NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Positive Coaching Alliance-New York City (PCA) hosted its inaugural Double-Goal Coach® Awards event at Yankee Stadium where, it honored five local youth and high school sports coaches for their outstanding efforts to pursue both winning and the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports.
The event took place at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, May 23 and featured an on-field recognition ceremony before the Yankees vs. Royals game for these honorees:
- Ayette Carrasco, Softball Coach at Queens High School of Teaching
- Joe Eassa, Wrestling Coach, Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn
- Annie Eckstein, Girls Soccer Coach, The Bronx High School of Science
- Linda Houghland, Field Hockey Coach at Far Hills Country Day School
- Gus Ornstein, Football Coach, Ethical Culture Fieldston School (The Bronx)
Eassa, Houghland and Ornstein also were earlier named national winners of PCA’s Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by TeamSnap.
PCA’s New York City Chapter Executive Director Darrell Johnson presented plaques to the honorees in an in-suite reception for 80-plus attendees. He remarked, “A night like this really speaks to who we are at Positive Coaching Alliance. To be in a room tonight where we are honoring coaches who genuinely live the principles of Positive Coaching Alliance is really phenomenal.”
New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman graced the event and also addressed the room, describing his experience with Positive Coaching Alliance and sharing anecdotes about how the Yankees try to exemplify the values that PCA cultivates in its workshops and other forms of partnership with schools and youth sports organizations throughout the New York City Tri-State Area. Remarking specifically on the Yankees Foundation’s support of PCA-New York City’s work with the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL), Cashman said, “We have the opportunity to grow into something really special.”
The event culminated with PCA Founder and CEO Jim Thompson congratulating the award winners and PCA-New York City Chapter leadership for its profound strides to change the conversation around youth sports from the “win-at-all-costs” mentality to keeping kids in the game so they can develop as athletes and people by learning life lessons through sports.
About Positive Coaching Alliance
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) develops BETTER ATHLETES, BETTER PEOPLE through resources for youth and high school sports coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes. In addition to nearly 1,500 free multimedia tips and tools at www.PCADevZone.org, PCA has partnered with roughly 3,500 schools and youth sports organizations nationwide to deliver more than 20,000 live group workshops, along with online courses and books by PCA Founder Jim Thompson that help those involved in youth and high school sports create a positive, character-building youth sports culture.
