One of the most popular cheers at Penn State home football games is when half the stadium yell "I say JoePa," followed by the other half saying "You Say Terno." Nittany Lion fans have had a lot of practice with this over the years, as Penn State football coach Joe Paterno is completing his 43rd season at the helm.

I think it's safe to say that no major college football program will ever again have a head coach for more than 40 years. Despite being 82, Paterno is showing no signs of slowing down. He's led Penn State to an 11-1 record this season, and a spot in the Rose Bowl.

Although Paterno underwent hip replacement surgery this week, he vows to run out of the tunnel with his players before the first game next season, and I wouldn't bet against him. As a Penn State graduate and fan, and someone who got to know Paterno as a reporter in the mid 1980s, I'm continually amazed he's able to keep it going both on and off the field. His teams have been very successful, and his teams are always near the top in terms of gruduation percentage, a rare combination these days.

Whether he coaches for one, three or five more years, he will be nearly impossible to replace, and will be truly appreciated once he retires. My guess is that Beaver Stadium will someday be renamed for the feisty Paterno, who taught me several life lessons while covering the team for the Penn State student newspaper.

There will never be another coach like him.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 10:51 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

With Thansgiving right around the corner, it's a good time to give thanks to all those people who make youth sports possible. This includes the following:

• Our kids who play youth sports.
• All those who volunteer their time to coach, officiate, organize leagues, etc.
• Good youth sports parents, including ourselves, who set a good example for our kids.

Participating in youth sports as a player, sports parent and coach has been a great experience for me, as well as for my kids. If you feel the same way, let those who make this possible know you appreciate their efforts -- especially your children. Few things are as rewarding, or motivating, as sincere thank yous recognizing one's contributions.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 12:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I've been writing this blog for more than two years, and this is my 100th post. In looking back at my previous posts, I realized that I've learned a lot about being a youth sports parent, primarily from my kids.

I was very into playing sports as a kid, and assumed my kids would be as well. They have been, but they've chosen the sports they want to pursue, and, with the exception of basketball, they are not the so-called traditional sports.

This bothered me initially, but I quickly realized that the kids' motivation and interest are essential to their enjoyment, and that I was better off to support and encourage their interests.

I also have a tendency to be a hands-on coach, offering instruction at every opportunity. Here again, I came to understand that while my kids take instruction willingly from other coaches, they don't want it from me.

My approach now is to introduce them to as many different sports as possible, and to make sports fun. The kids enjoy sports much more if they have some say in what they do and when they do it, without constant coaching or urging to play a particular sport from dad.

I feel I've become a much better sports parent thanks to this blog, which has largely focused on my experiences with my kids. I've also learned how to ride a RipStik, witnessed the benefits of karate and gymnastics firsthand and figured out how to coach my kids in a way that works for all of us.

I'm looking forward to sharing more of my learnings in my next 100 blog posts.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 04:27 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

When Barack Obama won the presidential election on Wednesday night, that meant, among other things, that come January 20, 2009 the new presidential sport will be basketball.

I, for one, think that is a good thing.

I play basketball with a group of guys my age on Wednesday nights, and it's one of the highlights of my week. The reasons I enjoy hoops are many, but here are a few:

• It gets my competitive juices flowing, as you need to win to play the next game.
• To be successful you need to work together/function as a team.
• It's a great workout.
• It takes my mind off of whatever else I was thinking about before stepping onto the court.

I suspect Obama likes basketball for some of these reasons, and others as well. Given the pressure and demands of the presidency, an activity like basketball can help him stay relaxed and sharp both on and off the court.

And if he's ever looking for another player for a pickup game, I'm just a few miles away.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 09:05 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

ESPN's Jon Miller has been my favorite baseball announcer for years, dating back to his time as the voice of the Baltimore Orioles before joining ESPN.

Miller is also calling the World Series on ESPN Radio, and he's reason enough for me to listen to the games. Miller is one of the rare announcers who makes the game come to life, and he sets the scene so well that it almost feels as though you are there.

