, young athletes should rest, stretch, hydrate, and have a health and wellness evaluation. These evaluations can identify possible health concerns that may lead to overuse injuries.

Tip #4: Staying Hydrated

In our daily lives outside of sports, it is extremely important that we stay hydrated. Drinking water prevents dehydration which is very common for athletes to experience, especially in sports played outside during hot weather. Additionally, staying hydrated helps prevent cramping and spasms, another common experience for athletes. Some additional benefits of staying hydrated are: improved muscle function, regulated blood pressure, and improved circulation.

Tip #5: Taking Mental Breaks and Rest

Lastly, it is crucial for all athletes to take breaks both physically and mentally and engage in interests outside of the sport. At times, one may feel pressure or psychological strain causing stress or burnout. In order to combat this and reduce fatigue, having a focus on maintaining a healthy life balance, taking a mental break from sport, and taking a physical break from physical activity is most important. Our mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. 

Where does President Biden’s new “Equality Act” fit into the world of sports and more specifically, what does it mean for our kids?

At Kids in the Game, we believe every kid should have a chance to play. We share a common goal to provide positive experiences and opportunities through sports and creative play. Today, we want to unpack President Biden’s new ‘Equality Act,’ and how it fits into the world of sport across the country, as well as right here in New York City and in our programs. 

Within weeks of his inauguration, President Biden has hit the ground running by immediately placing executive orders in numerous departments. Several of his statements have been on the topic of health care reform, COVID-19 vaccine rollout, immigration policies, and more. As an organization rooted in youth development, each of these pieces are pivotal in our recovery from the past year. One topic that received mixed reviews in the press was Biden’s executive order to prevent discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. This has particularly sparked discussion in the context of athletics — and who can and can’t compete.

So what does this mean for youth sports? How does this legislation help or hinder inclusion in our space?

Throughout history, the inclusion of non-cisgendered athletes on specifically men’s or women’s teams has been a frequent point of contention. Critics of non-cisgender inclusion on gender-specific teams (e.g., non-cis women on women’s teams) often rely on negative stereotypes based on gender and capability as the basis for their argument. Some would say the addition of these athletes creates an imbalance or inequity because they cannot compete at the same level as cisgendered athletes; they are either athletically superior to cisgendered women or inferior to cisgendered men. Some critics even suggest that women’s-only sports are meant to provide a space for women to compete at a level that requires less athleticism. However, history has shown this to be untrue given the number of women who now dominate the sports world. Athletes like Abby Wambach or Serena Williams prove that division on the simple basis of gender in sports is becoming more and more irrelevant when determining who is the “best.” 

Skeptics of non-cisgender inclusion in men’s and women’s sports also reference muscle mass capability and hormone production as reasons why inclusion might create inequities. However, when Caster Semenya, a Black South African runner who identifies as a woman, wowed viewers around the world with  her insane speed, the public’s reaction was telling of a much greater societal issue. Even her fellow sprinters used slurs and discredited her success by promoting negative stereotypes about her body and gender, with some even going so far as to allege that she was a man competing in women’s sports. Countless media outlets covered this event and its discourse, all the while only skimming the surface of the issue at hand. What they were pushing against was not her speed, her athleticism, or her credibility in general — it was her femininity and gender expression that they were not okay with. Her body was ridiculed for its “masculine” characteristics because it did not conform to public perceptions of what women should look like. These biases are also evident in the argument to exclude non-cisgender athletes because they do not conform to what others perceive as the traditional gender expression of men and women athletes. 

President Biden’s executive mandate to end basic discrimination based on gender identitiy or sexual orientation has major implications for athletics and youth sports particularly. This bill is not dissimilar to the actions that arose from genderless bathroom mandates back in 2014 (ACLU). By publishing this order, especially so soon into his presidency, President Biden is setting the tone for the next four years — creating a society that is hopefully moving away from hatred and discrimination, instead of towards it. This gives us great hope for our team, our kids, and our community. 

Some may argue that this will come as a disadvantage to girls and women in sports (Wall Street Journal). Here are a few reasons we don’t think that’s true. By creating a space that is free of discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity, this bill is simply providing a more welcoming and inclusive space for all participants. To include everyone is to progress the environments in which we live. Especially in youth sports, many children who have gender dysphoria or may be questioning their gender / sexual orientation often feel pigeon-holed into a binary choice, due to the existing structure of men’s and women’s athletics. This is likely a driving factor of athletes dropping out around the age of puberty and into high school, something we are working every day to address head on. By upholding these anti-discrimination clauses, coaches can break down the barriers that have harmed many youth — while at the same time, starting the conversation about our divisions in athletics altogether. 

