Participation Drop. Any Thoughts?

[sw5890]

Oddly enough this topic came up at a gathering over the weekend. A lot of parents seem concerned that if their grade school age kids don't devote themselves to a particular sport today - they will be too far 'behind' to be relevant or even make the team in high school. These were mostly people from Webb City, but I suspect the situation is somewhat universal. One family mentioned volleyball, which I didn't even think of. Their daughter wanted to play in a youth league but found out most of her "volleyball friends" were doing a traveling team, which was more time and expense than this girl or her parents wanted, plus being new to the game she isn't experienced enough to play on that team even if she wanted to. She doesn't have olympic ambitions and is not working towards a sports scholarship, just wants to try volleyball with her friends. But it's not that simple anymore. She's maybe 9 and already "behind". So she probably won't play at all.

From the work angle we've got several guys in our department with kids in these activities so we get hit up with requests for donations frequently. Plus they miss a lot of work, or at the very least are absent mentally because they are distracted with fundraising campaigns or raffles, ordering equipment, reviewing logos, scheduling media appearances (seriously), scouting and booking hotels, arranging schedules and rosters, communicating with other parents, etc.

I just think it's kind of nuts but parents who are involved with it usually love and it say their kids love it too and are kind of like pit bull owners in that they quickly get very defensive about it!

 

[bullitpdq68]

Oddly enough this topic came up at a gathering over the weekend. A lot of parents seem concerned that if their grade school age kids don't devote themselves to a particular sport today - they will be too far 'behind' to be relevant or even make the team in high school. These were mostly people from Webb City, but I suspect the situation is somewhat universal. One family mentioned volleyball, which I didn't even think of. Their daughter wanted to play in a youth league but found out most of her "volleyball friends" were doing a traveling team, which was more time and expense than this girl or her parents wanted, plus being new to the game she isn't experienced enough to play on that team even if she wanted to. She doesn't have olympic ambitions and is not working towards a sports scholarship, just wants to try volleyball with her friends. But it's not that simple anymore. She's maybe 9 and already "behind". So she probably won't play at all.

From the work angle we've got several guys in our department with kids in these activities so we get hit up with requests for donations frequently. Plus they miss a lot of work, or at the very least are absent mentally because they are distracted with fundraising campaigns or raffles, ordering equipment, reviewing logos, scheduling media appearances (seriously), scouting and booking hotels, arranging schedules and rosters, communicating with other parents, etc.

I just think it's kind of nuts but parents who are involved with it usually love and it say their kids love it too and are kind of like pit bull owners in that they quickly get very defensive about it!

You know I didn't believe in travel ball in the beginning not sure how I feel about it now really. I just wanted my child to be a child and thought when it came to high school athletics it would not matter. However I started seeing all these travel teams and these parents were doing batting lessons throwing lessons pitching lessons some kids went 5 nights a week and up to an hour a night each lesson. How much it helped I don't know. But then I started seeing our high school coach coming to all these travel ball tournaments to watch the girls talking with their parents every night, the parents texting him what they were throwing and hitting. Then came the summer to before our freshman year and all those girls on that team gets a call that they have been invited to the high school summer league we and any other players not on that travel team got no call. So what is the coach and school actually saying....they are saying better get on a travel team and get better.
.

 

[USArmyMike]

Travel baseball....We had a pretty good kid play for us one year in youth, next year he was not there for signups. So I called his dad to see what was going on, Dad said the kid told him he was tired and didn't want to play football, he had played over 80 games of travel baseball. I said well let him rest up and we look forward to seeing him next year. Next thing I know 4 kids in that grade drop out and a few more ask for their money back, I ask them why and what is going on, and they say that the same dad is starting a traveling Baseball team for the fall and told them if they don't play this fall he cannot guarantee them a spot on the team in the spring. I think youth sports should be season only...

I think you and I might be more alike than we realized. I have had about 4 kids as well (all in 3rd or 4th grade) that are not playing football because of fall ball. In my opinion with youth sports, more is not better. I am ok with idea behind playing against better competition, but not at the expense of losing a summer. In any sport, if you drag it out too long, play to many games, and take the fun out of it, kids easily because burned out and by the time they make it HS, they don't want to play anymore.

