Equal play and fun

Equal play and fun

There is no medical or psychological data that says equal play impedes child’s athletic development up to an including U10. Just the adults’ egos are bruised. We have done pilot programs up to U13 with complete success and others have sent me data that they have done it all the way up to U18 with great success. If you leave kids alone, they will play for hours on end. It’s called free play. The score doesn’t change the way they play if left alone unless there is outside adult interference. The score changes the way adults think. I was told by an adult after a talk that the kids want  know what the score is. Yes, some do, BUT most know the score an hour after the game is over and talk about it ONLY when pressured by adults. These same adults pound into the kids the importance of keeping score.

The kids just want snack.

 They want to be with their friends and play for fun. The true test of a child’s involvement in sports is that they want to keep playing another day after a game is over and the TEAM leaves the field happy. Another parent told me they have to learn to win and lose. How are you qualified to teach that? Remember, no one knows how to win. Survival of the fittest, in its original definition was about the WHOLE community surviving not one individual. Yet they have no science, psychology, or data to support their irrational feelings.

 In high school and college you take multiple subjects yet we force children to specialize at an early age and then are shocked by rebellion. More and more colleges are recruiting multi sport athletes because they seem to be easier to coach and have better coping skills mentally and physically than one sport athletes. They also don’t break down as much. Kids on the playground don’t need adults telling them what to do. They can figure out the rules and roles for themselves, and they want to! Ever heard your child "I can do it myself" I did. My daughter said it.  Children want and need the desire to learn. Teach them the "yearn to learn”. It’s all about the journey. When you go on a trip and have a guide, the guide leads but do not dominate. They let you experience life now you know what the kids want. When is the last time you made a mistake at work and the boss had you stay after and run laps? Does the boss stand over you constantly? PLAY FOR FUN!