Youth sports: the good, bad and ugly

[djp73]

i don't have kids but i have coached youth basketball, baseball and football. one thing i cant stress enough is to not yell at the coaches or question their calls during a game or practice. this shows your kid that he/she doesn't really have to listen to the coach.

if you have a suggestion or concern talk to the coach privately after the game.

personally when i coached i always welcomed input from parents in this manner. most times i was able to see their point and implement some or all of what they said. otherwise i was able to explain to them why i did it my way and we came to a mutual understanding.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jr.

I disagree a bit with Roadman about narrowing down the sports in high school. I am a big proponent of maintaining as many sports as possible throughout high school. It develops athleticism greatly and typically the athlete will be more resistant to burnout. If your kid wants to choose 1 or 2 sports by then, then great. But if they want to keep playing one sport in the Fall, another in the Winter, another in the Spring, then something else in the Summer, I say let them. Most of the best athletes I've seen and scouted were multi-sport athletes.

I agree if you excel at all three sports and enjoy all three sports, but, based on the high school our kids went to, there were fewer three sport athletes vs 1 or 2 sport athletes. I'm referring to the kids who don't go beyond high sports and play, just recreational after high school.

It also depends if they are active outside of sports, too. If they are in band, theater, working a part-time job, studies, etc...... If there isn't any interest outside of sports, then yeah, I agree.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jr.

I disagree a bit with Roadman about narrowing down the sports in high school. I am a big proponent of maintaining as many sports as possible throughout high school. It develops athleticism greatly and typically the athlete will be more resistant to burnout. If your kid wants to choose 1 or 2 sports by then, then great. But if they want to keep playing one sport in the Fall, another in the Winter, another in the Spring, then something else in the Summer, I say let them. Most of the best athletes I've seen and scouted were multi-sport athletes.

Four seems impossible it unless it's 7 on 7 football in the summer to get ready for the real season.

[Money99]

The fact that you've never played baseball will probably help with your sons development as a baseball player, and for his love of the game.
Because you don't have much experience in the sport you can't drive him crazy with X's and O's, or remind him what he did wrong.
(of course, there is the other type which, BECAUSE they never played, they want to live thru their kids eyes).

I love baseball and hockey. Way too many times, I give my boys crap for doing something wrong when playing either sport. At times, I know I'm THAT DAD. I try not to be, but I can't control myself all the time. It's something I try to work on.
Guess which sports my kids love the most? The ones I don't care about like soccer, basketball and golf.*
Why? Because I couldn't care less about those and I simply cheer them on and encourage them.
(* Not completely true. My youngest boy adores hockey. It's easily his favourite sport. But he was going to quit 2 years ago and I know the main reason was because I was his coach.
Then I decided not to coach anymore. I didn't enjoy it anymore and I hated how I was always harder on my son than the other kids.
The coach he's had the last two seasons is amazing. He's taken a liking to my son and has made him his go-to defenseman. Now my son can't get enough of the sport.
I'm convinced that if I had continued coaching him, he wouldn't be playing hockey now).

I try to remember that when they're playing baseball - my favourite sport.
They both really enjoy it and I want that to continue.
So now I try to simply play in the backyard and have fun with them when I can.
We've made up a fun little game of them vs me and they love it.

And I can't express backyard play enough. Especially for baseball. People think it's a simple game (hit, throw, catch). But there are many fine skills that need to be refined to be successful at the game. So simply getting them outside to throw and catch is huge. Something very few people seem to do these days.


Lastly, a study was recently done where dozens of college athletes were asked what they liked best about growing up in sports.

Most of them said they loved it when their grandparents watched them play. Why? Because grandparents never coached them or told them what they did wrong.
They simply showed up and cheered them on.
The report also showed that the best thing you can say to your kid before they step on the field/court/ice is to tell them you love them and you want them to have fun.
Don't give them pointers or advice or tell them how to play their position better, etc, etc.
Just a simple "I love you. Have fun".

Good luck!

[GritSnSpeed]

I'm a huge baseball fan since about my senior year of High School. Just never played on a team. I'm a sports fanatic so I have to reel myself back in with trying to coach. Gotta remember he's only 5. Lol. Not a pro or even a teenager.

[AceAmy]

I only wish I had a good enough eye for safe and out calls to be an umpire. Parents would get an earful if they mouthed off to me.

speaking of youth sports, is anyone out there actually contemplating putting their children in football? Seems like anyone I know is staying far faaar away from football and for good reason. Seems as though football in 15 years will start to die, and honestly for good reason. I love watching it but its a bad thing to do humanity wise.

[PVarck31]

Quote: Originally Posted by AceAmy

I only wish I had a good enough eye for safe and out calls to be an umpire. Parents would get an earful if they mouthed off to me. speaking of youth sports, is anyone out there actually contemplating putting their children in football? Seems like anyone I know is staying far faaar away from football and for good reason. Seems as though football in 15 years will start to die, and honestly for good reason. I love watching it but its a bad thing to do humanity wise.

Can't really do that on the high school level. I worked for the Ohio High School Athletic Association and had to be a good representative for them. But believe me, some parents deserve to be put in their place. I feel bad for their kids.

[GritSnSpeed]

Quote: Originally Posted by AceAmy

I only wish I had a good enough eye for safe and out calls to be an umpire. Parents would get an earful if they mouthed off to me. speaking of youth sports, is anyone out there actually contemplating putting their children in football? Seems like anyone I know is staying far faaar away from football and for good reason. Seems as though football in 15 years will start to die, and honestly for good reason. I love watching it but its a bad thing to do humanity wise.

Our league didn't have an issue fielding 5 teams. But I made sure to coach his pee wee team. It's a tough sport, and on the elite levels it's down right brutal. I wouldn't let any kids put their heads down. Breakdown, wrap up. No highlight reel helmet to helmet hits. No leaving your feet to make the tackle. Any of those issues got them lots and lots of laps.

The game won't die, but it has to change. And that starts at the youngest levels.