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December 21, 2007 |  |
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Welcome to the December 21, 2007; edition of the MYAS Update In this Issue Pass it on Know anyone who might be interested in our newsletter? Click here to forward this email to up to 5 friends at once. |
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Our newsletter is designed to provide timely youth sports information to coaches, athletes, parents and administrators. This includes notes from the Executive Director, calendar reminders, new service announcements and special events. Contributions from our sponsors assist us in delivering high quality youth sports services at the lowest possible cost; contributions partially fund this newsletter and certain sponsors will be featured. Dan's Notes - from Executive Director Dan Klinkhammer THERE IS A CONSEQUENCE! My wife has a pretty good sense of humor and after 26 years of marriage, we still chuckle about the Book of Dan. You see, every time I pop off with a new philosophical viewpoint on whatever topic we're discussing, she looks at me and asks the same question: "Where did you hear that? Is it in the Book of Dan?" I have to admit that I've relied on the book on many occasions and it has been an instrumental tool in a variety of Klinkhammer negotiations. For example, the Book of Dan specifically states that every man should own at least one Harley Davidson motorcycle in his lifetime. It also dictates that any man who has to mow an acre of lawn needs a riding lawnmower. It comes in very handy when settling financial matters and affairs of the heart. It covers nearly any topic you can imagine and its true beauty is that, depending upon the circumstances, it can be extremely flexible. There is one topic, however, upon which it is rock solid. When it comes to paying the consequences for your actions there is no wiggle room, no new chapter, no plea bargaining and no alternative ruling. The Book of Dan clearly points out that there needs to be a consequence for a person's actions. Call me old school, but where I come from kids got spanked if they misbehaved. If you wrote nasty notes on the neighbor's sidewalk with a walnut, it was a good bet that you'd be on your hands and knees scrubbing it with a toothbrush while the neighbor lady and your mom stood nearby with their arms folded and their feet tapping. If you shot your brother in the rear with a BB gun just to see how fast he could run, you could count on a well-deserved whooping from Dad when he got home. If you went fishing instead of mowing the lawn like you were told, you probably didn't get an allowance that week or the next. And heaven help you if you threw a firecracker into Janie Ronan's hair... Yep, in my house there were consequences for your actions. Of course, even with consequences we have lapses in judgment, especially if we think we won't get caught or can blame it on someone else. And it's a sure bet we're going to continue our errant ways if we believe that nobody cares or has the intestinal fortitude to take any action. Well, I can assure that, here in Minnesota, we do have people who care and have the guts to take some action. We call them the MYAS Review Committee. You see it every day. A coach gets tossed because he's out of control. A player is ejected for fighting. A parent or spectator is escorted from the gym. But is that the end of the story? Not necessarily. The MYAS Review Committee conducted two hearings last week and dished out a one-year suspension to a coach; a two-week suspension from practice and games to a player and a one-year probation period to a parent/scorekeeper. One case was referred back to the local association for them to adjudicate. I am telling you about this because I want people to know that there has been, and there will continue to be, consequences for your actions at our events. Would you be surprised if I told you that we permanently banned five basketball referees last year and placed seven other officials on probation? Or if I told you that there are at least four organizations that will not be allowed to host our events in the future? If you didn't know about any of these situations, penalties and punishments, it's because we've done a lousy job of keeping you informed. That's right - it's my fault that you don't know the end of most of the stories you hear, and we need to figure out a way to keep everyone informed. Whether it's unsportsmanlike conduct or passing a bad check, we all need to know who's doing what because it eventually affects us all in one way or another. A perfect example of no consequence for an action would be a guy who passes a bad check to enter the Eden Prairie invitational and then does the same thing to Apple Valley, Blaine, Maple Grove and Woodbury. He'll get away with it because nobody cares enough to track him down and then share the information with others. Case in point: A few years ago when we were running the AAU Baseball National Championships, I received a call from Baltimore, MD forewarning me about a coach who was coming to our tournament. The caller informed me that this coach had already been kicked out of four other national championships in previous years for unsportsmanlike conduct. When I first heard about him my initial thought was, "How does a guy like this continue to be allowed to participate?" Well, the answer was pretty simple. People typically don't share information like that. They are just happy to see the guy leave their parking lot. Out of sight, out of mind. Long story short - it took this guy four games in our tournament before he was permanently ejected. (Note from the Book of Dan - you get ejected if you spit in the Tournament Director's face. No ifs, ands or buts about it...you're gone.) After our event, I took the liberty of sending a letter to every youth baseball organization in the country informing them of the action taken here in Minnesota. I got responses from all of them, thanking me for sharing the information. I also received apologies from three organizations that had previously dealt with this guy but had not shared the information. I'm not sure how we disseminate all the pertinent information to everyone who needs it. Nor am I certain how we do it without violating the Data Privacy Act or due process, but I do know that it needs to be shared. Rest assured I will do some research and amend the Book of Dan, and we'll figure out a way to legally put forth this information. Take pride in yourself if your name is not on the list. Otherwise it will be a little like trying to prove your brother threw the firecracker into Janie Ronan's hair. Another Note From Dan Klinkhammer I'd like to introduce our new "resident historian", Mr. Larry Gallagher. Larry comes to us with many years of athletic experience, having been a player, coach and official in numerous sports at various levels - from youth to professional. He is a retired teacher with a wealth of knowledge and a keen interest in a wide range of sports. Larry will be contributing to a column called "Then and Now" which will feature often little known tidbits of sports history. We trust you will enjoy his column as much as we do - and maybe learn a thing or two! Then And Now - by Larry Gallagher 
Did you know that some of the original rules of basketball are still being used today? Reproduced below are the 13 original rules of basketball by Dr. James Naismith and comments by this writer (in red italics). The original rules were written in December of 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. These rules were published in January of 1892 in the Springfield College school newspaper, The Triangle.
MYAS "Team Friendly" Hotel Partners
The winter basketball season is upon us. Up to date information and entry forms for all of our traveling basketball programs are posted on our website. Simply click on a program title below to be directed to its web page. Boys' Super Saver Basketball Tournaments Boys' Traveling Basketball League MYAS Grade State Basketball Championships MYAS Rec State Basketball Championships 2008 MYAS Grade State Basketball Championships The 2008 MYAS Grade State Basketball Championships are right around the corner and March Madness, Minnesota Style will be here before we know it. Don't delay - sign up today! The Grade State information is now available on the MYAS website. We hope that you'll participate! The 2008 Championships will be held on March 7-9 (girls) and March 14-16 (boys). The tournament brochure, entry application, rules and regulations, code of conduct and hotel information can all be found on the Grade State web page. Gopher State Spring Basketball Even though we're still in the winter basketball season, it's not too early to start planning to participate in the 2008 Gopher State spring basketball season. After the MYAS split with the AAU two years ago, we had 70% of the spring teams playing with us in 2006. This past spring, 85% of teams participated with us and we are expecting that many more will come back in 2008. We are really excited about the possibility of Minnesota being all together again so that you can play at the best competition level for your team. The Gopher State spring basketball season kicks off on the weekend of March 29-30. The 2008 "Quest for the Rings" Spring Championship dates have also been set. All of the girls' championships and the boys' 9U-11U championships will be held on May 16-18. All other boys' championships will take place on May 30-June 1. The Gopher State spring calendar is online now - check it out at www.myas.org. We are currently putting together our spring host calendar. If your organization would like to host a Gopher State spring tournament as a fund raiser, please contact Rich Penick at 763-781-2220 x 1724 or rich@myas.org. New for 2008(?): We are attempting to coordinate a spring "Tournament of Champions" event for teams that have won any of our spring tournaments and teams from surrounding states that have won invitationals in their area. The event would be "invitation only." Watch for more information in the coming months. We thank you for your continued support and participation in our programs. We wish all of you a safe and joyous holiday season and a great winter of basketball! In our ongoing education mission, we will periodically highlight various playing rules in the MYAS Update. This month's issue features three basic basketball rules. 