Penny Hastings

What young athlete doesn't dream of playing professional sports? The odds show, however, that few players make it to that level. If college-bound student-athletes want to play sports at the college level, they need to remember that getting an education comes first and if they become a recruited athlete the emphasis should be on "letting their athletic skill take them to college." Lucky is the student-athlete who gets to play college sports and get an education at the college of their choice!

Today, unlike in the days before Title IX and gender equity, a woman's well-defined calf and firm tricepts are considered attractive as well as feminine. Girls are encouraged to be physically active to have fun, make friends, keep busy and stay (or get) in shape. There are other important benefits for females who play sports. This article not only lists them but makes you wonder why all girls and women don't play sports or participate in a physical activity!

Barbie, the pencil-thin, wasp-waisted, pointed-breasted doll that young girls have played with over for three generations, just celebrated her 50th birthday. It is estimated that more than 1 billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in more than 150 countries since the doll was first introduced in 1959. Is Barbie a healthy influence? How has she changed over the years--or has she? If she can't fill out and shape up, perhaps she should go away rather than give girls a false body image.

If you think only college football and basketball award scholarships to their athletes, think again! There are 34 sports in which sports scholarships are given and some of them will surprise you. Female athletes as well as males get part of $1.2 billion a year in sports scholarships. Some athletes change sports to take advantage of scholarship sports not well known to the public. Learn what they are and how you can take advantage of this knowledge.

The horse-collar tackle--when a defender grabs an offensive player on the back or side collar of the runner’s shoulder pads or jersey and throws the runner to the ground-- has been banned in high school football by the National Federation of State High School Associations, effective 2009. The penalty is 15 yards. It was put into the rules following similar rulings by the NFL in 2005 and the NCAA last year.

Community Colleges are an often-overlooked alternative to four-year institutions. They can help student-athletes save money on their first two years of college and allow them time to develop scholastically, socially and athletically. Included is a quiz to help kids choose what level of college is best for them. Compare the College Board stats on current two-year and four-year college costs. See more info at www.winasportsscholarship.com

: Eating Disorders Can Derail Athletic Career. As competition increases for the high school and college athlete, body weight can become an obsession for the driven athlete (or one pressured by a coach or parent). Eating disorders, while not as prevalent for athletes as a group as the general public, can result in physical and mental damage to the athlete, depriving them of participation, while they work at surviving what can be a life-threatening disease.

College costs are rising as parents’ funds are falling. If that’s not bad enough, many colleges recently announced limiting admissions due to lack of funds. What’s a parent to do? If your child is a skilled college-bound student-athlete, make sure he or she is on the right track to get a college sports scholarship. “Find out what to do, when to do it and how to get it,” says Penny Hastings, co-author of the book, How To Win A Sports Scholarship, 3rd ed. http://winasportsscholarship.com.

Summary: A shocking report that the brain of a recently deceased 18-year-old high school football player showed the earliest signs of an incurable brain disease caused by repetitive head trauma was issued recently. Football players as well as youth athletes participating in other contact sports where concussions occur need more protection and care following head injuries, says Penny Hastings, co-author of “How To Win A Sports Scholarship" on her blog at http://winasportsscholarship.com.

While it's the student-athletes' job to be the "coach" when seeking a college sports scholarship, parents can be their backup team." Parents seeing that their youngsters are skilled athletically and academically, can encourage them to go to college and play their sport at that level. Encouraging is not 'pushing.' This article gives parents hints on what to do and what not to do to help their high school kids into the college of their choice and onto the playing field.

Summary: College sports recruiting started in the late 1800s as football grew from an extracurricular recreational activity to a highly commercialized college sport. Huge university stadiums (Harvard built the first one in 1903) were constructed to hold paying spectators, and winning became ever more important. No wonder that college recruiters began offering enticements to the best athletic talent. Early compensation was in the form of employment, free board and lodging (often in the home of an

Summary: How To Win A Sports Scholarship, by Penny Hastings and Todd Caven, 3rd edition (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, $24.95)is a step-by-step guide to getting a sports scholarship for student-athletes, their parents, coaches, guidance counselors and others who cares about kids and the high cost of a college education. Develop a game plan, assemble a winning sports resume kit, get tips from the experts: college coaches, athletes and financial aid professionals who share their knowledge.

Your passion for sports doesn’t have to graduate just because you do! Let your skill and love of the game get you into a lucrative career in a sports-related field. For female athletes, there are more opportunities after college than ever before. In “How To Win A Sports Scholarship,” 3rd edition (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, $24.95, www.winasportsscholarship.com) authors Penny Hastings and Todd Caven talk about the wide world of women’s sports opportunities both during and after college.

If you think only college football and basketball award scholarships to their athletes, think again! There are 34 sports in which sports scholarships are given and some of them will surprise you. Female athletes as well as males get part of $1.2 billion a year in sports scholarships. Some athletes change sports to take advantage of scholarship sports not well known to the public. Learn what they are and how you can take advantage of this knowledge.

While it's the student-athletes' job to be the "coach" when seeking a college sports scholarship, parents can be their backup team." Parents seeing that their youngsters are skilled athletically and academically, can encourage them to go to college and play their sport at that level. Encouraging is not 'pushing.' This article gives parents hints on what to do and what not to do to help their high school kids into the college of their choice and onto the playing field.

