WP: Are parents ruining youth sports? Fewer kids play amid pressure.

[Corcaigh]

It's hard.  There is such a push to play "travel" that the rec leagues get decimated, but some of that comes from the kids.  Their friends play travel, and they want to too.

As I commented, even where there are many, many kids available for rec, it can be a poor quality experience because of teammates not showing up for practice, or those who do just wanting to goof off because their parents have signed them up. Kids who want to do more than "half-ass" it are almost forced into a travel program.

And too many programs are forcing kids to participate in year-round - bad for motivation, bad for injury, bad for burn out.

[pointyfootball]

So maybe participation trophies aren't such a bad idea after all? 

[Major Harris]

What is wrong is steering that kid into 1, and only 1, sport and making it a job.

 

well the glaring reason is burn out.  sports should not be a "job" for kids.

[Elessar78]

SA: How different do you think youth soccer is now compared to your early days? 

MIA HAMM: The first coaches I had were just dads. And [laughs] probably wearing too small team uniform shirts and a really bad hat or visor on the sideline. And occasionally saying things they got from their days of playing football and trying to apply it to soccer, like “get to the end zone.” 

It’s changed a lot. Some good, some bad. Coaching and the players are so much better at a younger age. 

I didn’t specialize until I made the national team. I still played basketball and a bunch of different sports, really kind of followed what my friends were playing in the season that was being organized. 

I think that helped me not burn out so early and helped my overall athleticism. 

[Destino]

I don't honestly think that the mother understood the basic positioning concepts related to soccer. It was just my kid is really good at throw ins and so she should take every throw.

Haha that's hilarious. See I'm entirely of the belief that kids play sports to learn, have fun, and challenge themselves. So if that woman's daughter was indeed amazing at throwing the ball in, I'd want other kids challenged to do it while she is challenged to do something she doesn't do so well. That's how you grow. Specializing at 10 years old is ridiculous.

[Mufumonk]

And the word needs to get out about scholarships. Parents are doing the math all wrong if they justify participation with the potential for a college scholarship.

 

D1 a full scholarship in soccer, at least, is very rare. Only 4% of all players get a scholarship (partial or full) or "incidentals" (books/room and board).

 

So the $30,000 you spend between age 6 to 17 for soccer is better saved in an account and having your kid play just regular old "travel soccer".  IF scholarships are your goal. 

 

Our mantra to the coaches at our clinics is that your kid is never going to play any further than High School.  And most of them won't make it that far.  It's a bitter pill to swallow but it's true.  

well the glaring reason is burn out.  sports should not be a "job" for kids.

 

Add in that the kids largely become un-coachable at a certain point.  I want kids that play multiple sports because they are better athletes than the kids that have only known 1 sport.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I've seen enough rec. programs that, from a time commitment, are inching towards the travel leagues. But what can you do if you want your children involved in something?

 

That's where we are right now. Our kids are in 3rd and 1st grade. They both have two nights per week (90-120 minutes) and a Saturday commitment. It's not ridiculous, but it ends up taking up essentially all but one weeknight and most of our Saturday. And these kids are 6 and 8. It means that they barely have time to eat dinner and do the 20ish minutes of homework that they have. I just think it's crazy these days. My son (the 8-year old) has friends who are in "travel" baseball. Those poor kids have three practices per week and 5-6 hours of games on Sunday (generally a double-header with 30 minutes in between). 

 

So, I hate that this is what sports is becoming, but I also know how much my kids love to play these sports and don't want to be left behind or left out. Maybe there's a market to turn back the clock and come up with an actual "house" or "rec" league. 

[Elessar78]

That's where we are right now. Our kids are in 3rd and 1st grade. They both have two nights per week (90-120 minutes) and a Saturday commitment. It's not ridiculous, but it ends up taking up essentially all but one weeknight and most of our Saturday. And these kids are 6 and 8. It means that they barely have time to eat dinner and do the 20ish minutes of homework that they have. I just think it's crazy these days. My son (the 8-year old) has friends who are in "travel" baseball. Those poor kids have three practices per week and 5-6 hours of games on Sunday (generally a double-header with 30 minutes in between). 

