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Appointing team captains and what they should know Nancy Justis for The Gazette When I was working in my previous job, I always thought once July 4th arrived my summer was over. Working in sports, America’s birthday signaled it was time to prepare for the fall sports. It’s now that time of year and teams have already or are about to report to camp. With that comes the choosing of team…

Experts says there’s a development problem in youth sports Nancy Justis, May 24, 2026 I’ll say it again. Youth sports are for kids, not for adults. Too many parents and coaches focus on specialization, rankings and wins over development. Research shows that young athletes stay engaged and improve when their experience and environment focuses on skill growth, understanding of the game and…

Flag football participation sees dramatic increase Women’s flag football advances toward NCAA championship by Nancy Justis, correspondent In my last column I discussed the impact organized sport can have on the lives of girls and youth overall. I mentioned how the increasing numbers of flag football programs is one more option for both genders to participate in competitive sports. Girls…

Sports parents are out of control Adults can and must do better, with latest example causing cancellation of 7-on-7 football tournament in Cedar Rapids Nancy Justis Jul. 26, 2024 An unfortunate episode happened at the Metro Youth Football Association Championship Under the Lights 7-on-7 Tournament held in Cedar Rapids. On the surface, it doesn’t appear that the ruckus had anything to do with…

Young ‘pros’ could be missing out on opportunities It’s an opportunity of a lifetime, but leaving home, friends can take a toll Nancy Justis Mar. 27, 2023 I recently read a post about a 15-year-old girl signing a three-year contract with the Washington Spirit. With the signature, she became the youngest contracted player in the National Women’s Soccer League, breaking a record set in 2021 by…

When are athletes too young to commit? Justis column: Recruiting youth athletes is becoming more common, but it’s time to slow down Nancy Justis Feb. 24, 2023 5:23 am It seems to me, as I get older, kids today can’t be kids long enough. As I watch my 15-year-old grandson live his daily life, his responsibilities grow exponentially. Take deciding which college he should attend. As a talented…

Young athletes need sleep Justis column: Performance can be affected by lack of rest Nancy Justis Jan. 23, 2023 Is your young athlete getting enough sleep? When I was a young athlete, there wasn’t a TV in every bedroom, a video game on every set, a phone in every hand. The only things I needed to worry about was getting my homework and chores done, and being on time for practices. That’s…

Captains can play key role on youth teams Justis column: Young athletes don’t have to be the best, just show leadership qualities Nancy Justis Jan. 4, 2023, The Gazette No matter the ages of the participants, winning relies on winning cultures. And winning cultures depend upon players with leadership skills and quality character displayed on and off the fields of play. Many of these players…

Josh Wilson: Media expert trades Capitol Hill politics for public relations back home

by Nancy Justis, The Courier Correspondent CEDAR FALLS — Josh Wilson was born and raised in Waterloo. He’s a Cedar Valley boy and has never forgotten it, displayed by his recent move back home from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Wilson is one of The Courier’s 20 Under 40 honorees for 2022. He is a senior publicist for Florida-based Otter Public Relations, working remotely from his home in…

Kingsley Botchway: Passionate advocate for the people and causes he serves

Dec 1, 2021  by Nancy Justis, the Courier WATERLOO — Kingsley Botchway doesn’t just talk the talk, but walks the walk when it comes to giving back to the world. It’s not clear that he would be able to fit all his initiatives and volunteer opportunities into a day, even if it was longer than 24 hours. Botchway, UnityPoint Health’s regional director of human resources and one of The Courier’s…

Playing time a big headache for youth programs Justis column: What is the right way to handle the issue while keeping it fun? Nancy Justis Nov. 30, 2022 I received an email recently from a father of a young athlete who had read one of my past columns on the issues surrounding playing time. “I’ve had some rough experiences with youth sports with my son and it’s hard to find anything online…

Teaching students how to deal with bad behavior, bullies Fan behavior and student bullying remain a problem Nancy Justis Sep. 29, 2022 Administrators can take control of inappropriate fan behavior, something which is becoming more frequent at youth sporting events. But how can students intervene correctly to diffuse bullying and other poor behavior by attendees? Research has shown…

Time to take control of fan behavior Here’s a guide to handling inappropriate fans during sporting event Summer is basically over. Competitive sports at all levels have begun practices and the first competitive events are here. It must be time to take control of inappropriate fan behavior. There have been many instances in the last few months that have made the games not enjoyable. A softball…

  Youth sports can bring out the worst in parents

by Nancy Justis

As seen in The Gazette, 10-21-18

Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and college sports information director.  She is a partner with Outlier Creative Solutions and the founder of Iowa Youth Sports Initiative.

I spent most of my adult life sitting courtside and in a press box having to hold my tongue, silently hoping my…

Sat., September 29, 2018 Screen time can be wasted time for athletes Justis column: Put down the games and video, focus on getting better Reuters By Nancy Justis, correspondent

My son-in-law got up one morning, went downstairs, deleted the video game Fortnite, came back upstairs and told the family over breakfast.

Surprisingly, my 10- and 8-year-old grandsons seemed to react…

Fri., September 07, 2018 Screening a must to halt sex abuse in youth sports Justis column: Many programs don’t have proper guidelines The Larry Nassar case put a spotlight on sexual abuse in youth sports, a topic that needs to be discussed with organizations, teams and coaches. (USA Today Sports) By Nancy Justis, correspondent Youth sports can provide many positive,…

Wed., July 11, 2018 Take precautions when playing, practicing in the heat Justis column: Young athletes need to know symptoms of over heating Players take a water break during the Tim Dwight Football Camp at Iowa City High in 2009. Water breaks are an essential part of working out in the heat. (Liz Martin/The Gazette) By Nancy Justis, correspondent

We’re in the midst of…