Play Like a Champion Today conference challenges sports leaders to reach out to involve more children | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Play Like a Champion Today conference challenges sports leaders to reach out to involve more children Play Like a Champion Today conference challenges sports leaders to reach out to involve more children Published: June 19, 2014 Author: Notre Dame News The University of Notre Dame’s Play Like a Champion Today initiative is hosting coaches, athletics administrators and leaders from the sports world from across the country at the University Friday-Sunday (June 20-22) for a conference titled “Long-Term Athlete Development: Ethics and Excellence.” Speakers at this year’s conference will share their latest research on how youth sports can make a difference in lives of many children, particularly with the support of understanding and caring coaches. Throughout the weekend, experts in coaching, sports medicine, psychiatry and officiating will work with youth and high school coaches and administrators on how to best develop the character of young athletes. The weekend will feature presentations and discussions on the medical challenges of overtraining, the impact of injuries on youth sports and psychological aspects of sport. Play Like a Champion’s national outreach director, Lynn Kachmarik, said one of the organization’s goals is reaching children living in urban areas with high concentrations of poverty. “This conference brings sports leaders from around the country together to exchange best practices getting kids at the margins involved sports and physical activities. There is so much we can be doing; we just need to commit to making a difference." This year’s speakers include keynote Brian Hainline, the chief medical officer for the NCAA; Brenda Villa, four-time Olympic water polo captain and gold and silver medalist; Brian Ratigan, team doctor for Notre Dame football and baseball; Jeff Triplette, NFL official and CEO of Arbiter Sports; and Mark McLaughlin, director of the Princeton Brain and Spine Institute. The conference is hosted by Play Like a Champion Today, which conducts initiatives nationwide through Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education and the Institute for Educational Initiatives. The PLACT initiative offers character-based educational programs for coaches and parents to enrich the lives of student-athletes in public and faith-based elementary and secondary schools. To learn more about the conference, visit playlikeachampion.nd.edu. Contact: Gena Robinson, 574-514-3359, grobins1@nd.edu Posted In: Athletics Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related September 28, 2022 Notre Dame brings home football experience pageantry to Las Vegas for Shamrock Series September 14, 2022 Football weekend events: Notre Dame vs. California September 07, 2022 Football weekend events: Notre Dame vs. Marshall June 23, 2022 Notre Dame to honor pioneers of Irish women’s athletics April 18, 2022 The Shirt 2022 to be unveiled in person on April 22 For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn