Youth Sports Coaches Celebrated for their Responsible Approach to Mentoring Young Athletes

As an A-Licensed Coach, Justus Koelliker coaches Sparta 96 Blue Boys and Sparta 98 Blue Boys for the Sparta United Soccer Club. He is also Director of the Sparta Boys U10 Academy. Koelliker started coaching at age 16 as an assistant coach. He has coached both recreational and competitve youth teams. His love for soccer began as a 5-year old player in Indiana and continued in Texas and Utah. He played at Alta High School and three years for the University of Utah's Men's Club Team. Koelliker's Coaching Philosophy is to create a good environment where young players are taught correctly and are being challenged - while having a blast playing soccer. He is honored to receive this award and says, "I feel that if we teach the kids correctly from a young age in a fun and challenging environment, they may just surprise us with what they are capable of accomplishing." You can read more about Coach Koelliker and the award winners from each state at www.ResponsibleSports.com.

Liberty Mutual Grants Nearly $100,000 to 88 Responsible Coaching Award Winners and 20 Youth Sports Organizations

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 mentors 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 and funding. 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."

Launched in September 2007, ResponsibleSports.com is an online community developed by Liberty Mutual – in partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance, US Youth Soccer and USA Football – that features advice, online discussions, toolkits, and proven best practices for parents and coaches who seek to foster positive sporting experiences for kids.

Throughout the fall and early winter, parents and peer coaches nominated thousands of youth football and soccer coaches at www.ResponsibleSports.com for the Liberty Mutual Responsible Coaching Award, celebrating tangible examples of responsible behavior in mentoring young athletes. Additionally, more than 5,500 parents, coaches and administrators completed the online Responsible Sports curriculum on behalf of more than 500 youth sports organizations.

"Sports provide parents and other adults a wonderful springboard to interact with kids and teach positive behavior," added Jim Thompson, founder and executive director of Positive Coaching Alliance. "These coaches and organizations are reinforcing the values of sportsmanship and responsible behavior, and how they influence positive outcomes in their lives."

2007 Responsible Coaching Award Recipients

The Responsible Coaching Award winners were selected based on their ability to:

• Exhibit a high level of coaching competence;
• Achieve and maintain excellence on the field; and
• Demonstrate an on-going commitment to the well-being and development of athletes off the field