Young Athletes See Things Differently
Just like the big guys, kids play competition football. They start in pee-wee leagues all the way through high school. They have winners and looser, divisions and playoff games leading up to the final game of the year, but why are more children turning their backs on organized sports, like football that involve major rivalries?
Seventy percent of children in the US leave the arena by the time they are 13 years old. Naturally, sports aren’t for everyone, but 70% is a big number that begs the question; why? When party bus Hamilton pulls into the parking lot of Super Bowl 51 this coming Sunday, I would be curious how many kids are even interested spectators.
What happens that makes children decide against
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It becomes more about beating their opponents and winning rather than having fun. Fun must be a part of most activities if children are going to continue to participate willingly. With the new responsibilities that are given to a child as they enter Middle School and their early teens, they find their priorities shifting. Life starts to get a bit more serious, and unless the dedication to compete on the playing field is deeply rooted, it will be dropped from the curriculum faster than stinky gym shoes.
When a kid doesn’t have the talent that he or she needs to make first string, first chair, first line-up then they begin to question themselves. Is it worth the time and effort to come in second, or always be considered the backup player? Are they playing for the love of the sport, or to please an adult? Do they want to devote the time and then be relegated to the shadows? Young adults are guided and even pushed to find their passion. While they are still figuring it out, oftentimes adults unwittingly place pressure and undue stress on their choices. Parents with the best intentions push their kids to specialize in whatever it is they are good at. It doesn’t have to be sports but could be an area of academics or music or the arts. With specialization in sports, however, the play gets more