it was very natural for the writing
to start turning in that direction. It
slowly grew into a business. I added
podcasting about three years ago,
then YouTube videos about two to
three years ago.”
In addition to her blog and
podcast, Meredith contributes
articles and blog posts to other
youth sports websites and print
publications. Her book “11 Habits
for Happy & Positive Sports
Parents” is a popular resource for
sports parents and coaches, as well.
“Youth sports is a gold mine of
opportunities to teach kids impactful
lessons. Unfortunately, many parents
miss this because they’re too busy
focusing on the short-term—today’s
game, today’s stats and today’s
frustrations—instead of parenting
for the long-term,”Meredith says.
“While it’s true that many
sports parents negatively impact
their young athletes with words and
behaviors, the bigger travesty is that
many sports parents neglect the
opportunity sitting right in front of
them to teach their kids valuable life
lessons.”
SAGE ADVICE
For sports parents, what are some
of the signs their young athletes
are having a quality youth sports
experience?
“He or she [the young athlete] is
having fun and learning to love the
game, making friends on the team,
learning from positive coaching role
PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of Jennifer Kiernan / Saving Amy
For more advice on youth sports from a mom’s perspective,
as well as resources and links to Meredith’s podcasts, visit
jbmthinks.com
.
Jennifer Kiernan
Saving Amy
H
HIGHLIGHT HER
H
J
ennifer Kiernan knows first-hand the power
of transformation. Having lived it herself—
transforming from a corporate executive; to
a full-time, stay-at-home mom; to an advocate
for the homeless—she believes her life’s journey
brought her to serving others.
“When I started working with the homeless, I
began to see lives change before my very eyes,”
she says. “It was then I knew. This is what I was
meant to do.”
As the founder of Saving Amy, an
organization she named for a single
mom who lifted herself up out of drug
abuse and homelessness, Kiernan helps
homeless people transform their lives through
spiritual mentoring, educational advancement
and financial stability through employment.
In the program, each family is paired with
a “journey partner,” who not only helps with
inner changes, but also assists with counseling,
educational goals, life skills, housing and job
opportunities.
“It is truly about the relationships we have
with our families and with the community
partners who provide the services our families
need,” says Kiernan, who is writing a book called
“The Reluctant Healer,” in which she shares
stories of transformation and hope. “We value
loving relationships first, which leads to trust,
which then leads to the ability to move forward
together into a new life filled with hope.”
FALL 2017
maskmatters.org
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“Youth sports is a gold
mine of opportunities
to teach kids
impactful lessons.”
models, trying new things, pushing
to improve because he or she wants
to, and learning to appreciate the
value of working hard and achieving
success,”Meredith explains, adding
that as a coach’s wife for 29 years
and a sports mom for 22, she has
seen the positive impact youth sports
played in the lives of her own kids,
now ages 24, 27 and 30.
In popular blogs like “The
10 Commandments of Sports
Parenting,” she provides advice on
things like making sure a child feels
loved no matter how they perform,
being realistic about your child’s
abilities, making sure you [the
parent] volunteer for the team, and
more. In another post, she highlights
a four-step plan to making sure
your child is having a positive youth
sports experience.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
“It’s easy to get tunnel vision as a
sports parent,”Meredith says. “You
only see today and you forget the
bigger picture of parenting. Yes, you
are parenting for today, but more
importantly you are parenting for
tomorrow, for your children who will
become adults. Every little decision
you make now as you parent will
influence the type of adult they will
become. Keep the bigger picture of
youth sports in mind. It’s not just
about trophies, awards or wins—
those are all fun and exciting—but
what will your child become in the
process?”
