February 6th, 2008

PR Newswire

2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Each weekend parents across America put their children -- some 35 million of them -- into the guiding hands of youth sport coaches, typically another parent or simply a volunteer. Many of these coaches face tough expectations: ensure equal playing time, guide their team to victory, and help boys and girls become the superstars they (or their parents) dream of. But when a coach and entire communities place character, sportsmanship, and the young athletes' well-being before wins, they demonstrate a level of responsibility that deserves recognition. That is why Liberty Mutual is recognizing 88 youth soccer and football coaches across the country with its Responsible Coaching Award and $500 grants, and is awarding $2,500 grants to 20 U.S. youth sports organizations that excelled at encouraging participation in an online youth sports-mentoring curriculum at www.ResponsibleSports.com.

"The Responsible Sports program celebrates the dedication and selflessness of youth coaches who give of themselves to teach our children the rules of sport and fair play, and, in many cases, the rules of life," said Greg Gordon, vice president of Consumer Marketing at Liberty Mutual. "It also provides parents and coaches alike with a common platform to align community-sport priorities and expectations. The result is thousands of compelling and uplifting stories of the positive sporting environments that have been created for young athletes across America."

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