By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Whoever said that children should be seen and not heard was certainly not part of creating Sports Done Right.

When high school and middle school athletes shared views for the select panel leading up to the release of the University of Maine’s sports initiative, it was their voices that sounded the alarm. As they shared experiences of the good, bad and ugly in their sports environment, people were listening.

Now, a year after the release of the document, are people still listening?

“Honestly, people are forgetting,” said Paige Piper, a student at Poland Regional High School, one of 12 pilot communities. “People are starting to forget. Over time, it’s going to change, but people are forgetting that it’s about students. Some of them, I don’t think they even realize they are.”

What kids want from their athletic experience has often been lost in the wilderness of overzealous parents, unaware coaches and unprepared administrations. Sports Done Right has altered that and brought athletes perspectives out of the woods. Sometimes the truth hurts, and people forget just who the games are for.

“It’s important that people remember that Sports Done Right is written on behalf of the kids,” said Karen Brown, the director for the Maine Center for Sport and Coaching. “If they remember that and they accept the fact that our student athletes are articulate enough and bright enough to tell us what they want, and they certainly deserve the very best, the people that say we’re force feeding these principals down their throats, I would challenge them to point to what principles they disagree with.”

Since the rollout of the report last January, Brown has heard from coaches made more aware of athletes needs. Coaches, parents and administrators, she says, have developed a better understanding and have sought to keep student input active.

“The athletes are going to be the ones that convince the naysayers,” said Luke Potter, a Lewiston senior. “People are going to go to these games, and they’ve been thinking the whole time that This program is nothing. It’s junk.’ Then they’re going to see these athletes performing, participating and acting in a new, fresh enlightened way. Then they’ll say Maybe I am in the wrong. Maybe I’m not seeing the real things here.'”

The Leadership Academy last September, sponsored by the Lewiston/Auburn Sports Done Right Pilot Site Leadership Team gathered 30 students from both Lewiston and Auburn. Students were empowered, encouraged to develop leadership and learned to make a difference in their respective teams and communities.

The athletes play a critical role, says Paul Amnott, the Lewiston assistant principal. Their conduct sends a message to everyone. Even with the Leadership Academy’s success, Amnott says he’d like to utilize the voice of athletes more in the coming year.

“I think it’s going to start with the kids in high school right now,” said Amnott. “If they buy into it and they pass it on, they’re going to play an important role. If they pass it on to the kids on their team, and they buy into when they become adults, it will be a lot easier for that next group to say This is the way it’s supposed to be done.'”

Poland had a luncheon session with nearly a dozen athletes Tuesday. It’s a means of communication that Athletic Director Don King would like to continue regularly.

“Get kids around the table, put food in their hands and let them talk,” said King, who also hopes to have a similar leadership academy at Poland. “They can tell us what they’re thinking and how they feel.”

A piece of the puzzle in the coming months could be the compacts. After the MCSC provides pilot schools with samples, localized versions will be drafted for approval and implementation. Piper says that’s when people will see that its about students.

“Once the compacts come out, and they start signing it, it’s not going to just catch on in the school, it’s going to catch on in the community,” said Piper. “I think that’s what’s going to happen.”

Potter expects to be in college by the time Sports Done Right has a resounding effect. He’s glad to play a role in the process now and help lay the groundwork for future generations.

“I really think that the athletes are the key parts to the whole thing,” said Potter. “They’re going to change the negative thoughts that people have. They’re going to make people realize the goodness that’s in this program. I can’t wait for it to take full force.”