For more than 25 years, I’ve been given writing assignments. In this space, I’m going to assign myself topics that I feel will be interesting and informative to readers. We’ll see how it goes.

SP3rts Talk will discuss issues in athletics that are relevant to athletes, coaches, parents, and fans. Professional sports, collegiate athletics, scholastic and youth/travel sports are all in play for entries that will be posted once per week. 

The objective of SP3rts Talk is to provide information and insights that are useful, thought-provoking, and at times, entertaining. Topics will range from broad – when should my kid start travel sports / the pros and cons of sports specialization – to specific – baseball’s obsession with pitch counts / the car ride home with your son or daughter – to the fun stuff sports’ fans enjoy – top 8 musts when tailgating / why golf wins the ‘greatest sport in the world’ contest.

And when hot-button topics emerge (i.e. – Rutgers softball, Game 7 and Gerrit Cole, paying collegiate athletes), we can shift gears and talk about short- and long-term impacts.

As this blog develops, the intention is to supplement topics with Q&A interviews featuring coaches and sports professionals. They will add valuable insights as well as potential career advice for those interested in the sports field. Vlogs are also on the table, along with guest writers and topic requests from readers to keep the conversation interactive.

Sports are exhilarating, polarizing, connective, and developmental. It brings out the best and worst in our society. It’s those elements and more that make sports a fascinating topic for discussion.

Blog On Deck: When is the right time for my kid to play travel sports?

In the Hole: The Era of Mathletics

Mark Gola is owner of P3 Media Communications, an author, and former collegiate coach and athlete. He played Division I baseball at Rider University and was an assistant coach at Rider and Princeton University. Mark was an Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications at The College of New Jersey for nine years and was a full-time instructor and administrator at the Dave Gallagher Baseball Academy for six years. He has also coached high school soccer and baseball.