State Sen. Barry R. Finegold convenes Thursday the first legislative hearing in the nation to determine what, if any, role the state should play in regulating youth sports.
Finegold, co-chair of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, said legislators will weigh a comprehensive range of benefits and issues associated with youth sports.
“This Thursday’s hearing looks to holistically examine the youth sports industry in Massachusetts. The overarching goal of the hearing is to understand, through the breadth of knowledge and experience from impacted stakeholders, whether or not the state has a role in the youth sports regulatory framework and what that role would be,” he said, adding “Testimony will be provided by various experts with topics ranging from the dangers of early sport specialization and overtraining to the financing landscape at both an individual and institutional level.”
The Joint Committee on Economic Development, co-chaired by Rep. Jerry A. Parisella of Beverly, is coordinating with the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, co-chaired by Sen. Cindy F. Friedman of Arlington and Rep. John J. Lawn of Watertown.
Testimony will be provided by medical professionals, academics and directors and managers of youth sports programs.
The hearing takes place Thursday, Oct. 12 at 1:30 p.m., in the Massachusetts State House, Hearing Room A-2. The nearest State House entrance is Ashburton Park across from Capital Coffee, 122 Bowdoin St., Boston.