Taking youth sports to the next level
Play Ball! The Crisis in Today’s Youth Sports
This is just an excerpt, to read the entire article check out the link below.
...Coach Wohl is amazed how many parents ask him what is wrong with their young athlete because their child is not focused enough. He fondly remembers his dad’s comments after his games as a child: “Did you play as hard as you can? Then hold your head up”.
It’s no wonder the injury rate and burn-out rates for youth sports are so high – kids are being pushed mentally and physically in directions they are just not wired to go while still so young. Their bodies and souls are being asked to perform at a level really meant for much older kids – high school and beyond. Before that point, the emphasis should be on fun, skill building and teamwork. It’s like trying to race the Indy 500 in a VW Beetle or a Toyota Camry. Sure, it will run and may even win but then the engine will be permanently shot in the process.
We seem to accept when our children express a dislike for certain foods, TV shows, books, or even friends; but we often fail to accept our child may not like a certain sport. Childhood is really a journey of exploration and it’s actually the child who has the map; we are merely guides. There’s a world of sports and activities to choose from – but we need to remember that it’s our child who is participating in that activity, not us. Even more so, we need to remember that just because a child is good at an activity, does not mean that he will want to continue that activity or just do that activity.
Reforming youth sports will not happen over night but we can make a huge amount of positive strides but just changing our own expectations and behavior. I truly believe that when parents learn to just encourage their children without pushing, the clock will start to slow. When parents learn to enjoy watching their child learn new skills and new found confidence, the clock will slow even more. But the clock won’t truly stop and reset until our children start having fun again. It could happen today and you’re the one to take the first step.
To read the whole article check it out at - http://www.pediatricsnow.com/metrowest_pk_archive/oct_25_2005_crisi...
...Coach Wohl is amazed how many parents ask him what is wrong with their young athlete because their child is not focused enough. He fondly remembers his dad’s comments after his games as a child: “Did you play as hard as you can? Then hold your head up”.
It’s no wonder the injury rate and burn-out rates for youth sports are so high – kids are being pushed mentally and physically in directions they are just not wired to go while still so young. Their bodies and souls are being asked to perform at a level really meant for much older kids – high school and beyond. Before that point, the emphasis should be on fun, skill building and teamwork. It’s like trying to race the Indy 500 in a VW Beetle or a Toyota Camry. Sure, it will run and may even win but then the engine will be permanently shot in the process.
We seem to accept when our children express a dislike for certain foods, TV shows, books, or even friends; but we often fail to accept our child may not like a certain sport. Childhood is really a journey of exploration and it’s actually the child who has the map; we are merely guides. There’s a world of sports and activities to choose from – but we need to remember that it’s our child who is participating in that activity, not us. Even more so, we need to remember that just because a child is good at an activity, does not mean that he will want to continue that activity or just do that activity.
Reforming youth sports will not happen over night but we can make a huge amount of positive strides but just changing our own expectations and behavior. I truly believe that when parents learn to just encourage their children without pushing, the clock will start to slow. When parents learn to enjoy watching their child learn new skills and new found confidence, the clock will slow even more. But the clock won’t truly stop and reset until our children start having fun again. It could happen today and you’re the one to take the first step.
To read the whole article check it out at - http://www.pediatricsnow.com/metrowest_pk_archive/oct_25_2005_crisi...
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