Verizon FiOS and Sportskool Launch National Youth Sports Awareness Campaign

NEW YORK and ANNAPOLIS, Md., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon FiOS and Sportskool, the free on-demand network dedicated to expert sports instruction and entertainment, are joining forces on a campaign to help parents and coaches deal with the challenges of today's youth athletics.  As families prepare for the start of the school year, FiOS TV subscribers now have access to Sportskool's "Coaches & Parents: It's More Than A Game" video-on-demand programming, including a Watch to Win sweepstakes with multiple prizes.

Host of the VOD series is actor, parent and volunteer coach Sean Astin, who starred in the hit movies "Rudy" and "Lord of the Rings."  

"I'm proud to be associated with the broadcasts," Astin said.  "The experience has made me a better coach and a better parent for my three young athletes, my daughters."

The series, which features 13 original programs that target America's 44 million youth sports participants and their families, is particularly valuable at a time when poor sportsmanship and childhood obesity dominate the headlines.  Every program in the series delivers advice and tips from pro athletes like Tony Gonzalez and Willie McGinest of the NFL; legendary coaches including NBA Hall of Famer Dave Cowens and women's ice hockey coach Lauren McCauliffe; and national experts Tina Syer from the Positive Coaching Alliance, Sport in Society's Dan Lebowitz and John Engh from the National Alliance for Youth Sports.

FiOS TV customers can watch the free programming any time, and can easily enter the sweepstakes by going to the "SportskoolWatch2Win" category found in the "What's Hot" VOD folder.   The sweepstakes is available only on Verizon FiOS TV, and subscribers are eligible for unlimited entries to win $2,000 for their favorite local youth sports organization or school athletic program.  The contest runs through Sept. 27, and eight grand-prize winners will be announced in the fall.

"With 70 percent of children dropping out of youth sports by age 13, coaches and parents will find this programming, our extensive website tools (www.coachesandparents.com) and social media especially valuable," said Sportskool President Andrew Walworth.  "Parents face so many challenges both on and off the field, from monitoring sideline behavior to teaching sportsmanship to dealing with officials.  With topics including essentials for a successful parent-coach relationship, respecting refs and officials, positive practice strategies, game day motivation and coping with mistakes, this series presents the best current thinking on how to handle these and other issues."

Shawn Strickland, vice president of consumer strategy for Verizon, said, "Sportskool presents our FiOS TV customers with some of the most intriguing video-on-demand sports programming available for families.  Joining forces with Sportskool presents a great opportunity for Verizon to help support our subscribers' local youth sports organizations and school athletic programs and hopefully engage more families in the rewarding and fun world of sports and fitness."

In addition to Sportskool's VOD programming, FiOS TV customers can engage with the "Coaches & Parents" message via social media or by visiting www.coachesandparents.com for valuable resources and interactive tools such as a parents' poll, tips, quizzes and a code of conduct.  Sportskool is part of Verizon's leading VOD service, which includes 18,000 monthly titles, 70 percent of which are free.  In addition, FiOS offers a broad collection of programming, with more than 565 all-digital channels including up to 142 HD channels.  FiOS also provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide; social networking, news and entertainment widgets; remote DVR management via broadband or cell phone; and more.

For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/newscenter and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.

About Sportskool

Sportskool is owned by Grace Creek Media, an Annapolis, Maryland based production, distribution and media management company. Sportskool is the preeminent television source for in-depth, expert sports instruction and entertainment. Sportskool programming is available in more than 37 million U.S. homes on VOD and is distributed through major television providers including Verizon FiOS, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Mediacom, Cablevision, Insight and Suddenlink. Content is also available on sportskool.com.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 92 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news.  To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon