(Lawrenceville, GA., July 24, 2012) – Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation (GCPR) is hosting the 2012 Youth Sports Expo on Saturday, July 28 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Rhodes Jordan Park. This all day event is the largest sports expo of its kind in the state of Georgia and open to all involved in Youth Sports including; volunteers, coaches, team moms, and parents. Participants will attend educational sessions and hear from industry experts. The day will commence with remarks from Keynote speaker, NCAA Gymnastic Champion and Gwinnett Sports Commission spokesperson Kat Ding.  Educations session will follow and include; Marketing Best Practices; Don’t Sweat It – How to prevent, recognize and treat heat injuries; Beyond Insurance – Risk Management for Youth Sports Organizations; Playing in the Dirt Again – How soil management effects player performance; Background Checks: Why database searches are not enough; and a special session on Georgia House Bill 1176 legally mandating anyone involved in a child service organization to comply with the new law.

In addition to the educational sessions, participants are encouraged to take advantage of the Expo Hall featuring the latest in sports products.  The Expo Hall will include product demonstrations, vendor giveaways and a silent auction. All proceeds from the silent auction will benefit the Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation Scholarship Fund for youth sports. Among the items being auctioned will be signed sports memorabilia, photography packages, sporting event tickets and golf certificates.

Doors open at 9 a.m. with breakfast and refreshments. Expo hall hours will be from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided by Gwinnett Sports Commission. There is still time to register online at www.gwinnettparks.com or by calling 770-822-8886. The cost, which includes lunch plus admittance to informational sessions, Expo Hall and Silent Auction, is $20 for individual tickets and discounted for groups of 5 for only $80! Rhodes Jordan Park is located at 100 East Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046.