Academy of the Sacred Heart Partners With Positive Coaching Alliance to Enhance Youth Sports

Steve Yzerman to Make Guest Appearance, Receive Leaders of Conscience Award

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Saturday, January 30, as part of the Academy of the Sacred Heart's Leaders of Conscience Speaker Series, the school is sponsoring a slate of workshops for coaches, parents, leaders and athletes that will enrich youth sports by creating the most positive environment possible for youth athletes. The workshops will be provided via a partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a Stanford University-based non-profit organization developed to teach parents, coaches and organizational leaders how to effectively work with young athletes while instilling the values of teamwork, discipline, respect and goal-setting.

The Red Wings' Steve Yzerman will make a special guest appearance during the day's activities, giving brief remarks during the morning workshops. At 11:30, Mr. Yzerman will be honored with the Academy's Leaders of Conscience award, which recognizes internationally-known personalities whose lives and works inspire students and the larger community with messages of hope and optimism. All workshop attendees are invited and encouraged to attend the award presentation. Past recipients of the Leaders of Conscience award include Emmy Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Cokie Roberts, and legendary coach and author Lou Holtz.

"The Leaders of Conscience Speaker Series provides a platform for our students and the greater community to examine our social values and impel us to action," said Sr. Bridget Bearss, Head of School. "Our events reinforce the Academy's mission to prepare a new generation of leaders of conscience, creative thinkers, ethical problem solvers and those prepared to lead without hesitation in any walk of life."

"For a school as esteemed as the Academy of Sacred Heart to open its doors and give all Detroit-area coaches access to PCA training is a major boost for our movement to transform youth sports," said PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson. "Double-Goal Coaches -- whose first goal is winning, and whose second, more important goal is teaching life lessons through sports -- provide outstanding character education to youth. The Academy is demonstrating tremendous leadership and commitment to community by helping to train coaches who will impact thousands of youth and high school athletes throughout the Detroit area."

"I am excited to be working with Academy of Sacred Heart Athletic Director Debbe Pavle on this," Thompson said. "A national Double-Goal Coach Award winner in 2005, Debbe also is a terrific leader who is demonstrating her commitment to the best possible coaching for youth, and we are thrilled at the energy she is putting into bringing Double-Goal Coaching to Detroit."

    Workshops are available as follows:

    -- Coaches' Workshop, 9-11 a.m.
    "Double-Goal Coach I: Coaching for Winning and Life Lessons"
    An interactive workshop that defines the Double-Goal Coach as one
     who strives to win and works to prepare his/her team to play at its
     highest level, and at the same time, teaches life lessons (teamwork,
     dedication, bouncing back from mistakes, etc.) to his/her players.
     Coaches will receive a Double-Goal Coach certification card upon
     completion.

     -- Athletes' Workshops, 9-11 a.m.
    "Triple-Impact Competitor"
    This dynamic workshop defines what it means to be a "competitor" in
     terms of three important relationships: the athlete's relationship
     with himself/herself, with his/her teammates and with his/her
     sport. Two workshops are available --one for students in Grades 7 &
     8, and one for high school students.

     -- Parents' Workshop, 12-1:30 p.m.
    "The Second-Goal Parent: Developing Winners in Life Through Sports"
    This workshop explores the three stages of talent development and
     allows parents to share their ideas about what they want their
     children to get out of youth sports.  Parents gain insight into the
     training coaches are receiving to become "Double-Goal" coaches --
     coaches who want to both win AND develop the character of their
     players.

    -- Athletes' Workshops, 12-1:30 p.m.
    "Triple-Impact Competitor"
    This dynamic workshop defines what it means to be a "competitor" in
     terms of three important relationships: the athlete's relationship
     with himself/herself, with his/her teammates and with his/her
     sport. Two workshops are available -one for students in Grades 7 &
     8, and one for high school students.

Those interested in registering for the day's activities may call the Academy at 248-646-8900, ext. 170 or visit www.ashmi.org/pca.

About Academy of the Sacred Heart

The Academy of the Sacred Heart is the oldest independent school in Michigan. Founded in 1851 in Detroit, the Academy moved to its 44-acre campus in Bloomfield Hills in 1958. It is a Catholic, college-preparatory school for young women from infancy through Grade 12 and for boys from infancy through Grade 8 of many cultures and faiths. The Academy is a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools, which includes 21 schools in the U.S. and affiliation with the Society of the Sacred Heart in 44 countries around the world.

About Positive Coaching Alliance

Founded as a non-profit within the Stanford University Athletic Department in 1998, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) has the mission of "transforming youth sports so sports can transform youth." To that end, PCA has conducted roughly 7,000 live group workshops nationwide for more than 400,000 youth and high school sports leaders, coaches, parents and athletes. Workshop attendees have helped create a positive, character-building youth sports environment for more than 3 million youth athletes. PCA's partnership network includes more than 1,700 youth sports organizations, cities and schools.

In 2010, PCA will conduct roughly 1,300 live, group workshops across the U.S., while assisting thousands of other individuals via online workshops at www.PositiveCoach.org.

PCA workshops train coaches to be Double-Goal Coaches®, whose first goal is winning and whose second, more- important goal is teaching life lessons through sports. PCA sports parent workshops cultivate "Second-Goal Parents," who focus on life lessons through sports. PCA student-athlete workshops produce "Triple-Impact Competitors," who work to improve themselves, their teammates, and their sport as a whole.

PCA has the support of elite coaches and athletes on a National Advisory Board (http://www.positivecoach.org/advisoryboard.aspx), including National Spokesperson, Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson.

SOURCE Academy of the Sacred Heart