The Real True Base

The Base

Over and over again I hear the phrase “we need to teach these kids how to win.” Over and over I hear the phrase “Kids need to know about winning and losing.”

And the newest one “I love my kid so I am going to let them play the one sport they love year round and support them. “I want them to take it as far as they can go. “

Now I submit to you why this is just another example of entitlement and not the base kids need and want to be successful in life.

On many occasions I have seen well meaning parents whose biggest influence on their decisions regarding their child’s participation in youth and high schools sports is televised sports. Most have not played past the high school level, if that, so they rely on what is basically false advertising.

You see only 1% of all kids who go to a 4 year college will play at the DI level and only ½ of that 1% will play for free.

 As far a s specialization goes, well I like ice cream. I can’t eat it every day. It will make me sick or I will get sick of it. Kids change their minds all the time as to what they want to do in a day!

Parents need to know the difference between goals and dreams. They are not partners with their child in the youth and high school sports experience just because they played a lot of money.

First children need to learn to play together. How many times as parents did you have an older child take away something from a younger child? You have to teach children to share and cooperate to be part of a community. They are already competitive.  Nobody knows how to win.

That’s the base. Anything after that is all about adults’ ego, status and pocketbooks.

Children need to feel safe. They need that safety so they can fail and not be called a failure. They need the freedom to be creative and try new and different things without the fear of retribution from adults. That’s right. The car ride home with the parents is one of the biggest fears children have playing sports. What we need to do as adults is to create an environment for the children that allow them the atmosphere to develop and enjoy free activity first and foremost. Since only about 10% of all kids who are the “best” at age 10 are the best at 18, let them play for fun. Also, puberty changes everything. For the kids 10 and under its equal play. Try it; I know the kids will like it….if you leave them alone.

They will learn to be competitive fairly and safely. This will teach them life skills they can use for the next 50 years of their lives. This is the base youth and high school sports should strive toward, not athletic scholarships

 Isn’t that supposed to be the true winning goal?