I know that many parents have children who are participating
in Youth League sports. I am very
disappointed in Youth League Sports programs and for good reason.
I have a
grandson playing Youth League Football.
Let me re-phrase that – I have a grandson who goes to practice on a
Youth League Football team. I had a son
who also was a part of a Youth League Football team years ago and am
disappointed to see that it has not changed.
We were all
happy that he wanted to play football on the Youth League, thinking this would
be very good for a child with some issues and a very low self-esteem. We mistakenly thought that this would help
his self-confidence and self-esteem issues.
Isn’t this what Youth League Sports is all about? Helping children? Teaching them discipline and team work? If this is your impression of Youth League
Sports, let me tell you now – YOU ARE DEAD WRONG.
How many of
you were under the impression that Youth League Sports was all about the
children involved? I am betting that a
high number of you thought that. Well,
again, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG.
Now, I will
give you this much – Youth League Sports SHOULD be about the children –
teaching them teamwork, self discipline, self confidence and self esteem. This is why Youth League Sports was formed. Children need activities that teach these
things and they need them early in life.
It would be great if these activities, while teaching these things,
could also be fun. If Youth League Sports
were properly managed, they could accomplish this.
Now, I
realize that not every child is athletically gifted – some are just downright
not very good at sports. And, that is
okay. Some are gifted and are very good
at the sport in which they are involved and that is great. However, during practice they are all on the
fields working. Good or bad. However, come game day, only the “good” ones
get to actually play in the game. I have
witnessed this first hand. I witnessed
it years ago and am witnessing it now.
On the particular Youth League Football team that I am following, there
are a handful – maybe 6 or 7 boys – who simply are not great athletes. But they show up at practice every afternoon
and then stand on the sideline every game.
There are games when they never step foot on the field.
Each
Saturday that these young men stand on the sideline and do not get to
participate, they leave the ballgame with a little less self confidence and a
little less self esteem than they had when they got there. Their having to stand on the sideline says one
thing to them … “You are not good enough.”
Now, I don’t
know about you, but in my opinion, this is something that should never happen
to any child. No child should have to
walk off the field and say to his family that is waiting, “I didn’t get to
play.”
Why is this
happening? One simple reason – WINNING. The Youth League Sports programs are not
about the kids – they are not about helping kids – they are all about
winning. The children on the team are
not what are important – it is the scoreboard.
So, the self confidence and self esteem of our children are being
sacrificed for the sake of WINNING. It
is great for a team to win a game, but not at this expense. Those players who are not great could be
rotated in and out of the game one at a time.
I would never propose putting them all in at one time. But, they should be given a chance! Who knows – with a little “game practice”, an
infusion of self confidence and self esteem – they might actually get
better. But whether they do or not is
not the issue.
This, my
friends, should NEVER happen. Have any
of you witnessed similar experiences? I
would love to hear from you. Something
needs to happen to change this. Children
growing up in this day and age need good values and good values begin with
feeling good about yourself.
Does anyone
agree? Let me hear from you.