I have kept my football club simple. We practice only 2 days a week and only play 6 games. At the end of the year, kids want to come back for more and that's what you want. If participation is dropping it because adults are taking this way to serious and push too hard.

 

[bullitpdq68]

I think you and I might be more alike than we realized. I have had about 4 kids as well (all in 3rd or 4th grade) that are not playing football because of fall ball. In my opinion with youth sports, more is not better. I am ok with idea behind playing against better competition, but not at the expense of losing a summer. In any sport, if you drag it out too long, play to many games, and take the fun out of it, kids easily because burned out and by the time they make it HS, they don't want to play anymore.

I have kept my football club simple. We practice only 2 days a week and only play 6 games. At the end of the year, kids want to come back for more and that's what you want. If participation is dropping it because adults are taking this way to serious and push too hard.

I can agree with that.

Our Youth program was started back in the early 60's the man who started it who played for Mizzou had originally sat it up for 4 weeks of practice just to learn the basics and a few plays. Then at the end of those four weeks they put on a little scrimmage as he put it, just so the kids could show their parents what they had learned. We won two state titles in 71 and 77 doing it his way.

If kids don't have fun in youth then the high school coaches will have a harder to impossible time getting them out. In youth it should be all about fun and and learning fundamentals. Just laying the foundation.

 

[r14veer]

This thread of a pretty good indicator of what's wrong with football. Instead of acknowledging the potential CTE issue and trying to do something about it, you just badmouth everything else. Yes other sports do have potential injury problems. And yes people do different things today than in years past. But ranting about those things does nothing to help football's cause. Try making the sport safer and promoting the positives that come from participation instead of just putting down those that don't fall in step with you and you might see positive results.

Do you really think the CTE issue isn't being addressed in football at all levels, or are you just pissed at these rants? The rants of people on message boards have nothing to do with what is actually going on concerning the safety of the game.

 

[oldroundballer]

Do you really think the CTE issue isn't being addressed in football at all levels, or are you just pissed at these rants? The rants of people on message boards have nothing to do with what is actually going on concerning the safety of the game.

I'm not pissed at anything. I don't really care how many play the game. I was just pointing out how whining about other sports does nothing to enhance the allure of this sport. Talking up the positives like those safety improvements would give better results I'd think. But you're right, there's a lot of ranting that probably should just be ignored.

 

[bullitpdq68]

I'm not pissed at anything. I don't really care how many play the game. I was just pointing out how whining about other sports does nothing to enhance the allure of this sport. Talking up the positives like those safety improvements would give better results I'd think. But you're right, there's a lot of ranting that probably should just be ignored.

I do agree, whining about other sports is probable not the answer, however most of those other sports are using the negativity associated with Football to enhance their appeal and the need for now over lapping into football. I see it everyday.

 

[USArmyMike]

I'm not pissed at anything. I don't really care how many play the game. I was just pointing out how whining about other sports does nothing to enhance the allure of this sport. Talking up the positives like those safety improvements would give better results I'd think. But you're right, there's a lot of ranting that probably should just be ignored.

I do agree, whining about other sports is probable not the answer, however most of those other sports are using the negativity associated with Football to enhance their appeal and the need for now over lapping into football. I see it everyday.

I am going to second that. Youth Football is changing. First off, everyone is dropping insurance for it. I almost have to go through heads up football to get insurance for your club. And its a good thing. The other is people are not consider how much the equipment has improved. I one time helmets where lined with foam.

I think the point people are trying to make with CTE is it is not exclusive to Football, football was just the target.

 

[HBL Pirates fan_1990]

I think the dwindling numbers are due to several factors including in the thread. This young generation doesn't really care about anything else but themselves. We have kids drinking, drugs, or dropping out of schools. Another reason is we have coaches that have one thing on their minds and that's winning. There has been kids that a play all 4 years and never been in a varsity game

CTE is killing the sport of football and it aint even youth or high school. We have NFL players under the age 30 retiring, the reason for CTE is ain't the concussions its how the kids going in with there heads down running or tackling.

