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Smoky Mountain Blog

A movie night can be the perfect bonding experience for a youth sports team! Gathering the whole team together to watch a classic film filled with underdog heroes and uplifting themes is just the thing to inspire your players. Of course, not every movie you watch has to have a thoughtful message; sometimes an evening full of belly laughs is just what your team needs. To help you plan the perfect movie night, Rocky Top Sports World has put together a guide to the top five youth sports movies of all time.

One of the best football players to come out of East Tennessee is returning home to lead a special football camp in Gatlinburg. This summer, James “Little Man” Stewart will share his wisdom with young athletes at Rocky Top Sports World. Stewart, who went to high school in nearby Morristown, TN, played for the University of Tennessee Volunteers, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Detroit Lions. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the James “Little Man” Stewart Football Camp in Gatlinburg.

Rocky Top Sports World is excited to host one of the biggest events in girls basketball! This summer, the AAU 5th Grade Girls Basketball National Championship will take place at our 80-acre sports campus in Gatlinburg, TN. This tournament will bring the best 5th grade girls basketball teams in the United States to the Smokies for six days of spirited competition and fun. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this eagerly anticipated event.

Few people have had as profound an impact on college basketball as Pat Summitt and Jim Valvano. These legendary coaches were renowned not only for their success on the court but also for their inspirational leadership and unrelenting positivity. In the coming months, Rocky Top Sports World and the Girls Basketball Association (GBA) will host two youth basketball tournaments that will honor Summitt and Valvano while raising money for their respective foundations.

Kids play sports for a variety of reasons: to make friends, to stay active, and, first and foremost, to have fun. Unfortunately, the presence of a bully on a team has the potential to overshadow all of the best parts of playing youth sports. According to the National Alliance for Youth Sports, one in seven children in grades K - 12 is a victim of bullying or is a bully themselves. The group dynamics of a sports team can make young athletes especially susceptible to bullying.

It’s no secret that playing youth sports comes with its fair share of expenses. Between the cost of equipment, team dues, and traveling, money spent on children’s athletics can add up quickly. Fortunately, there are a number of tips and tricks parents can employ to stay under budget. Rocky Top Sports World has put together five of our favorite strategies for saving money on youth sports.

If you’re anything like the parents who come to Rocky Top Sports World, you probably love taking pictures of your kids playing sports! Having some high-quality photos of your young athlete can be great for sharing with relatives, making scrapbooks, and enhancing your Christmas cards. Of course, your kids will also love seeing what they look like in action!

Nothing ruins a youth sports season like an injury. Missing games or sitting on the sidelines is decidedly less fun than being on the field. Fortunately, there are a number of preventative measures that young athletes can take to reduce the risk of injury. To help you stay happy and healthy, Rocky Top Sports World has put together seven helpful tips for preventing youth sports injuries.

Winter will be here before you know it, and we couldn’t be more excited! In the coming months, Rocky Top Sports World will host a variety of awesome tournaments and events. When you visit Gatlinburg, TN with your team, you’ll have the chance to enjoy all of the fun seasonal activities in the Smoky Mountains. To help you make the most of your time in Gatlinburg, we have put together a guide to four of our favorite wintertime traditions.

When Rocky Top Sports World opened its $20 million athletic complex in 2014, it was a big investment for the city of Gatlinburg and Sevier County, TN. Our 80-acre campus was funded as a joint venture by the city and the county. Now that Rocky Top Sports World has closed the books on its third year, we are pleased to report that the area’s investment in our sports complex continues to pay major dividends.

This fall, Rocky Top Sports World will host two awesome basketball play days at our sports campus in Gatlinburg, TN. “Middle School Mania” and “Rumble at the Rock” are perfect for middle school and high school basketball teams that are looking for some extra practice before the season kicks off. Read on to find out everything you need to know about these hotly anticipated events.

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