Liberty Mutual Insurance Teams Up With Positive Coaching Alliance to Honor "Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments" for 2011

BOSTON, April 21, 2011  /PRNewswire/ -- After St. Mary's of Lynn lost in the Massachusetts Division 1 girls ice hockey quarterfinals last month to Hingham High School, ending a 100-game winning streak that spanned four seasons, senior captain Sabrina Iannetti boarded her opponents' bus, congratulated the team who ended her high school career two games short of perfection, and promised that St. Mary's would cheer them on through the rest of the state tournament. That simple gesture of sportsmanship is an example of the inherent goodness in youth and amateur sports, and is the first nominee for the "Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments" of 2011 by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA).

The "Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments" campaign is the latest initiative from Responsible Sports™, a community-based thought leadership program developed by Liberty Mutual, PCA and several national youth sports organizations to spark dialogue about responsibility through sports and to provide resources, tools, tips and advice to youth sports coaches and parents.

"Each of the 'Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments' should serve as a reminder and inspiration to all involved in youth sports of the opportunities we have to create a positive, character-building environment that elevates the game," said Jim Thompson, founder and executive director of Positive Coaching Alliance and author of the just-released Elevating the Game, written for student-athletes.  "Too often the media focuses on negative incidents and boorish behavior in sports. We're excited to partner with Liberty Mutual to commemorate the positive moments."

Throughout 2011, Liberty Mutual and PCA will be searching for demonstrations of extraordinary sportsmanship, sacrifice and selflessness at the youth sports and amateur sports levels and celebrating those moments on the program's Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/ResponsibleSports, and at www.ResponsibleSports.com.  The public can learn more, as well as nominate their own responsible sports moments with descriptions, photos or videos at www.Facebook.com/ResponsibleSports.  

The 2011 "Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments" will be chosen from all nominations by a voting panel comprised of representatives from PCA and the Responsible Sports partner organizations.  Liberty Mutual will honor each of the ten youth sports organizations that initiate or are the focus of each "Top 10 Responsible Sports Moment" with $1,000 awards in December.

"People have the opportunity to do responsible things every day.  Liberty Mutual recognizes those actions in both our day-to-day business as well as through the community programs we organize and support," added Greg Gordon, Liberty Mutual senior vice president, Consumer Marketing.  "Youth sports should provide a fun, social and character-building experience and the 'Top 10 Responsible Sports Moments' will spotlight and celebrate the positive values that sports can instill in our children."

About Responsible Sports

Liberty Mutual founded the Responsible Sports program as a means to celebrate the positive impact that everyday, responsible actions can have on our youth. As a responsible insurance company, Liberty Mutual believes that youth sport coaching and youth sport parenting are clear examples of how people can unite to promote the fundamental ideals of community.

Presented in partnership with PCA , the American Softball Association, US Youth Soccer, USA Hockey, USA Wrestling and the American Youth Soccer Organization, Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports is a community-based program providing resources, tools, tips and advice for volunteer youth sport coaches and sport parents. The Responsible Sports program offers parents and coaches constructive tips, expert advice and practical examples to help create a positive sports environment for children. Liberty Mutual also has provided more than $400,000 in grants to youth sports teams, organizations and schools for community participation in the online Responsible Sports curriculum.  To access the Responsible Sports resources, see previous Responsible Sports grant winners, and register your league or school for the Responsible Sports grant program, visit www.ResponsibleSports.com.

Teams or organizations representing any youth sport are eligible for a Responsible Sports grant.

About Liberty Mutual Group

"Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group is a diversified global insurer and fifth-largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2009 direct written premium. Liberty Mutual ranks 71st on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2009 revenue. The company has over 45,000 employees located in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

The eighth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance. The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 13,000 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.

About Positive Coaching Alliance

Founded as a non-profit within the Stanford University Athletic Department in 1998, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) has the mission of "transforming youth sports so sports can transform youth."  To that end, PCA has conducted roughly 9,000 live group workshops nationwide for more than 475,000 youth sports leaders, coaches and parents.  Workshop attendees have helped create a positive, character-building youth sports environment for roughly 3.5 million youth athletes.

PCA's partnership network includes more than 1,700 youth sports organizations, cities and schools. In 2011, PCA will conduct roughly 1,300 live group workshops across the U.S., while assisting tens of thousands of other individuals via online courses at www.PositiveCoach.org.

SOURCE Liberty Mutual