Dr. Robi Ludwig – Friday Night Tykes (Esquire Network)

(1/4/15 – New York) Esquire Network is shining some bright camera lights on the exclusive culture of a youth football association in the heart of Texas. The compelling documentary series, called Friday Night Tykes (airing Tuesdays at 9PM Eastern Standard Time beginning January 20) follows five teams in the 10- and 11-year old Juniors division of the Texas Youth Football Association both on and off the field. Coaches and parents alike are also observed, offering their insights explaining why kids should suffer in order to achieve football glory and excellence.

While the parents and coaches support this tough love notion of discipline, they also struggle with a serious question: How hard is too hard to push your kids? As the Friday Night Tykes cameras continue to roll, one wonders if this militant approach to football which includes extreme training drills, heckling from crazy fans, along with the balancing of intense on-the-field demands, are put in place alongside the normal demands of being a child. This approach, however, may be failing rather than facilitating these kids’ mental and physical well-being.

To delve into this topic more comprehensively, Esquire Network and the 92nd Street Y will host a private screening of Friday Night Tykes on Wednesday January 14, 2015 at 8:15 p.m. This screening will be followed by a candid conversation on the state of youth sports in our culture. ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap will moderate the discussion. The other panelists will include former NFL players Tiki Barber and Bart Scott, who will also bring their own experiences as players and fathers into the discussion. Barber and Scott will be joined by Brian Morgan, President of the Texas Youth Football and Cheer Association, Matt Maranz, Executive Producer of Friday Night Tykes and Psychotherapist, author and award winning reporter Dr. Robi Ludwig.

Dr. Robi Ludwig will address such psychological themes as competition, how much is too much, as well as discuss how hyper competitive parenting styles combined with an obsession about winning, can ruin a child’s self-esteem. She will lead the discussion about important social, emotional and psychological implications associated with hyper competitive parents, controversial coaching techniques as well as address what happens when very young children feel an overwhelming pressure to win, at all costs.

Questions such as:
-Why do we continue to professionalize youth sport?
-When does competition become harmful?
-What is the outlook for children and professionalized type sports?
– How do we progress on in this sports’ field within our culture?

The ultimate goal for the panel is to have a productive debate and further the ongoing national conversation about this very problematic trend. This private event will be extended to media, 92nd Street Y special guests and influencers across sports, health and parenting media.

Robi Ludwig, Psy.D.
www.drrobiludwig.com
917-597-1680

Esquire Network History:
A popular network TV channel in America. The network is owned jointly by Comcast (NBCUniversal) and the Hearst Corporation. It is believed that the venture is 50-50 ownership. The network mostly focuses on cooking, travel, and fashion. The non-sports male is a targeted audience by Esquire. It was originally named the Style Network by was later re-launched in Sept 2013. According to the Nielson ratings it’s available to approximately 73,500,000+ households. Their main office and headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California. In 2007, the network was launched in the Arab world and also across Southern Africa. The UK and Japan received the network in June 2008. Australia got the channel in 2009. The network is positioning itself for more International exposure in the future. These in both Poland and Romania.

Having watched the Esquire Network for many years now, I can say the channel is pretty amazing. They cover everything mostly for men including their fashion and even helping them cook. We all know that men need lots of help in those departments. I personally enjoy all the travel segments featured. I a strong believer in traveling the World so getting information about new locations or additional information is always fun to watch for me. I want to see everything in the World but unfortunately can’t be everywhere. It’s nice just to have at your finger tips. The photography is amazing and the network really provides well thought out research.

Dr. Robi Ludwig is a popular psychotherapist, author, and TV personality. She has been featured on countless shows and media channels. Recently she became a contributor to Bella Magazine and was appointed to their advisory medical board. You can view the entire list of 8 individuals on their website. She is also a contributor on the Huffington Post. Ludwig is married to David Ludwig and has an practice office in New York. They have two children. She is a published author featured on Amazon as well as an award winner reporter. Her book entitled Till Death Do Us Part has been quite successful and is available online. You can read our book review here. On that same topic, she has a popular article entitled Killer Lovers which was published exclusively on the Emerald City Journal several months ago (September 2014). It is one of our most visited pages.

Throughout the years, her experience has placed her on many news channels and TV shows. Channels like Fox News, MSNBC, and Entertainment Today have made her a popular medical advisor. There is simply to many to list. Ludwig is very engaged on the Internet and social media sites. She does try to help individuals with questions submitted as time permits and this includes comments as well. She understands the importance of keeping up to date this the news and topics in the industry and that is the reason why she is in so much demand. There are countless articles, sites, and videos featuring her as well.

The show, Friday Night Tykes, continues to be a success on the Esquire Network. Please check your local listing for time and channel information. The show recently started its second season.