On the TUNNEYSIDE of SPORTS September 29, 2014 #508 Up Next…How many…?
After further review…The sports world is “rocked” with macabre social issues. Sports stars too often take a pass on the opportunity to provide role modeling. Ethics seem dictated by money, and the trappings of fame. So let’s turn our attention to many who have daily contact with youth, and work hard to help them grow up to be responsible citizens.
How many young people are provided each day with positive direction by our local and nationwide Boys’ and Girls’ clubs?
How many lives have been influenced in healthy ways by the people recently honored by our local Community Partnership for Youth for the work they do keeping kids on a positive path?
How many of the 400 youths and adults who attended our local spring Sportsnight were influenced by our guest speaker, Andrew Luck, who pointed out that the average NFL career lasts only 3-and-a-half years, which is why he returns to college in the off-season to stay current in order to be prepared for his post-football years?
How many young people were in the Monterey Peninsula College audience of 300, listening to the challenges presented by former and current NFL head coaches Herm Edwards and Ron Rivera (both locally raised), as they discussed “doing the right thing”, and provided real-life examples of how to do it?
How many youths listen to the world-class athletes sponsored by Positive Coaching Alliance, with chapters throughout our nation, encouraging them to follow “ethics in action” in whatever they do?
How many young people have been transformed by our local coaches, teachers, and parents who have been encouraged by Joe Ehrmann, a former NFL player, who has dedicated his life to inspiring role models and instructors to “coach from the inside out”?
How many young people in our community have been provided positive examples of good sportsmanship by our local coaches who have been awarded the Golden Whistle, presented by our local television station and sponsored by a local produce company, for their exemplary service to youth?
These programs, these people, and their commitment are there in thousands of communities from one end of this great land-of-opportunity to the other. Welcome and encouraging news can be found every single day in the world of service to youth in America.
Will you be part of a program in your community that helps provide positive examples for kids to follow?
To contact Jim go to www.jimtunney.com or email jim@jimtunney.com.
Jim’s new book “101 Best of TunneySide of Sports” has many examples of these issues.
