The Key to Successful ACL Injury Prevention

Looking at the numbers of ACL tears and “revisions” – that’s a nice way to say re-tears – it is very clear this an injury we want to prevent. At all costs. The question is, can we? Sportsmetrics (Hewett in Ohio) and the PEP program (Santa Monica, CA) say YES. These groups have done solid […]

ACL Recovery and Return to Sport

If you are 4-6 months post ACL surgery and your doctor tells you it’s okay to return to play ask him/her this: “how do you know I am ready?” According to Dr. Tim Hewett, 85% of the doctors making this call are using no clinical data to make the decision. That is, they are looking […]

Breaking News from the Science of Sports

I just got back from the 60th annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. It’s a HUGE meeting. The conference program had nearly 300 pages worth of scientific sessions, presentations, posters, and workshops to choose from. Everything for every body involved in sport and physical activity. By the end of the week I […]

Save the Ankles! Make Strengthening into Dynamic and Fun Fitness

When my girls were small, they deferred to the other player. “Here, you want the ball for a while?” their body language would say. It drove me nuts. Where was there competitiveness? their assertiveness? their drive? They were just too polite for their own good. I was sure I was a coaching failure. Until we […]

Prepare Their Ankles! Youth Soccer is More NASCAR, Less Drivers Ed

Getting over a sprained ankle? Got an ankle that always give you trouble? What do you do? Doctors are good for diagnoses. Surgeons are good for…surgery. Physical therapists are good for… therapy. All good. But you’re not done yet. To get back on the field again, you need to be performance-fit. Kids know performance. They […]

Everybody Wants a Piece of My Kid: Calculate, Don’t Negotiate

If I told you that rest builds and work breaks down, would you rest them more? This is the question I pose to the well-intended but extremely competitive AAU basketball coach who is negotiating with the families of his starters. He needs those top three and, you see, they also play travel soccer. Spring soccer […]

Dear Abby, when you have a concussion, please take a seat on the sidelines

I read in Washington Post columnist Steve Goff’s recap of the Spirit vs Flash 1-1 tie that Abby Wambach “remained in the match and assisted on her team’s 85th minute goal. But at the final whistle fell to her knees and later required medical attention.” This in light of Spirit Goalkeeper, Ashlyn Harris’ comments: “She got […]

Washington Spirit Humbled in the Face of UVA Onslaught

It was a cold and windy night at the Maryland Sportsplex. The first night I could make it out for one of the DC Spirit’s pre-season games. Free tickets online. No excuse not to go, except for the drive and the family schedule. That landed me there on Saturday night, the last game before the […]

What Makes A Sports Hero? Not Potions

Who did you idolize when you were a kid? Here’s a multiple choice: a parent or grandparent a community leader or public figure? someone with a cool job? an entertainer or a movie star? a sports figure? Sports figure, right? Yeah, if you’re reading this blog, at least one of your heroes was a sports […]

Coaching Girls vs Boys – Is it Really That Different? ~ by Mike Mancini

Here is a guest post from Mike Mancini, coach, parent and website owner of “Athletic Training Now,” where he offers health information and training for the youth athlete. Fit2Finish is happy to support others in the field who are leading the way to health in youth sports. Here…..’s Mike! When my daughter was born 13 […]