Last year, one of our 2020 resolutions was to improve equal participation between girls and boys in our programs. Whether in after-school, on our sports teams, in our camps, or years down the road, we want to encourage our young female leaders to be in the game and stay in the game. We’re particularly focused on the alarming rates of drop-out for girls in middle school sports. As we continue to progress, we’re asking ourselves new questions. 

Is only two categories of teams enough? Why are so many of us still hesitating to have that conversation? Where are those feelings really coming from? How can we, as an organization committed to greater inclusion, acknowledge the discomfort felt by some to create space for more youth to excel?

Inclusion for all includes non-binary and transgender people. By enforcing a ban on discrimination on the basis of sexuality or gender identity, the tone of the sports industry is being shifted for good. In the case of youth sports and development, an inclusive environment goes far beyond helping kids become strong athletes.  The benefits for each child’s individual growth include  increased social intelligence, as well as heightened emotional intelligence and perception. 

One of the core reasons we exist is to foster a positive sense of self in kids. We are also committed to fostering equity and inclusion in our programs, giving every child a sense of belonging, the opportunity to succeed, and the chance to build their confidence. 

The Equality Act, as it has been named, provides non-discrimination protections for the LGBTQIA community that goes beyond athletics. The bill can be seen as a supplement to the 1964 Civil Rights Act — which does not have any mention of preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual identity or expression. In many instances, this might go unnoticed in our day-to-day lives. However, for many, having these words amended to governmental level legislation is an enormous stride in the direction of equality and justice for all. 

The Civil Rights Act was a hard fought piece of legislation, and we are still working to protect the basic civil rights of marginalized groups, regardless of their ethnicity, race, or religion. With the Equality Act expanding rights for the LGBTQIA community, we are hopeful that  sexual orientation and gender expression will continue to be respected and protected well into the future. For now, we still have work to do.

Learn more about the basics of the Equality Act here.

Kids in the Game earns spot in top 150 impact companies

New York City, NY, January 13, 2021 – Real Leaders is thrilled to announce the newly selected winners of its 2021 “Top Impact Companies” from around the world. 

Since 2010, Real Leaders has been the premier source for recognizing organizations that are making a positive social or environmental impact. The list recognizes companies of all sizes. 

Kids in the Game is excited to announce that we are a Real Leaders Impact 2021 Award Winner. The past year will go down as one of the toughest in Kids in the Game history. However, amongst the hardship, our organization has been able to rise to the occasion to keep our impact alive and well. In 2020, we were officially awarded our B Corp certification, kept our kids moving during over 800 hours of virtual programming and welcomed back sports, camp and school programs in a safe and meaningful way for thousands of families. We are honored to have won this award, but our work does not stop here.

“These top impact companies prove that businesses can thrive by being a force for good’ said Mark Van Ness, Founder of Real Leaders. “They are the Real Leaders of the New Economy” added Van Ness.

The 2021 award winners include game-changers such as: Tesla, Beyond Meat, Patagonia and 147 other well-respected impact brands of all sizes and from a variety of industries. To view the full list, click here.

“We feel honored to have been chosen through a rigorous selection process,” said Matt Murphy, CEO. “Our long term focus on providing quality sport and creative play programs for all kids in New York City, regardless what neighborhood they are growing up in has been a huge part of achieving this award.”

Matt Murphy, CEO of Kids in the Game

A special ceremony will be held on January 27th, 2021 to honor the winners and will include key impact speakers featuring Seth Goldman, Chairman of Beyond Meat and a musical performance from Michael Franti, world-renowned musician and activist.

ABOUT REAL LEADERS

Real Leaders is the world’s first business and sustainable leadership magazine and serves a community of visionaries, collaborating to regenerate our world. Its mission is to inspire better leaders for a better world. Real Leaders is a Certified B-Corp and signatory in the United Nations Global Compact (an advocate for achieving the global goals for sustainable development).

Real Leaders positions leaders to thrive in the new economy and to inspire the future.