Student-athletes who want to play college sports and get part of the $1.2 billion awarded annually by colleges don’t want to do anything to turn off recruiting coaches. Instead, they want to be the perfect recruit! There are 10 Ways to Turn Off College Coaches, according to authors Penny Hastings and Todd Caven in their book, “How To Win A Sports Scholarship,” 3rd edition (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, $24.95, www.winasportsscholarship.com). They wrote the book to simplify the recruiting proce

College costs are rising as parents’ funds are falling. If that’s not bad enough, many colleges recently announced limiting admissions due to lack of funds. What’s a parent to do? If your child is a skilled college-bound student-athlete, make sure he or she is on the right track to get a college sports scholarship. “Find out what to do, when to do it and how to get it,” says Penny Hastings, co-author of the book, How To Win A Sports Scholarship, 3rd ed. http://winasportsscholarship.com.

The horse-collar tackle--when a defender grabs an offensive player on the back or side collar of the runner’s shoulder pads or jersey and throws the runner to the ground-- has been banned in high school football by the National Federation of State High School Associations, effective 2009. The penalty is 15 yards. It was put into the rules following similar rulings by the NFL in 2005 and the NCAA last year.

Summary: A shocking report that the brain of a recently deceased 18-year-old high school football player showed the earliest signs of an incurable brain disease caused by repetitive head trauma was issued recently. Football players as well as youth athletes participating in other contact sports where concussions occur need more protection and care following head injuries, says Penny Hastings, co-author of “How To Win A Sports Scholarship" on her blog at http://winasportsscholarship.com.

Community Colleges are an often-overlooked alternative to four-year institutions. They can help student-athletes save money on their first two years of college and allow them time to develop scholastically, socially and athletically. Included is a quiz to help kids choose what level of college is best for them. Compare the College Board stats on current two-year and four-year college costs. See more info at www.winasportsscholarship.com

Your passion for sports doesn’t have to graduate just because you do! Let your skill and love of the game get you into a lucrative career in a sports-related field. For female athletes, there are more opportunities after college than ever before. In “How To Win A Sports Scholarship,” 3rd edition (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, $24.95, www.winasportsscholarship.com) authors Penny Hastings and Todd Caven talk about the wide world of women’s sports opportunities both during and after college.

Community Colleges are an often-overlooked alternative to four-year institutions. They can help student-athletes save money on their first two years of college and allow them time to develop scholastically, socially and athletically. Included is a quiz to help kids choose what level of college is best for them. Compare the College Board stats on current two-year and four-year college costs. See more info at www.winasportsscholarship.com

The horse-collar tackle--when a defender grabs an offensive player on the back or side collar of the runner’s shoulder pads or jersey and throws the runner to the ground-- has been banned in high school football by the National Federation of State High School Associations, effective 2009. The penalty is 15 yards. It was put into the rules following similar rulings by the NFL in 2005 and the NCAA last year.

If you think only college football and basketball award scholarships to their athletes, think again! There are 34 sports in which sports scholarships are given and some of them will surprise you. Female athletes as well as males get part of $1.2 billion a year in sports scholarships. Some athletes change sports to take advantage of scholarship sports not well known to the public. Learn what they are and how you can take advantage of this knowledge.

Barbie, the pencil-thin, wasp-waisted, pointed-breasted doll that young girls have played with over for three generations, just celebrated her 50th birthday. It is estimated that more than 1 billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in more than 150 countries since the doll was first introduced in 1959. Is Barbie a healthy influence? How has she changed over the years--or has she? If she can't fill out and shape up, perhaps she should go away rather than give girls a false body image.

Today, unlike in the days before Title IX and gender equity, a woman's well-defined calf and firm tricepts are considered attractive as well as feminine. Girls are encouraged to be physically active to have fun, make friends, keep busy and stay (or get) in shape. There are other important benefits for females who play sports. This article not only lists them but makes you wonder why all girls and women don't play sports or participate in a physical activity!

What young athlete doesn't dream of playing professional sports? The odds show, however, that few players make it to that level. If college-bound student-athletes want to play sports at the college level, they need to remember that getting an education comes first and if they become a recruited athlete the emphasis should be on "letting their athletic skill take them to college." Lucky is the student-athlete who gets to play college sports and get an education at the college of their choice!

Summary: How To Win A Sports Scholarship, by Penny Hastings and Todd Caven, 3rd edition (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, $24.95)is a step-by-step guide to getting a sports scholarship for student-athletes, their parents, coaches, guidance counselors and others who cares about kids and the high cost of a college education. Develop a game plan, assemble a winning sports resume kit, get tips from the experts: college coaches, athletes and financial aid professionals who share their knowledge.

Parents: Save for retirement instead of college! Your talented student-athlete could get a scholarship to pay their college costs. In “How To Win A Sports Scholarship,” 3rd edition (Redwood Creek Publishing, 2007, $24.95) authors Penny Hastings and Todd Caven share game plan that resulted in Caven attending Stanford University on a soccer scholarship. They wrote the book so other parents and student-athletes could benefit by getting part of the $1.2 billion awarded in college sports scholarships

Summary: College sports recruiting started in the late 1800s as football grew from an extracurricular recreational activity to a highly commercialized college sport. Huge university stadiums (Harvard built the first one in 1903) were constructed to hold paying spectators, and winning became ever more important. No wonder that college recruiters began offering enticements to the best athletic talent. Early compensation was in the form of employment, free board and lodging (often in the home of an