Youth Sports and Parents

[bullitpdq68]

Last week I was talking to one of the kids who played youth football for me. I asked him if he was excited about football this year and he said well he was not going to play. I asked him why and he said he was tired he had played like a million basketball games all winter and had now just started playing baseball. I told him that was good you need to play other sports, but he said that was fine but they just got back from Texas where it seemed like he played a bazillion games down there and they were going to be traveling south again this weekend to play about the same. I asked why not play in the rec league and he said his dad wanted him to play better teams so he could get better but he was tired of it now. Not trying to pit football and other sports, but what has happened to letting kids just be kids and play the game for the love of the game. No wonder so many kids are burned out on all sports by the time they get to high school. It seems to me Parents are burning their kids out on all sports before they even get to high school trying to live a dream through their kids.

 

[J.Moxon]

Last week I was talking to one of the kids who played youth football for me.......just got back from Texas where it seemed like he played a bazillion games down there........ wanted him to play better teams so he could get better .

Everyone gets better in Texas!

 

[J. Kane]

Everyone gets better in Texas!

 

[Blizzard2.0]

Last week I was talking to one of the kids who played youth football for me. I asked him if he was excited about football this year and he said well he was not going to play. I asked him why and he said he was tired he had played like a million basketball games all winter and had now just started playing baseball. I told him that was good you need to play other sports, but he said that was fine but they just got back from Texas where it seemed like he played a bazillion games down there and they were going to be traveling south again this weekend to play about the same. I asked why not play in the rec league and he said his dad wanted him to play better teams so he could get better but he was tired of it now. Not trying to pit football and other sports, but what has happened to letting kids just be kids and play the game for the love of the game. No wonder so many kids are burned out on all sports by the time they get to high school. It seems to me Parents are burning their kids out on all sports before they even get to high school trying to live a dream through their kids.

I have and still hear opinions like you've described for many years. I agree that too much competition can be harmful. However, the value of family bonding that is manifested by traveling and competing may be more important than anything, even if the parents and kids don't know it. This is family work, sacrifice, financial commitment and planning and I can't help but point out, the benefits outweigh the consequences. I'm not a fan of specialization, but playing two sports is probably enough.

 

[JNreturns]

I am a fan of multi sports...HOWEVER...in my own experience, we picked out sports together based on what they wanted to do. Half of the year spent on basically rec type teams (so as to not keep things at a high level all year,) but keep their head in a game. Just a thought:

Football: Competitive - limited travel
Basketball: Rec
Soccer: Rec
Track: Extremely competitive with lots of travel.

 

[bullitpdq68]

I am a fan of multi sports...HOWEVER...in my own experience, we picked out sports together based on what they wanted to do. Half of the year spent on basically rec type teams (so as to not keep things at a high level all year,) but keep their head in a game. Just a thought:

Football: Competitive - limited travel
Basketball: Rec
Soccer: Rec
Track: Extremely competitive with lots of travel.

Yeah My daughter loved softball so we chose a competitive Travel team in that sport, One year she did join a Travel team in St Louis to see if she could play at a high level, 5 of the girls on that team went on to play at D-1 programs a total of 13 girls on that team got scholarship offers one being my daughter. However she played Basketball and participated in track, I told her you only get one opportunity to play high school sports don't look back and regret not playing. Her senior year she decided not to play basketball because she had her softball scholarship. She mentioned the other day she regrets that. I never hear anybody say I wish I had never done such and such sport in school, you mostly hear I wish I had done more.

I do think kids today want to play Baseball football basketball and such, but parents just cannot do Rec leagues and if they travel they don't want to just do 20-30 games they want to do 90 games. I had a dad tell me this year they were cutting back on travel baseball and would probable only play 80 baseball games. 80 baseball games for a 3rd grader...what the heck.

 

[JNreturns]

Yeah My daughter loved softball so we chose a competitive Travel team in that sport, One year she did join a Travel team in St Louis to see if she could play at a high level, 5 of the girls on that team went on to play at D-1 programs a total of 13 girls on that team got scholarship offers one being my daughter. However she played Basketball and participated in track, I told her you only get one opportunity to play high school sports don't look back and regret not playing. Her senior year she decided not to play basketball because she had her softball scholarship. She mentioned the other day she regrets that. I never hear anybody say I wish I had never done such and such sport in school, you mostly hear I wish I had done more.

I do think kids today want to play Baseball football basketball and such, but parents just cannot do Rec leagues and if they travel they don't want to just do 20-30 games they want to do 90 games. I had a dad tell me this year they were cutting back on travel baseball and would probable only play 80 baseball games. 80 baseball games for a 3rd grader...what the heck.

