A seven-part series in the Boston Globe about the plight of student-athletes in Boston public schools -- a series that chronicled a pattern of neglect on and off the field and eventually led to action by the city's mayor as well as business and community leaders -- was selected as the inaugural winner of the Award for Excellence in Coverage of Youth Sports, presented by the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State. To quote from the series:
A system that could inspire greater achievement on the field and in the classroom while providing a vital alternative to the hazards of the streets is failing because of inadequacies in funding, facilities, equipment, coaching, oversight, and vision, according to a nine-month review by the Globe.
The series highlighted the often-overlooked issue of sports equity, and the importance of assuring that youth in every community have a chance to participate in youth sports. The Boston situation should prompt every community to evaluate its investment in youth sports.
Click here to read about the award
Click here to read the award-winning series online