 

[MGHS]

I do agree, whining about other sports is probable not the answer, however most of those other sports are using the negativity associated with Football to enhance their appeal and the need for now over lapping into football. I see it everyday.

I agree a lot of baseball/Bball/soccer people love to poor mouth football and the risk why ignoring their sports risk.

I also don't get the fascination with Travel baseball I guess its the dream of making it to the majors or getting a Div-1 schollie...that nut job parents buy into. I often point out that Div-1 only has 11.7 schollie that mostly get split up and the odds are their kids won't even sniff any of that money and that getting a football scholarship would be more cost effective.

Even one of our big time sports boosters and a friend of mine in Grove pushes Travel baseball and wants fall baseball...he blames football for the time constraint issues,when its the other sports who are the culprit. I will say this we did win a State title in baseball because his wife and him funded Travel teams and we did make it to the final four in basketball 3 years in a row because he funded travel Bball teams...to bad he put no effort into football.

 

[daveok]

What aggravates me about this whole travelling team situation is that kids are more willing to participate on a travel team with kids from other schools than play with their classmates on a team that represents their community/school. No school pride anymore.

 

[Duck_walk]

What aggravates me about this whole travelling team situation is that kids are more willing to participate on a travel team with kids from other schools than play with their classmates on a team that represents their community/school. No school pride anymore.

Exactly what I told my niece. Why play on a team with kids from our arch rival and help them get better while your teammates arent playing on a similar team?

 

[FistOH]

Once we lose the excitement of seeing a football player do something athletically incredible, then it's over. Those unexpected moments of awe, that grab you in the game. Witnessing the unlikely. To me that is the essence of being a fan.
I think we've already lost an appreciation of how hard the game is to play. As we make it easier, more protected, safer, we are selling out to an extent that makes the games ordinary. I'm all for safety, I don't want kids to get hurt. But at the same time I'd rather watch Webb City run up the middle, throw a bomb over your head, then watch most NFL games or college's for this matter.
As we lose appreciation for it's difficulty, and render it safer, we also remove what makes it hard. My best memories are of a game that is extremely hard to play, climbing and overcoming the inherent impossibility of some things we did on the football field. I don't know many sports, that provide the kinds of team obstacles for young people to learn and over come in their youth. The game is not dead, but rest in peace football, the brand of football that used to be common.

 

[Missouri Kid]

I don't know if anyone on here caught the tweet from Larissa Anderson, new head softball coach at Mizzou, but in essence she said, "Having your child specialize early in one sport is like having them take just math from grades 1 through 12."
I've noticed that most coaches in the know realize the benefits of multi-sport participation. All of these travelling teams are dampening opportunity for multi-sport athletes because some coaches get their panties in a wad if the athlete isn't participating in the off season in "their particular sport". I've personally witnessed some really bad favoritism for those athletes competing in the off season versus those trying to multi-sport. usually that behavior backfires on the coach to the detriment of the team but the coach made his/her point. Ha!

 

[bullitpdq68]

I don't know if anyone on here caught the tweet from Larissa Anderson, new head softball coach at Mizzou, but in essence she said, "Having your child specialize early in one sport is like having them take just math from grades 1 through 12."
I've noticed that most coaches in the know realize the benefits of multi-sport participation. All of these travelling teams are dampening opportunity for multi-sport athletes because some coaches get their panties in a wad if the athlete isn't participating in the off season in "their particular sport". I've personally witnessed some really bad favoritism for those athletes competing in the off season versus those trying to multi-sport. usually that behavior backfires on the coach to the detriment of the team but the coach made his/her point. Ha!

I see coaches tweet that or say that all the time they are just empty words, because when it comes down to it they are just as bad about encouraging specialization as the parents. Because when it comes to recruiting for their sport they don't care if an athlete played just one sport in school or many, if that kid can help their program they are going to offer them end of story. And unfortunately what parents are seeing is those kids who put in all that time "seem to get noticed more and to be getting scholarships". Until those coaches actually put their words in action by not offering kids who did not participate in multi sport in high school nothing is going to change. And we all know that is not going to happen.

