Up For Discussion: Youth Sports In Society

YOUTH SPORTS IN SOCIETY – ALEX WOLFF AND ERIN QUINN

Join us for quarterly talks with local experts and participate in roundtable conversations in a convivial atmosphere over light snacks and with a beverage (cash bar). Conceived by VBS owner Becky Dayton as a way for Middlebury College and other professional communities to come together with townspeople of all walks of life to share ideas, Up for Discussion has, thanks to the hard work of Town Hall Theater’s executive director Lisa Mitchell, been underwritten by Vermont Humanities.

We can agree that our system of youth sports should serve young athletes first and foremost. But are we falling short? Many of the same debates about emphasis, spectator behavior, age appropriateness, travel teams, and “pay to play” that mark youth sports nationally also take place right here in Addison County. Per the format for “Up for Discussion,” the topic will be introduced by panelists: an athletics professional whose kids participated in rec and school sports in Middlebury; a Mount Abe product who went on to a Hall of Fame ice hockey career and now referees locally; and a veteran sportswriter. Afterward, audience members will gather in small groups to swap perspectives and then share their findings. Whether you’re a parent, a fan, or a young athlete still lacing them up, come join the conversation.

Erin Quinn served on local sports boards and as a youth sports coach while his children went through the Middlebury schools, and he continues to be involved today. A former NCAA Division III championship winning lacrosse coach, he sees the fruits of the youth sports system nationwide in his current role as athletics director at Middlebury College.

Carol Weston starred in ice hockey, soccer, and track at Mount Abe before becoming a lynchpin of UNH’s ECAC powerhouse ice hockey teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s and going on to coach at Cornell. A member of the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame, she interacts regularly with local coaches and athletes as a hockey and soccer official. She lives in Bristol and works at Elderly Services

During 36 years on staff at Sports Illustrated, Alexander Wolff reported often on youth sports, writing about such topics as the 10-year-old athlete, abusive coaching, and the decline of the three-sport star. He lives in Cornwall and watched his children play basketball, field hockey, lacrosse and field hockey in the ACSD.

Thanks to a grant from Vermont Humanities, Vermont Book Shop and Town Hall Theater present a new, free, quarterly series designed to spark community conversation. “Up for Discussion” features local experts in their fields, many of whom are Middlebury College professors, sharing timely topics that span literature, art, film, and contemporary issues.

Each 30-minute presentation will be followed by a roundtable discussion and sharing of thoughts and ideas with a cash bar.  Up for Discussion is free, but registration is required, as space is limited.