It's March Madness Time!

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It's March Madness Time!

Well friends!  March Madness is in full swing!  Basketball brackets are being busted, we’ve crowned a new Women’s Hockey NCAA champion and spring sports are underway!  Did I mention it’s my favorite time of year?

As a children’s book author, every month I am speaking to youth in their schools about the benefits of participation in sports and fitness activities.  In 2016 alone, I spoke to over 10,000 kids and what is amazing to me is that they all say the same things when asked about what they love about playing and how it makes them feel.  “I feel happy when I play!”  “I like to be with my friends.”  “I like pushing myself to get better.”  “I like going to games with my parents.”  Never once in the last year did a child say, “I like winning!”  Don’t get me wrong.  We all like winning – it feels great!  But these children are a great reminder to me each and every time I’m with them that winning isn’t everything. In fact, it’s obsolete.  Take note parents, grandparents and coaches – let’s celebrate the love of the game!

For more information on the Shelly Bean the Sports Queen book series or to find out how to host me for a speaking engagement with your school, business or event:

info@shellybeanthesportsqueen.com

www.shellybeanthesportsqueen.com 

Twitter @sportshelly

Instagram @shellybeanthesportsqueen

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Use #sportsqueen on social media.

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Park High School Girls' Soccer! #rolemodels

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Park High School Girls' Soccer! #rolemodels

Last week, the Park Girls' Soccer team (45 girls) visited 7 elementary schools in the Cottage Grove, MN area reading Shelly Bean the Sports Queen Scores a Soccer Goal as part of I Love to Read Month!  10% of all book sales were donated to the soccer program by author Shelly Boyum-Breen. What a GREAT partnership in role modeling! #likeagirl #librarylife #shepersisted

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#Shepersisted #likeagirl #heforshe

The athleticism and skill we are seeing in women’s college basketball today blows my mind and only makes me love the sport more. And with UCONN earning their 100th victory in a row Monday night vs. an incredibly talented South Carolina team, history continues to be made.  Did you hear the one about Tara VanDerveer of Stanford hitting the 1,000-victory mark in coaching this month?  #shepersistedHow about seeing Jackie Stiles, the prolific scorer from Missouri State have her statue unveiled?  I can’t forget watching her score; so amazing.  I even attended the University of Minnesota Women’s Basketball game this past Saturday when they took on Rutgers and there she was; C. Vivian Stringer who has been coaching college hoops over 46 years.  Can I get another #shepersisted?

In other sports action, the NCAA has announced it will FINALLY air some of the Women’s College Hockey Frozen Four in a partnership with Big Ten Network or BTN.  This year, BTN will cover the championship game live, followed by the semifinals and championship games live the next three years. It’s a start; an overdue start but a start.

Finally, I want to commend the players of a Catholic grade-school basketball team in New Jersey for recently taking a stand to defend their teammates.  The challenge before them was to decide if they should forfeit the last two games of the season or continue playing without their female teammates because of a rule in place by the archdiocese that only boys can play with boys and girls with girls.  Ok, but there weren’t enough girls playing to have a team!  In the end, what I love is that the parents gave the kids the power to decide and they chose to stick together as a team. #heforshe

In 4th grade, I was the only girl on my Catholic school basketball team.  It was the first basketball team I ever played on and I can’t imagine what life would have looked like for me without hoops.

#shepersisted #likeagirl

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News — Shelly Bean the Sports Queen

Oh the power of playing sports…..

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