Expert talks about helping kids achieve peak performance

Expert to talk about helping kids achieve peak performance

Tiverton, RI.  February 7, 2014 – John Underwood, an internationally recognized human performance expert, will be in town at the end of the month to introduce Tiverton’s athletic directors, coaches, parents and students to his innovative “Life of an Athlete” (LOA) program, now used by more than 700 colleges and universities and thousands of schools in 39 states.

LOA is a community approach to reducing risk and increasing protective factors for student athletes. It relies on setting clear consistent boundaries for behavior, increasing understanding of consequences, teaching appropriate lifestyles and establishing a process to identify and help those involved in drug use or behaviors of concern.

“More than 70 percent of Tiverton middle and high school students participate in school or Town athletic programs, and we hope LOA has a direct impact on helping them achieve their peak performance,” said Rebecca Elwell, coordinator of the Tiverton Prevention Coalition. The Coalition is sponsoring Underwood’s upcoming workshops and presentations as part of its “Around Every Corner” Parent Education Series.

“While this program focuses on athletes,” Elwell added, “the model has been shown to have a positive impact on all segments of the school and community.  Its basic principles, all geared to achieving peak performance, can be applied across all co-curricular activities, not just athletics.”

Underwood is the founder and director of the American Athletic Institute and Life of an Athlete Human Performance Project.  A former NCAA All-American, International-level distance runner and World Masters Champion, John has coached or advised more than two dozen Olympians including many World and Olympic Champions. He holds three International Olympic Solidarity diplomas for coaching and has been a crusader for drug-free sport at all levels. He has conducted the only physiological case studies of the residual effect of alcohol on elite athletic performance. He has appeared as a guest commentator for ABC Wide World of Sports for Olympic Drug Scandals and has worked with nearly all sport federations including the National Federation of High School Athletics, NCAA, NHL, NFL, NBA, the U.S. Olympic Committee, Sport Canada and the International Olympic Committee. Underwood is also a human performance consultant for the U.S. Navy SEALS and the USAF.

On February 27, 2014, Underwood will talk about how parents can use LOA principles to help their kids achieve peak performance, whatever their life interests may be. The presentation, open to the public, will be held at the Tiverton High School auditorium from 7 to 8:30 pm.  Doors open at 6:30.  Admission is free. Donations to support ongoing prevention work in Tiverton are welcome.

For more information, contact Elwell at 401-835-5311 or Rebecca@TivertonPrevention.org.