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Jamie Young Wins National Coaching Award

04.11.2017

Jamie Young, who coaches football for St. Mary’s School (Medford), has won Positive Coaching Alliance’s coveted Double-Goal Coach Award presented by TeamSnap for his positive impact on youth athletes. 

Young is one of 50 national recipients of the Double-Goal Coach award, named for coaches who strive to win while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. The award includes a $200 prize, a certificate, and mention within the websites and newsletters of Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national non-profit developing Better Athletes, Better People through youth and high school sports.

“Jamie helps his athletes win on and off the field,” said Ben Dudley, Executive Director of PCA-Portland, the local Chapter of Positive Coaching Alliance. “By creating a positive, character-building youth sports experience and serving as a Double-Goal Coach, Jamie helps youth develop into better athletes and better people.”

Young focuses on capitalizing on the short time he has to influence players before they leave St. Mary’s, less in terms of winning games than in becoming “strong, confident young men,” who make good decisions, he said. “In team sports, you’re trying to teach the concept of accountability and that you’re responsible for something outside of just your own personal needs. There’s a great benefit, satisfaction and enrichment that comes from doing something selflessly.”

A key element is the team’s weekly bus trip during the players’ lunch hour to a local school for disadvantaged kids, where the players read to them and mentor them. Seizing such opportunities to learn life lessons through sports is “beyond important,” Young said. “It’s why we should be doing what we’re doing.”

Young’s approach demonstrates the role sports can play in the development of youth, Dudley said. “Our Chapter’s employees, board and supporters are thrilled that Coach Young is getting national recognition for his work with St. Mary’s School. Having an award-winning Double-Goal Coach in the community provides an example for other coaches to emulate, so thousands more youth and high school athletes in the Portland area can benefit from a positive, character-building sports experience.”  

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