Four Districts Earn Sports Done Right Standing
Contact: Karen Hawkes at (207) 581-2443
ORONO -– Four more communities are now recognized as official Sports Done Right school communities, joining eight other school districts and six parks and recreation departments that already share this distinction.
Cape Elizabeth School Department, Cape Elizabeth Community Services, Scarborough School Department, Scarborough Community Services, and the Auburn School Department received unanimous approval for Sports Done Right accreditation from the Sports Done Right Board of Directors on Monday June 8. The board also granted Sports Done Right endorsement, a first level of recognition, to Vinalhaven School.
“The school department and community services in both Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth serve as outstanding examples of the power of community partnerships,” says Karen Hawkes, director of the Maine Center for Sport and Coaching (MCSC) at the University of Maine, which is the headquarters for the Sports Done Right program. “In both communities, the partnerships have led to increased athletic and leadership opportunities for students of all ages. Furthermore, the partnerships have ensured a consistent athletic philosophy throughout the community.”
Sports Done Right serves as a guide for schools and youth sports organizations to identify strengths in sports programs as well as areas of potential concern. The intent of the program is to generate local discussions about the overall sports program while forming local partnerships to ensure students are offered a healthy and positive sports experience.
The Auburn School Department first became involved in the Sports Done Right program in 2005, in partnership with Lewiston Public Schools, as a Sports Done Right pilot site. Since then, Auburn has been using Sports Done Right to educate parents, coaches and student-athletes about appropriate behavior and sportsmanship.
“Auburn has done an excellent job informing parents of the school’s expectations and the Sports Done Right program,” said Hawkes. “Over the course of four years, Auburn has remained committed to the Sports Done Right philosophy.”
Vinalhaven School becomes the first school community in Maine to receive Sports Done Right standing. The board noted that Vinalhaven School has demonstrated a commitment to student leadership and engagement while using the principles of Sports Done Right to assist in shaping athletic policy and procedure.
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, co-executive director for the Great Schools Partnership at the Mitchell Institute and former Maine Commissioner of Education. More information is available by calling the MCSC at (207) 581-2443or online at www.sportsdoneright.org.