Part III of the Youth Sports Apocalypse

Part III of The Apocalypse

 Elite teams, parents, and coaches:

One of the major problems facing youth and high schools sports today is the proliferation of “elite” teams. Many factors go into this burgeoning problem. First and foremost is the word “elite” and how it has been watered down to fit most any travel program. This word gives status to the adults, organization, the children and the coaches. When in fact, this team at this level of play, may not be elite at all.

Secondly, the amount of time money, effort, and status that goes into making this become way more than it really was. What it really is, is kids from a very select area, and with the financial backing of their families agreeing to pay to play on a team that may or may not benefit them and their athletic journey.

Because of the money involved, an average weekend on the road cost me $500, a certain false belief of value came to the forefront and helped create an environment ripe for hostility, angst, disappointment, and failure. These teams became a family focal point and people would defend their time money and effort spent by saying their family was spending time together and making long time friends. While that was true the $10,000 Clayton’s team spent on this tournament could have been better spent at home playing a pickup game and then going out for pizza.

I confess that I “drank the Kool-Aid.” My son was the youngest player on the team and was actually playing “up” a year. When asked about him I would be sure to include that fact in my response, “GULP GULP.” Since I had been to a showcase many years ago when I was being recruited to play college hockey I was excited for Clayton and this supposed opportunity. Let me give you this example.

  His team went on a trip to a “showcase” in Virginia. I supposed that since out team had to “apply” for this tournament, that it was legit. I also wanted to take a look at some athletes that were headed to college and to see how good they really were. A hobby of mine, gleaned from years of recruiting for the college hockey team I coached, was to try and pick out the “studs” before they even started to play.

I would watch them walk on to the field and then warm up. Truly people, at this age, it is not very hard to pick out the athlete fairly quick.

 When we got there I found the head of the tournament asked him were the college coaches were. He said they had been there last night and would be arriving today. I told him I was a college hockey coach. He asked me to sign in. I did, confused, but what the heck. Maybe I would get to talk to a couple of the coaches when they arrived.

 OH, you should know that college coaches can only make these off campus visits at certain times of the year depending on the sport being played. Also, because of the proliferation of theses showcases, many of them are “watered” down and there really isn’t a whole lot to see at these showcases.

As a matter of fact, there were about 600 children playing in this tournament. After the warm-up in Clayton’s first game I turned to my wife and said:  “his is crazy.” What a waste of time. I then proceeded to map out a form, (it is on my website) so families would know what it would cost them per hour to have their children play “elite” travel sports.” I was so stunned at the lack of talent, that I told my wife I was sticking around after the game and would stay and watch more games while my family went back to the hotel.

The scores of his four games were 2-0, 2-2, 0-1 and 1-3. Can anyone tell me how this was any better than the games and the scores playing around our hometown? Of course it’s not. And to hear the parents brag about it was hilarious and sad. It became another status symbol to brag about how tired you were from all the travel and of course mentioning the cities and dropping names whenever possible.

It was the last one we went to ever. I watched more games that weekend than anyone else at that tournament.  I saw 3 players that I would consider elite athletes with a future in college athletics at the D! Level. That’s it.