NFHS and Positive Coaching Alliance Launch “Before It’s Over,” a National Campaign to Create Positive High School Sports Experiences

Joint initiative provides resources to help coaches, parents, and school leaders foster positive experiences for high school student-athletes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Indianapolis, Indiana – September 29, 2026 – The NFHS and Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) today announced the launch of “Before It’s Over,” a national campaign focused on reinforcing the important role adults play in creating positive high school sports experiences.

High school sports represent a short but incredibly meaningful chapter in a young person’s life. According to the NFHS National Parent Benchmark Study, (2026), 91% of parents agree that school-based athletics and activities are an important part of a student’s overall education, while 80% believe their student’s overall well-being is better after participating in athletics and activities than before.

Given the meaningful impact of these experiences, “Before It’s Over” centers on the critical role parents and other adults play in making the student-athlete journey a positive one. Through its morethislessthat.org website, the focus is to be more encouraging and less correcting, more respectful and less argumentative, and more celebratory and less critical.

The joint initiative will provide athletic directors, administrators, coaches, and parents with resources and practical tools to help foster environments that prioritize character development, personal growth, and a positive experience for student-athletes across the country.

“High school sports represent a short, but incredibly meaningful chapter in a young person’s life,” said Jason Sacks, CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance. “With ‘Before It’s Over,’ we are reminding coaches, parents, and administrators of the essential role they play in shaping that experience. By creating positive, supportive environments, we can help ensure student-athletes take away lessons and memories that last well beyond their final season. We are proud to join forces with the NFHS to deliver this message nationwide.”

As part of the campaign, NFHS and PCA will provide participating school communities with digital toolkits, signage, educational programming, and social media resources.

“Our state associations and interscholastic athletics programs reach millions of student-athletes every year,” said Davis Whitfield, executive director of the NFHS. “Our partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance provides coaches, parents, athletic directors, and school leaders with concrete resources to cultivate a healthy, supportive sports culture. This initiative reinforces the lasting value of high school sports and the responsibility we all share to make that experience a positive one.“

Key Campaign Components & Local Activation Resources

• School & AD Toolkits: Dedicated website (website link) to host comprehensive toolkits featuring local signage, messaging guides, and actionable strategies for administrators and athletic directors.

• State Association Banner Program: Distribution of banners  across all 51 state associations for display at state championship events and in high school facilities nationwide.

• Educational Webinar Series: Recorded conversations and resources for athletic directors and administrators on local activation, alongside a joint leadership discussion featuring PCA CEO Jason Sacks and NFHS executive director Davis Whitfield. Details to come. 

• Unified Digital & Social Outreach: Coordinated messaging across social platforms (@positivecoachus, @NFHS_Org, and @NFHSNetwork).

For more information about the campaign or to access local activation toolkits, visit morethislessthat.org and the official websites at positivecoach.org and nfhs.org.

About Positive Coaching Alliance Positive Coaching Alliance 

PCA is a national non-profit organization with the mission to change the culture of youth sports so that every child, regardless of social or economic circumstance, has access to a positive youth sports experience. PCA partners with schools, communities, clubs, organizations and professional sports teams providing education and resources to coaches, parents, athletes, and leaders. To learn more about PCA, visit: www.positivecoach.org

About NFHS

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 18 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,900 high schools and 12.4 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 8.4 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. 

Media contacts:

Casey U’Ren, VP External Relations, PCA: casey_uren@positivecoach.org

Bruce Howard, 317-972-6900 – Director of Publications and Communications NFHS bhoward@nfhs.org 

Chris Boone, 317-972-6900 – Assistant Director of Publications and Communications NFHS cboone@nfhs.org

Jordan Morey, 317-972-6900 – Manager of Communications and Media Relations NFHS jmorey@nfhs.org