Baseball, with its slow pace and plenty of time between pitches, is a sport that lends itself very well to radio, and for my money, no one is more fun to listen to than Miller.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 08:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

When playing sports with my kids, I find myself often trying to teach them the fundamentals so that they can improve their skill level. I've learned over time that they are not always receptive to this, and that I need to pick my spots, and be careful not to dwell on a particular point.

I've also recently learned another way to make my kids more willing to listen to and try my advice -- by having them teach me to do something.

My son is very into a two-wheeled skateboard called a RipStik. He mastered it right away, and can make it do pretty much whatever he wants. I, however, have not had much success with it at all. I decided I needed my son's help and advice, and he was very willing to teach me. He's been surprisingly patient, and has done a good job of teaching me the basics. I'm still no master, but I've gotten a lot better, thanks to him.

I've mentioned to him how helpful his teaching has been to me, and made the larger point that knowing how to do something right can improve your skill level and enjoyment as well. Since our RipStik lessons he's been more receptive to my teaching, and I'm looking for more situations for him to teach me to do something. 

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 08:20 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

As a parent of two children interested in sports, so much of what we sports parents do is centered around our children and their activities. This is as it should be, but it's also important to attend to your sporting interests.

Most Wednesdays during the school year I play basketball with a group of similarly aged men, which is one of the high points of my week. I have always loved playing basketball, and have played on and off since middle school.

Wednesday night hoops is about me. It's very competitive, and a chance for me to test my skills against others. I often head home thinking about what I can work on to improve my game, and I'm just glad to have the opportunity to play on a regular basis.

I think it makes me a better sports parent, but more importantly, it fills my need for competition, and to be a part of a team.  I can't wait for next Wednesday.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 09:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In many youth sports leagues, kids, and especially girls, have the chance to play on coed teams. One school of thought is that playing with the boys, who tend to be more aggressive and physical, and more skilled in many cases, will help the girls improve their performance more quickly than playing on an all-girls team. This is the reason that for many years, top women's college basketball programs would routinely practice against men.

A counter argument is that since the boys tend to be more aggressive and dominating, girls on coed teams get less opportunity than they would on an all-girls team.

In short, I feel coed teams are right for some girls, and some boys, but that the kids should be making these decisions and not the parents. After all, our kids get many benefits for participating in team sports, and we should do all we can to encourage and support them.

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 11:10 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I am a very big Penn State football fan. I not only went to school there in a five-year span in which the Nittany Lions won their first two national titles, but I also covered the team as a reporter for the Penn State student newspaper, the Daily Collegian.

A few years ago I took my kids to see Penn State's spring football scrimmage, but they had never been to a regular season game.

This was the year that was going to change. We picked yesterday's game against Temple, were able to get nine tickets for other members of my extended family, and we rented a 12-passenger van for the 4-hour trip to State College, Pennsylvania.

The weather was perfect -- 70 and sunny -- and we parked on one of the vast grass parking areas surrounding Beaver Stadium, arriving moments before the noon kickoff. The kids were amazed at the vastness of it all -- more than 40,000 cars, RVs and all other types of vehicles, many of which had something showcasing the owners' Penn State spirit in what was a sea of blue and white. The same could be said for the clothes, as almost everyone, except for the few Temple fans, were wearing someting with blue and white.

Walking up the tunnel to our seats was something my kids will always remember. There they were, in the middle of more than 107,000 fans, who were doing the wave, waving pom-poms and generally rooting on the home team. The kids wore their Penn State football jersies for the occasion, and they quickly became an active part of the crowd, cheering all positive Nittany Lion plays, while always keeping an eye out for Penn State's Nittany Lion mascot.

The game was very one-sided -- Penn State won, 45-3 -- but the kids enjoyed the game and the surroundings very much. They also were very interested in our 3-hour postgame tailgate, which ended just about the time the sun went down on what was a very memorable day for my family.

This was one of those outings I had thought about a lot, and that really lived up to my expectations. I'm hoping it becomes an annual event. Now to teach them the words to the fight song ...

Posted by Chris Lindsley at 07:43 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)