Liberty Mutual Insurance to Provide Funding For Youth Sports Teams Demonstrating Commitment to Responsibility

BOSTON, March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After another long winter, all across the country youth sports coaches and parents are preparing for the first practices of the spring sports season.  To mark this exciting time of year for young athletes, Liberty Mutual Insurance is launching its 2011 Responsible Sports campaign with the opening of the spring grant program, featuring $65,000 in funding for teams and schools.  Organizations can register for the grant program and recruit community support at www.ResponsibleSports.com.

Responsible Sports is a community-based initiative developed by Liberty Mutual in partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance and several national youth sports governing bodies.  For the past four years, Responsible Sports, through these strategic partnerships and numerous outreach programs, has become a leader in providing resources, tools, tips and advice to youth sports coaches and parents.

"The beginning of a new sports season is the opportune time to shine a light on the positive life lessons learned on our fields, courts and rinks every day," said Greg Gordon, Liberty Mutual senior vice president, Consumer Marketing.  "Through the Responsible Sports grant program -- which rewards organizations that embrace and promote responsibility among players, coaches and parents -- we will celebrate the schools, teams and communities that are doing the right thing to help children get the most out of their youth sports experiences."

Spring 2011 Community Grant Program

Through its Responsible Sports community grant program, Liberty Mutual is helping leagues and teams alleviate budget concerns, so they can continue to provide an invaluable educational and healthy competitive environment for kids.  Now through May 31, organizations, teams and schools can work toward earning one of 20 Responsible Sports grants by rallying their communities to complete the short curriculum for parents and coaches at www.ResponsibleSports.com.

A total of $65,000 in Responsible Sports grants will be awarded to youth sports organizations in large and small divisions ($2,500) and schools ($5,000).  Liberty Mutual already has provided more than $400,000 in Responsible Sports grants to more than 100 youth sports organizations, teams and schools since 2007.

About Responsible Sports

Liberty Mutual founded the Responsible Sports program as a means to celebrate the positive impact that everyday, responsible actions can have on our youth. As a responsible insurance company, Liberty Mutual believes that youth sport coaching and youth sport parenting are clear examples of how people can unite to promote the fundamental ideals of community.

Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports is a community-based program providing resources, tools, tips and advice for volunteer youth sport coaches and sport parents. The Responsible Sports program offers parents and coaches constructive tips, expert advice and practical examples to help create a positive sports environment for children. To access the Responsible Sports resources, see previous Responsible Sports grant winners, and register your league or school for the Responsible Sports grant program, visit www.ResponsibleSports.com.

The Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports program also is presented in partnership with the American Softball Association, US Youth Soccer, USA Hockey, USA Wrestling and the American Youth Soccer Organization. Teams or organizations representing any youth sport are eligible for a Responsible Sports grant.

About Liberty Mutual Group

"Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group (Libertymutualgroup.com) is a diversified global insurer and fifth-largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2009 direct written premium. Liberty Mutual Group ranks 71st on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2009 revenue. The company has over 45,000 employees located in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

The eighth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual Insurance (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance. The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 13,000 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.

About Positive Coaching Alliance

Since its founding within the Stanford University Athletic Department in 1998, PCA has conducted roughly 9,000 live group workshops nationwide for more than 475,000 youth sports leaders, coaches, parents and athletes. PCA trains workshop attendees to create a positive, character-building environment for youth athletes, replacing the prevalent win-at-all-cost mentality.

PCA has affected more than 3 million youth athletes through partnerships with 1,700-plus youth sports organizations, cities and schools that host workshops across the U.S., primarily near PCA's hub markets of the San Francisco Bay Area (National Headquarters), Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York City, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C. Thousands of other coaches and parents learn PCA methods via online courses at www.PositiveCoach.org.

About ASA

The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation's largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 210,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit www.asasoftball.com.

About US Youth Soccer

US Youth Soccer – "The Game for ALL Kids!®" is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member State Associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

About USA Hockey

USA Hockey Inc., founded in 1936 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the National Governing Body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States. With a membership of nearly 600,000 players, coaches, officials and volunteers that span all 50 states, USA Hockey seeks to promote the growth of hockey and provide the best possible experience for all participants by encouraging, developing, advancing and administering the sport. For more information, visit www.USAHockey.com.

About USA Wrestling

USA Wrestling is the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States, and is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and to the International Wrestling Federation (FILA). USA Wrestling coordinates grassroots and elite wrestling programs around the nation. USA Wrestling's 170,000 membership is comprised of athletes of all ages, coaches, officials, parents and fans striving together to strengthen the sport. USA Wrestling is responsible for the selection and training of teams to represent the U.S. in international competition, including the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and World Championships. For more information, visit www.themat.com.

About American Youth Soccer Organization

The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is the largest centrally administered youth soccer association in the U.S. with nearly 600,000 players and 220,000 volunteer coaches, referees and administrators. AYSO develops and delivers quality youth soccer programs in a fun, safe environment based on the Six Philosophies of Everyone Plays®, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship and Player Development. AYSO has long been a thought-leader in youth sports, most notably with its Everyone Plays® philosophy. Every player in AYSO is guaranteed to play at least half of every game and the only requirement to play is interest and enthusiasm. AYSO was established in the Los Angeles area in 1964 with nine teams. It was the dream of a group of devoted soccer enthusiasts who wanted AYSO to be the right place for American kids to learn soccer. Today, AYSO is a national non-profit organization with more than 50,000 teams for players ages 4 to 19. It has a national staff of 50 people at the AYSO National Support and Training Center in Hawthorne, Calif. For more information, visit www.ayso.org

SOURCE Liberty Mutual Insurance