1. Can a cast be worn on the wrist or hand if covered with padding? 2. Can jewelry be worn if it is taped over? 3. Is it a foul if the defensive player slaps the offensive player's hand while the offensive player is holding the ball? The answers to these rules questions are posted later in the e-letter (see "In this Issue" for the link). Good luck! Gopher State Winter Baseball Camps The annual Battery Mates Camp for pitchers and catchers will be held on December 30 at Northwestern College in Roseville. The lead instructor will be Erik Lovdahl, whose Lovdahl Pitching Academy (LPA) features the latest in training techniques used by the Minnesota Twins. Camp and registration information is available online by clicking here. The LPA will hold additional clinics on January 27 and February 9 at Northwestern College. We have four remaining camps (January 20-21, February 18, March 8-9 & March 22-23) at the Minnesota Baseball Academy's state of the art Competitive Edge Arena in Rogers. The hitting camps will feature the latest in video technology, the Dartfish Slow Motion Video Analysis. Participants will be able to break down their swings like the pros! Hitting leagues are also available with the MBA in January. These camps offer a great way to stay ahead of the competition - click here to access all the camp information and registration forms. If you have questions regarding the camps, please send e-mail to Jeremy Barbe or call 763-781-2220 x 1731. Just an FYI that the MYAS baseball office will be closed from December 22 through January 1. Happy holidays! Gopher State Winter Softball Camps This will be the first year the MYAS partners with the Minnesota Softball Academy to offer two 2-day camps at the Competitive Edge Arena in Rogers. The MSA brings the finest coaches - including current collegiate players and coaches and current and former professional players - to facilitate these camps. The camp dates are December 27-28 and February 16-17. Click here to access camp information and registration forms. If you have questions regarding the camps, please send e-mail to Meggan Staton or call her at 763-315-9393. On Monday, January 7, 2008, the MYAS will hold its baseball annual meeting at 7:00pm at the Ramada Minneapolis NW/Grand Rios in Brooklyn Park. We will be discussing all 2008 MYAS baseball tournaments and any changes in GSTC procedures and qualification. This meeting is scheduled to last no more than an hour. The MYAS baseball staff will be available to answer any questions the group may have once the meeting is finished. We hope to see at least one representative from every Minnesota and western Wisconsin baseball association at the meeting. Please click here to access directions to the Ramada Minneapolis NW. In the meantime, enjoy your off-season! Gopher State/USSSA/North Star Baseball Dates to Remember Note: All dates are subject to change; any changes will be posted on the MYAS website. 1/7/08 * MYAS Annual Baseball Meeting @ Ramada Mpls. NW (formerly Grand Rios); 7:00pm Gopher State Baseball Coaches' Clinic The MYAS baseball staff is pleased to announce the 8th annual Gopher State Baseball Coaches' Clinic, which will be held on March 1, 2008 at Northwestern College. Please look for a complete brochure and application on the MYAS website in January, as well as the unveiling of the former Minnesota Twin who will be the featured speaker. The clinic has been designed to enhance coaching skills and techniques as well as create awareness of the physical and mental aspects of the game. Don't miss out on your opportunity to attend! Attention all Minnesota and Wisconsin traveling baseball teams! The dates and most sites have been set for the 2008 Minnesota and Wisconsin USSSA State Tournaments. Don't miss your chance to earn a berth to your designated USSSA World Series and/or the Gopher State Tournament of Champions! Check the MYAS website for more details. Gopher State Wrestling Information The MYAS Gopher State Wrestling Championship has earned the reputation of being the toughest tournament in Minnesota. In 2007 there were 1,235 registered wrestlers representing Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Michigan. Wrestlers from all states are eligible to participate in all Gopher State wrestling events. The program has seen tremendous growth since its inception in 2002. We thank you for your participation and look forward to another great season. To access more information, please click on the appropriate link below. Gopher State Wrestling Championships Entry forms are now available for all of our 2008 Gopher State Volleyball events. All Gopher State tournaments will be sanctioned with USSSA Volleyball, meaning you are not required to purchase USAV memberships or pay any additional fees! Winter Carnival - deadline January 7, 2008 For complete information, please click here to visit the volleyball portion of our website. If you are interested in hosting our have other questions, please send e-mail to Jessica Christopherson or call her at 763-781-2220 x 1733. Nearly 900 swimmers participated in the 2007 Midwest Regional Swim Meet. Don't miss your chance to be part of one of the largest youth swim meets in the world! The 2008 Midwest Regional will be held March 29-30 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. Entry materials and other information are available on the MYAS website. If you have other questions, please send e-mail to Jessica Christopherson or call her at 763-781-2220 x 1733. Answers to Basketball Rules of the Month 1. No. A guard, cast or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plastic, pliable (soft) plastic, metal or any other hard substance may not be worn on the elbow, hand, finger, wrist or forearm; even though covered with soft padding (NFHS 3-5-2a page 25). 2. Jewelry is prohibited. Religious and medical-alert medals are not considered jewelry. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical-alert medal must be taped and may be visible (NFHS 3-5-7 page 26). 3. A player shall not contact an opponent with his/her hand unless such contact is only the opponent's hand while it is on the ball and is incidental to an attempt to play the ball (NFHS 10-6-2 page 65). Calendar Updates (as of 12/20/07) Annual Baseball Meeting - January 7th, 2008 MN Lynx Junior Ballerz Tournament Timberwolves Holiday Basketball Clinics 2008 Gatorade Timberwolves Shootout Schedule & Pricing Attention Baseball Tournament Directors for 2008 Breakfast with Santa at the Ramada/Grand Rios Winter Basketball Opportunities for 9th, 10th, 11th/12th Graders ATTENTION IN-HOUSE BASKETBALL DIRECTORS MYAS Position on Waivers For Winter Basketball Registration Materials Now Available! 2008 Rec State Basketball Championships Gopher State Girls Basketball Apparel Do You Want to Play at the Target Center? Click Here MYAS TRAVELING BASKETBALL GUIDELINES Important Association Services That Work! The Minnesota Youth Athletic Services offers three important services: 1. Association and Player Sports Accident Insurance Coverage The MYAS has partnered with the agency that handles the majority of insurance concerns for the Police Athletic Leagues (PAL) around the nation. There are two broad types of insurance coverage that are both included in the MYAS insurance program: General Liability and Player Sports Accident . This program is offered by the American Insurance Group (AIG) company and provides a liability and player sports accident insurance policy that, in some cases, is cheaper than what some associations pay for just a liability policy. We also offer Director’s and Officer’s Insurance for participating associations. For more information, please contact Mike DeWane at 952-393-1929 or mike@myas.org. 2. Criminal Background Checks In addition, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that $50 billion is lost annually due to employee theft and fraud. Youth sports associations must protect themselves from this threat as well. Don’t put your association at risk! Fortunately, youth sports associations now have a simple and inexpensive tool to avoid some of society’s worst fears. The MYAS, with its partner RHR Information Systems (RHR), has designed a criminal background check system that offers three affordable options to youth sports associations. RHR, a local Twin Cities company, incorporates a “user-friendly” process combined with flexible information delivery to make this system easy and inexpensive for your organization. For more information, please contact Mike DeWane at 952-393-1929 or mike@myas.org. 3. Coaching Education Program
MRSA Skin Infections: A Challenging Opponent Skin infections can be a challenging opponent for athletes of any age. Sports at greatest risk for transmitting skin infections are those which involve a lot of skin-to-skin contact, such as wrestling. Antibiotic-resistant staph infection, also called methicillin-resistant staph infection, or MRSA, is an infection caused by a bacteria that is resistant to many commonly used antibiotics. Resistance means that the antibiotics are not able to kill the bacteria. The infections usually look like pimples, boils or "holes in the skin" (abscess) and are frequently misidentified as spider bites. How does MRSA occur? MRSA is transmitted primarily through skin-to-skin contact through open skin lesions such as scrapes, hair follicles or tiny cuts that can result from body shaving. The area of infection is usually red, swollen, painful and may leak fluid. MRSA can lead to more serious conditions that include bloodstream infections and pneumonia; the symptoms associated with these more serious infections include fever, chills and shortness of breath. MRSA infections are spread in a number of ways:
How can I prevent MRSA skin infections? A first step includes practicing good hygiene:
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MYAS membership meetings are held at our offices (4111 Central Avenue NE, Columbia Heights) on the last Tuesday of each month at 9:00am (unless notified otherwise). All MYAS members are welcome to attend. |
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