Competitive track is off the charts. The AAU or USATF MO Valley times in the 13-14 girls 100m for instance, are as good or better than the KC area high school Class 5 Sectional. Average club runners walk into high school as Varsity their freshman year.

 

[J. Kane]

Competitive track is off the charts. The AAU or USATF MO Valley times in the 13-14 girls 100m for instance, are as good or better than the KC area high school Class 5 Sectional.

 

[dew610]

Bullit I agree. The biggest majority of our 3 sport athletes are basically fried by the time the school year is over. The only breaks they get are the mandatory dead periods. But thats mshsaa regs only that has nothing to do with travel leagues etc etc. A lot of parents cant afford travel leauges or USA football camps but those who can wind up having the better athlete, yet that kid is burnt out by graduation.

My own idea and would like feedback - instead of sending our kids to Kansas City/St. Louis/across the nation for all these camps why not send these college coaches who put these clinics on to your hometowns? Why not let these coaches spend some time with your kids on a weekend and not only improve your kids but train the parents. Yes I know some dads can be overbearing but they're gonna be anyway and this way can spend less travel and money. If the parents are in the backyards working with the kids on what these coaches have taught them, then you not only improve on a skill but you get your family/bonding time at home for less money of travel, motel, etc etc. And your neighbor's kid cant afford such luxuries or has a deadbeat dad? Well, there's your oppurtunity to improve more than one child at little to no cost. This MIGHT improve morales as well. Do I have proof to back all this up? NO, but guys it's just a thought and I'd love some feedback on it .

 

[Blizzard2.0]

- instead of sending our kids to Kansas City/St. Louis/across the nation for all these camps why not send these college coaches who put these clinics on to your hometowns?

IMO, most all summer non-school affiliated FB Camps have no value for high school age football players for a myriad of reasons. 1) They typically interfere with the student-athletes high school program. 2) College football camps are more for evaluating potential recruits instead of good instruction. 3) If an athlete is an above average to average football player, camp exposure actually can hurt athletes in the eyes of college coaches. 4) Techniques, attitudes and habits that are instilled at college football camps are not necessarily the preferred tools that high school coaches need or want, and are sometimes hard to break. 5) Random camps can be expensive, and unless the athlete is invited, I would stick with local high school football coaches summer schedule. 6) Many football players play baseball during the summer and unnecessary camps put additional stress on time and commitments.
There are more examples but this is a good start.

 

[Rufus R. Jones]

Have to work on skills so you can get drafted.

 

[Bear_Eagle]

As parents we have just gotten to carried away. Baseball is the worst, I know 2nd and 3rd graders playing/traveling every weekend from March 1st to end of July. They will play 80 games. They all say the same thing " I wouldn't do it but my kid wants to".

 

[CatbackerWillie]

I have and still hear opinions like you've described for many years. I agree that too much competition can be harmful. However, the value of family bonding that is manifested by traveling and competing may be more important than anything, even if the parents and kids don't know it. This is family work, sacrifice, financial commitment and planning and I can't help but point out, the benefits outweigh the consequences. I'm not a fan of specialization, but playing two sports is probably enough.

Parents making their kids travel leads to burnout. If the kid wants to do it, fine. But forcing your kid to do travel ball a lot of the time leads to the kid hating the sport and quitting before it is a senior in high school and having no desire to play in college.

I can't tell you how many wrestlers and baseball players I've seen who were great when they were 8-12, then didn't even participate in high school because they hated doing it all the time while younger. One of the better wrestlers I've seen didn't start the sport until high school.

Play as many different sports as you can. If you're doing a sport solely to get a college scholarship, you're doing it for the wrong reasons and are better off trying to get an academic scholarship.

 

[bullitpdq68]

I will say not all kids are the same some might really love playing just one sport, but I think kids still need to be exposed to all sports. So I don't know if there is a one fit all type thing, I will never forget we were having signups for youth football and a kid came into the building for violin lessons, I just asked him if he wanted to try it and he just blankly stared at me. His mom would call me a week later and say he wanted to try it because I peaked his interest in it. He would go on to start all 4 years at QB in youth and is still playing in junior high, not sure what will happen later. But out of all their children he is the only one playing sports and all it took was somebody planting the seed the parents had never been to a game until their son started playing.

This weekend I was talking to a parent about the weight limits in football. We got to talking about weights for running backs in youth football and the rules and we were just discussing a possible rule change about possibly weighing the running back all year. The parent looked at me and said I would not like that we just got out of wrestling and we would not let our kid eat much on Thursdays and not at all on Fridays so they would make weight on Saturdays for wrestling, so they said he would never get to eat if that was the case. I thought to myself we put parents in Jail for not feeding their kids but parents don't think nothing about doing it to make weight for a sport...That to me just seems crazy....So really who is this for the parents or kids.

