Four Districts Join Sports Done Right Ranks Following Board Approval
Contact: Karen Hawkes at (207) 581-2443; Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571
ORONO, Me. — The Sports Done Right Board of Directors granted MSAD 71 (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport), Five Town CSD (Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville, Rockport) and MSAD 28 (Camden, Rockport) full accreditation on Wednesday, Nov 7. Each district fulfilled and exceeded the necessary requirements to gain full Sports Done Right accreditation. The board also voted to approve Augusta Public Schools for preliminary Sports Done Right accreditation and will review the district’s progress in the required areas at the end of the school year.
Sports Done Right is a University of Maine initiative that serves as a guide for schools and youth sports organizations to assess and improve the overall athletic experience for youth. The program is designed to enhance community conversations, promote community partnerships, increase student involvement, increase athletic opportunities, and educate stakeholders on the value and importance of healthy and positive athletic participation.
MSAD 71 and Augusta Public Schools joined the Sports Done Right candidacy process as pilot sites in March 2005 in partnership with the local parks and recreation departments. As a result, the Kennebunk Parks and Recreation Department, Kennebunkport Parks and Recreation Department and Augusta Recreation have also received accreditation status.
Five Town CSD and MSAD 28 joined efforts when implementing the Sports Done Right program and are the first non-pilot sites to receive full accreditation from the Board of Directors.
“All four districts provided the Board of Directors with sufficient evidence that not only supports the efforts taken in the communities, but their commitment to the student-athletes,” says Karen Hawkes, director of the Maine Center for Sport and Coaching, the headquarters for Sports Done Right. “I am extremely pleased to welcome MSAD 71, Five Town CSD, MSAD 28, Augusta Public Schools and the partnering recreation departments to the Sports Done Right program. Their work and leadership will continue to offer valuable lessons to athletic programs across the state and country.”
Other accredited Sports Done Right districts include MSAD 5 (Rockland, Owl’s Head, South Thomaston), MSAD 51 (Cumberland, North Yarmouth) and Winthrop Public Schools.
Sports Done Right was co-founded in June 2003 by Robert A. Cobb, former Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Maine, and J. Duke Albanese, Senior Policy Advisor for the Great Maine Schools Project at the Mitchell Institute and former Maine Commissioner of Education. Sports Done Right is based at the Maine Center for Sport and Coaching (MCSC) at the University of Maine under the direction of Karen Hawkes. More information is available by calling the MCSC at (207) 581-2443 or online at www.sportsdonerightmaine.org.