 

[outsideveer89]

I see coaches tweet that or say that all the time they are just empty words, because when it comes down to it they are just as bad about encouraging specialization as the parents. Because when it comes to recruiting for their sport they don't care if an athlete played just one sport in school or many, if that kid can help their program they are going to offer them end of story. And unfortunately what parents are seeing is those kids who put in all that time "seem to get noticed more and to be getting scholarships". Until those coaches actually put their words in action by not offering kids who did not participate in multi sport in high school nothing is going to change. And we all know that is not going to happen.

Webb’s 12 and under Little League team just won their 4th straight state championship. They are going to the Midwest tourney next week in Indiana

Something is going to have to be done it’s cutting into football season before long

 

[FBisLife12]

I see coaches tweet that or say that all the time they are just empty words, because when it comes down to it they are just as bad about encouraging specialization as the parents. Because when it comes to recruiting for their sport they don't care if an athlete played just one sport in school or many, if that kid can help their program they are going to offer them end of story. And unfortunately what parents are seeing is those kids who put in all that time "seem to get noticed more and to be getting scholarships". Until those coaches actually put their words in action by not offering kids who did not participate in multi sport in high school nothing is going to change. And we all know that is not going to happen.

My son starts Fall Camp tomorrow and the coaches at his college told me almost all of the kids on their roster were multiple sport athletes in high school. That doesn’t quite go as far as them refusing to sign kids that only specialize in one sport, but it anecdotally shows that the kids they DID offer played multiple sports.

 

[Missouri Kid]

I see coaches tweet that or say that all the time they are just empty words, because when it comes down to it they are just as bad about encouraging specialization as the parents. Because when it comes to recruiting for their sport they don't care if an athlete played just one sport in school or many, if that kid can help their program they are going to offer them end of story. And unfortunately what parents are seeing is those kids who put in all that time "seem to get noticed more and to be getting scholarships". Until those coaches actually put their words in action by not offering kids who did not participate in multi sport in high school nothing is going to change. And we all know that is not going to happen.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree that it is just empty words. More and more coaches are buying into the research that multi-sport athletes are less susceptible to injury and develop faster physically. I don't think they will ever "not offer" kids that have specialized but I think the multi-sport athletes are going to have an advantage in recruiting given all other factors being equal.

 

[mosofan]

I attend and cover all high school sports in my town, and I've seen injuries occur in all sports, well with the exception of golf. I don't remember anyone on our golf teams being injured while playing.

I almost injured someone on the golf course once. They were definitely in pain!

 

[mosofan]

The sports landscape is pretty different now than when many kids, even those who weren't particularly athletic would participate just because it was one of few opportunities to interact and socialize. Today a kid can just go home and get sucked into technology whether its social media, netflix, tv, gaming, porn, and be just as entertained at home alone in the a/c. It's hard for a physically demanding sport to compete in the bizarre world in which teens live these days unless the kid has specific athletic ambitions.

It also seems like specializing in one sport (specifically baseball) is more of a thing now. Almost every family I know has kids in baseball and many are doing travel teams especially those in Webb City. I know very few families with kids in football. Many parents of elementary age kids that I know won't let their kids play. And I think a lot of kids just aren't interested because it's not as much of a "thing" as it once was. Baseball seems to be what kids are doing more of. At least around here. But I still think activities as a whole are declining because of reasons already listed. Football just more than others.

At Webb City, they have had lots of success in Little League. They have won 4 straight State championships. When those players start school the next fall, it seems like they are the rock stars in 7th grade.

 

[HBL Pirates fan_1990]

There have been 10+ schools have drop football in the country this year. There a high school in North Carolina drop football they had more than 1,500 students and only had 30 sign up. Between 2006 and 2017 there has been 50,000 fewer players.

 

[outsideveer89]

Last night I counted 105 kids dressed out for the Jamboree. Freshman team must have 50 kids at practice.

Looks to me like the largest participation Webb has ever had

There have been 10+ schools have drop football in the country this year. There a high school in North Carolina drop football they had more than 1,500 students and only had 30 sign up. Between 2006 and 2017 there has been 50,000 fewer players.