Young Athletes Play a Losing Game with Underage Drinking
Statewide Prevention Program Encourages Coaches to Take the Pledge to End Underage Drinking at the NC Coaches Association Coaching Clinic
Talk it Out NC has called on young athletes and their coaches to help reduce underage drinking. Engaging in underage drinking can lead to a number of detrimental physical and mental effects, including delayed reaction time and reduced endurance, both of which would hinder peak performance in sports. For this reason, the statewide campaign Talk It Out has developed a pledge program to also target coaches and athletes. The program will launch at the NC Coaches Association Coaching Clinic.
The NC Coaches Association Coaching Clinic, held in the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center, begins Monday, July 15 and runs until Thursday, July 18. Talk It Out will be there with tools to encourage coaches to take the pledge with their athletes to stop underage drinking. Coaches will also receive tips on how to urge their athletes to learn more about the dangers, both to the developing mind and body, caused by underage drinking.
Athletes run the risk of being involved in underage drinking as much as any other student, but the consequences are greater than losing the next game. Young athletes partaking in underage drinking can experience short-term muscle cramps, impaired judgement, and skewed coordination. The program urges athletes to remember that when their health and athletic performance are in question, make a statement instead: avoid alcohol while underage.
Talk It Out representatives will offer educational materials, sponsored gift items, and contest prizes, in the hopes that athletes will Take the Pledge with their parents and/or coach to join the fight against underage drinking.
“We believe that getting the conversation started about the dangers of underage drinking can be accomplished by parents talking to their kids,” said NC ABC Commission Deputy Director Jim Van Hecke. “However, everyone in their community can play a part, especially authority figures like coaches.”
What: Talk it Out Sponsored Table
When: Monday, July 15 – Thursday, July 18, 2019
Where: 1921 W Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27403 in the Exhibition Hall
Who: Talk It Out representatives, as well as coaches, will be available to talk about how all coaches can work to reduce underage drinking in North Carolina.