 

[PCole]

It's supposed to be for the kids and about the kids. Period. Some mamas and daddies don't get it, however.

 

[Blizzard2.0]

. I thought to myself we put parents in Jail for not feeding their kids but parents don't think nothing about doing it to make weight for a sport

That's funny.

 

[BoosterBosko]

To me, my favorite view of Texas is when it’s in my rear view window.

And what about Pennsylvania buddy!?

 

[JNreturns]

IMO, most all summer non-school affiliated FB Camps have no value for high school age football players for a myriad of reasons. 1) They typically interfere with the student-athletes high school program. 2) College football camps are more for evaluating potential recruits instead of good instruction. 3) If an athlete is an above average to average football player, camp exposure actually can hurt athletes in the eyes of college coaches. 4) Techniques, attitudes and habits that are instilled at college football camps are not necessarily the preferred tools that high school coaches need or want, and are sometimes hard to break. 5) Random camps can be expensive, and unless the athlete is invited, I would stick with local high school football coaches summer schedule. 6) Many football players play baseball during the summer and unnecessary camps put additional stress on time and commitments.
There are more examples but this is a good start.

And what if you do a zone blocking scheme instead of power blocking? So the kids learn skills that apply to a college's line, but not their high school?

 

[bullitpdq68]

That's funny.

in a way it is, but it really happens...that is what is not funny to the poor kid who needs food to grow!!

 

[Blizzard2.0]

in a way it is, but it really happens...that is what is not funny to the poor kid who needs food to grow!!

Yes, starvation and stunted growth is not funny.

 

[BoosterBosko]

Yes, starvation and stunted growth is not funny.

I would not do well with starvation. Although I could stand to miss a few meals!

 

[Blizzard2.0]

And what if you do a zone blocking scheme instead of power blocking? So the kids learn skills that apply to a college's line, but not their high school?

I hate all offenses equally. Don't you have a girls JV soccer game to coach?

 

[JNreturns]

I hate all offenses equally. Don't you have a girls JV soccer game to coach?

I wish that was all I had to coach.

 

[J. Kane]

I would not do well with starvation. Although I could stand to miss a few meals!

 

[BoosterBosko]

Never been!
The whole idea of the NE makes me shudder.

Then youre really missing out! Good people, good food, and some good high school football here in PA!

 

[MWFBfan]

IMO, most all summer non-school affiliated FB Camps have no value for high school age football players for a myriad of reasons. 1) They typically interfere with the student-athletes high school program. 2) College football camps are more for evaluating potential recruits instead of good instruction. 3) If an athlete is an above average to average football player, camp exposure actually can hurt athletes in the eyes of college coaches. 4) Techniques, attitudes and habits that are instilled at college football camps are not necessarily the preferred tools that high school coaches need or want, and are sometimes hard to break. 5) Random camps can be expensive, and unless the athlete is invited, I would stick with local high school football coaches summer schedule. 6) Many football players play baseball during the summer and unnecessary camps put additional stress on time and commitments.
There are more examples but this is a good start.

There are a lot of college programs that won't offer a kid (or allow the kid to commit to an offer) unless they attend that college's camp. They're usually one day events that last a few hours that allow the coaches to eyeball and actually interact with high school kids side by side with other kids they're recruiting. Not attending absolutely puts a kid at a disadvantage for a college scholarship. Also, Missouri is the only SEC State that doesn't have Spring Football in high school, and that puts kids here at a major disadvantage because college coaches have much less time to watch a recruit perform in actual football drills at their high school.

 

[Blizzard2.0]

There are a lot of college programs that won't offer a kid (or allow the kid to commit to an offer) unless they attend that college's camp. They're usually one day events that last a few hours that allow the coaches to eyeball and actually interact with high school kids side by side with other kids they're recruiting. Not attending absolutely puts a kid at a disadvantage for a college scholarship. Also, Missouri is the only SEC State that doesn't have Spring Football in high school, and that puts kids here at a major disadvantage because college coaches have much less time to watch a recruit perform in actual football drills at their high school.

The first post on this thread contemplates that college coaches should come to town to instruct HS FB players. I also posted that if the athlete is invited to a college camp, he should attend. Many times we have had SEC coaches visit our offseason drills done on the field. What you say about the lack of spring football as a disadvantage simply doesn't exist. Missouri needs to get off their ass and stop making excuses.

 

[MWFBfan]

The first post on this thread contemplates that college coaches should come to town to instruct HS FB players. I also posted that if the athlete is invited to a college camp, he should attend.

I didn't see that, but we're definitely in agreement. The NCAA prohibits colleges from holding satellite camps now, though. So college coaches can't come to the high school kids, except to recruit during evaluation periods, of course.