 

So, I hate that this is what sports is becoming, but I also know how much my kids love to play these sports and don't want to be left behind or left out. Maybe there's a market to turn back the clock and come up with an actual "house" or "rec" league. 

Left behind or left out of what? They can still love playing a sport that only plays games or only practices once a week. 

 

From my perch, it's really a strain on families with two kids. Families with 3 or more—it's very difficult from many different angles. 

[tshile]

 

Everyone at a game needs to select one, and only one, role:

 

• Player 
• Coach
• Official
• Parent

 

 

I'm so looking forward to being the parent.

 

BTW you're killing it in this thread. I am out of likes because the redskins won and i blew up my quota last night.

[grhqofb5]

For some reason the soccer stuff gets a bit out of control early.  I have a 3 year old and a 4 year old that both play now in this enormous league.  They're actually in different age brackets (3U and 4-6).  So the 3 year old seems pretty happy, doesn't get too terribly involved, and things are pretty cool with parents and all. 

 

The 4-6 league is much different.  My 4 year old is one of the youngest kids on the team, and isn't really interested in playing.  He just stands there for the most part and watches when he's on the field. But even there you can see a few of the parents are starting to get a bit too into it.  I'm at the point where I just want to take him out of the league and let him play around in the backyard instead. But my wife seems to want to push it on him.  Oh well, you can guess who's winning that one.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Left behind or left out of what? They can still love playing a sport that only plays games or only practices once a week. 

 

From my perch, it's really a strain on families with two kids. Families with 3 or more—it's very difficult from many different angles. 

 

Those are the house leagues - they play 3-4 times per week, for 6-8 year olds. Travel is even more. There isn't really an option right now that meets for 1 practice and 1 game per week. 

[Elessar78]

For some reason the soccer stuff gets a bit out of control early.  I have a 3 year old and a 4 year old that both play now in this enormous league.  They're actually in different age brackets (3U and 4-6).  So the 3 year old seems pretty happy, doesn't get too terribly involved, and things are pretty cool with parents and all. 

 

The 4-6 league is much different.  My 4 year old is one of the youngest kids on the team, and isn't really interested in playing.  He just stands there for the most part and watches when he's on the field. But even there you can see a few of the parents are starting to get a bit too into it.  I'm at the point where I just want to take him out of the league and let him play around in the backyard instead. But my wife seems to want to push it on him.  Oh well, you can guess who's winning that one.

4-6 is too big of an age gap. One of the concepts we work with is referred to as "soccer age", not chronological age and it can be as much as +/- two years. So there could be a soccer age gap of 2 years old (understanding motor skills) to 8 year olds in that age group. Six is about as early as I would start if the kid isn't picking it up on their own. Before that general motor skill development and socialization. Even simple things like playing catch. 

[Destino]

Can three year olds really play soccer?  My 2 year old is in "soccer" and it's just a bunch of kids that sometimes kick the ball and sometimes run around in circles for no apparent reason.  Does that much change in a year? 

 

At what age would the sprinklers suddenly coming on in the middle of a game be seen by the players as an interruption as opposed to an invitation to run around giggling?

[grhqofb5]

Can three year olds really play soccer?  My 2 year old is in "soccer" and it's just a bunch of kids that sometimes kick the ball and sometimes run around in circles for no apparent reason.  Does that much change in a year? 

 

At what age would the sprinkles suddenly coming on in the middle of a game be seen by the players as an interruption as opposed to an invitation to run around giggling?

 

3 year olds aren't all that much better, but again it depends on the kid.

[Corcaigh]

I 'coached' a U5 team on mini fields and they sometimes would score in a goal on an adjacent field. Some idiot parents would ask if the goal counted. I'd tell 'em it was worth double to score against a team you're not playing AND your opponents.

