Positive Coaching Alliance to Open Regional Office in Sacramento, California

Business Wire, Jan 14, 2003

Sports Editors

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 2003

Olympic Champion and Sacramento Area Native Summer Sanders

Part of Local Organizing Committee Working to Improve Sports

for Sacramento's Youth

Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) announced today the establishment of a new regional office in Sacramento, Calif. PCA is recognized nationally as a leader in youth sports training, working with coaches, parents and Youth Sports Organizations (YSOs) to create a positive organizational culture that reduces the number of negative adult incidents and increases the retention rate of youth participants.

The Sacramento office was made possible through a grant from the Morgan Family Foundation and supported by the work of a local Sacramento organizing committee. The organizing committee includes the following individuals:

-- Summer Sanders, Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming, Broadcast Journalist, Author

-- Jim Sochor, member of the College Football Hall of Fame; Athletic Development Director, University of California at Davis

-- Janice Gow Pettey, Chief Executive Officer, Sacramento Regional Foundation

-- Roger Valine, Chief Executive Officer, Vision Service Plan

-- Tony Asaro, Director of Community Relations, Sacramento River Cats

-- Debbie Colberg, Head Coach, Women's Volleyball, Sacramento State University

-- John Finegan, Morgan Family Foundation; Member, Sacramento Regional YMCA Board of Directors.

"We have been fortunate to work with an outstanding local organizing committee to bring PCA to the Sacramento region," stated Jim Thompson, PCA Founder and Executive Director. "Our presence here is a natural extension for us, and represents the latest development in our commitment to spreading the principles of Positive Coaching throughout the country."

According to Tony Asaro, Director of Community Relations for the Sacramento River Cats and member of the local organizing committee, the new PCA office is a major step forward in the city's commitment to managing youth sports the right way. "Sports are an integral part of our community -- from the professional level, where we host several different teams, all the way down to programs for five-year-olds. Too often, youth sports are marred by acts of violence and misbehavior. PCA aims to reverse this trend and reclaim youth sports as a fun, positive experience."

PCA already has partnerships in the Sacramento area with the Cal Ripken Little League in Elk Grove, Arden Little League and Capital City Basketball. The organization will look to expand these partnerships with elementary, junior high and high schools; communities in the greater Sacramento area; and YSOs throughout the region.

PCA will be hiring a Local Coordinator to head the new office. Employment information and a job description can be found can be found on PCA's web site, http://www.positivecoach.org.

About Positive Coaching Alliance

Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) was formed in 1998 to transform youth sports so that all young athletes enjoy a positive, character-building experience. PCA offers workshops nationwide for coaches, parents and youth sports leaders to equip them to positively impact today's young athletes. The organization has offices in Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Stanford, Calif.; and Portland, Ore. Positive Coaching Alliance and its founder, Jim Thompson, were honored by the Institute for International Sport with the "Power of Good" award in June 2002. In October 2002, PCA launched a national membership campaign to unite coaches, parents and youth sports leaders in creating a "social epidemic" of Positive Coaching.

For more information, visit www.positivecoach.org.

About PCA Founder Jim Thompson

PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson possesses extensive management experience in government, business and academia. Prior to founding PCA in 1998, Thompson was Director of the Public Management Program and Global Management Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and also taught courses in leadership and non-profit organization issues. He has served on the board of several non-profit start-ups, as well as established organizations such as Special Olympics. A former youth sports coach, Thompson is widely recognized as an authority on youth sports and coaching, and has authored the books Positive Coaching: Building Character and Self-Esteem Through Sports and Shooting in the Dark: Tales of Coaching and Leadership. Thompson received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.