NBA, NHL, MLS and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour commissioners join LPGA for landmark event
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Nov. 2, 2005 – As the landscape of professional sports continues to change, the number of young athletes joining the professional ranks across all arenas is growing by leaps and bounds. To address this changing landscape, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is hosting the first-ever "Phenoms to Professionals: Successful Transitions," a landmark event in professional sports to take place Dec. 7 at the W New York. A one-day forum that will for the first time bring together commissioners from major professional sports organizations for this specific purpose, "Phenoms to Professionals: Successful Transitions" will feature a special "Commissioners Panel," bringing together the top executives from major pro sports organizations, including LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens, National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner David Stern; National Hockey League (NHL) Commissioner Gary Bettman; Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Don Garber; and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Chairman and CEO Larry Scott.
"Phenoms to Professionals: Successful Transitions" will focus on the issues surrounding the growing trend of young athletes turning professional and attempting to join professional sports leagues at an early age. The forum will include a discussion of strategies to position sports organizations for the future, as well as meet the needs of junior elite athletes—or "phenoms"— as they reach the professional ranks. Unlike other professional athlete forums, the LPGA’s event focuses solely on young athletes, their evolution from the amateur ranks to a worldwide professional stage and the issues that surround that transition—both for the organizations and the athletes. Representatives from 15 top professional sports associations in the country and professional development specialists have been invited to discuss policy and share information.
"We are truly excited to host ‘Phenoms to Professionals: Successful Transitions’ in December, the first event of its kind," said Bivens. "With the rise of young, teenage talent on the LPGA Tour, this is a very timely issue for our organization, and the involvement of David Stern, Larry Scott, Gary Bettman and Don Garber not only adds to the prestige of the event, but also underscores how important the ‘phenom’ issue is across all of sports. It’s imperative that all of us in professional sports take a hard look at this topic."
"The LPGA’s brand promise is to showcase the very best of women’s professional golf, and to do so, we must concern ourselves with the long-term professional development of our athletes—from the start of their careers until after they leave the competitive arena," said Dr. Betsy Clark, LPGA vice president of professional development. "Today, players’ careers are beginning at a much younger age, and the LPGA—along with all professional sports organizations—must insure that we are mindful of the sustained health and welfare of younger players and are affording them competitive professional experiences at the highest level."
Dr. Carol Otis, USTA Sports Science Committee Member and former US Federation Cup physician, will join Kathleen Stroia, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour vice president of sport sciences and medicine/player development; and Ashley Keber, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour director of professional development, to present a "case study" on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. In addition, Dr. Clark will lead an expert panel that will share information on adolescent development, psychological, physical and social implications and considerations as well as successful transition programs and initiatives. The panel includes Dr. Sara Hickmann, manager of career transition, NFL Player Development; Dr. Yolanda Bruce Brooks, clinical and consulting psychologist, NBA Player Development consultant; Dr. Maureen Weiss, professor of sport psychology, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia; and Dr. Otis.
Contact:
Laura Neal, LPGA
386-274-6278