[Elessar78]

I 'coached' a U5 team on mini fields and they sometimes would score in a goal on an adjacent field. Some idiot parents would ask if the goal counted. I'd tell 'em it was worth double if to score against a team you're not playing AND your opponents.

I think I just developed the best U6 sport.

 

multiple goals and a hoop and uprights for each team, multiple balls, no more than 3 to 4 kids per team and you can kick or carry or throw the ball into any of the scoring apparati. 

[Corcaigh]

I think I just developed the best U6 sport.

 

multiple goals and a hoop and uprights for each team, multiple balls, no more than 3 to 4 kids per team and you can kick or carry or throw the ball into any of the scoring apparati. 

 

That's High Performance coaching man! We play a small-sided, four goal game to encourage them to use the whole playing surface.

 

Not U6 but as early teens playing backyard games with friends we would allow someone to change the rules just by shouting it out. In the middle of playing soccer you could shout "change to rugby" to allow you to catch the ball and run with it. Soccer, Gaelic football and rugby were all in the mix.

[Elessar78]

YOu know what sport that should be bigger here? Hurling. What could go wrong???

 

[Zguy28]

That's High Performance coaching man! We play a small-sided, four goal game to encourage them to use the whole playing surface.

 

Not U6 but as early teens playing backyard games with friends we would allow someone to change the rules just by shouting it out. In the middle of playing soccer you could shout "change to rugby" to allow you to catch the ball and run with it. Soccer, Gaelic football and rugby were all in the mix.

You made me look up Gaelic Football. Never knew about it. Sounds like a lot of fun.

[Elessar78]

That's High Performance coaching man! We play a small-sided, four goal game to encourage them to use the whole playing surface.

 

Not U6 but as early teens playing backyard games with friends we would allow someone to change the rules just by shouting it out. In the middle of playing soccer you could shout "change to rugby" to allow you to catch the ball and run with it. Soccer, Gaelic football and rugby were all in the mix.

 It's only 3/4 joking because really at that age, it shouldn't be sport specific but simply developing all around athleticism: moving, cutting, tumbling, hand eye coordination, tracking objects in flight, jumping, stopping... which is all secondary to having fun.

 

Nothing against t-ball, but I don't get it. So much standing around. 

[codeorama]

t ball is the introduction to baseball. Baseball is one of the tougher sports in terms of skill sets needed.  Better to start early.

[Elessar78]

t ball is the introduction to baseball. Baseball is one of the tougher sports in terms of skill sets needed.  Better to start early.

I get that and nothing against it, but it's a lot of standing around for little kids that naturally want to be running around and want to be engaged. I've been to my friends' kids tball games and it takes a whole phalanx of adults to facilitate it.

 

I'd suggest to modify it somehow... break it into the component parts (hitting, fielding, throwing to a target, base running) into a more active pre-baseball game. 

 

For example, I'm just spit balling. Have all the skills separate and make it into some kind of objective-based game.

 

1. They try to hit a baseball off a tee and then run the bases freely.

2. In a separate group kids take turns fielding balls served by parents then throwing it at a target

3. Another group, playing some catch-based game maybe kinda like rugby—they can develop their movement skills and hand eye coordination.

[Corcaigh]

You made me look up Gaelic Football. Never knew about it. Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

It is - elements of soccer, basketball, & rugby

 

[Elessar78]

That's High Performance coaching man! We play a small-sided, four goal game to encourage them to use the whole playing surface.

 

Not U6 but as early teens playing backyard games with friends we would allow someone to change the rules just by shouting it out. In the middle of playing soccer you could shout "change to rugby" to allow you to catch the ball and run with it. Soccer, Gaelic football and rugby were all in the mix.

Growing up, 10-14 we played hours of touch football in the street. Those battles were epic. Kids don't do that anymore. It's basically a passing league but the idea hasn't seem to caught on widespread. 

[Corcaigh]

Growing up, 10-14 we played hours of touch football in the street. Those battles were epic. Kids don't do that anymore. It's basically a passing league but the idea hasn't seem to caught on widespread. 

 

We were true multi-sport athletes. Playing multiple sports in the same game.