Why do kids here in the US spend so much time and effort on sports?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I was born and raised in a different culture but I have been living here for over a decade. Now that my kids are starting to get into sports, I am shocked how much sports kids here are committed to. Why it that?? My kids are both athletic and want to play competitive/travel sports. My older one is already on a travel team, between his rec team, travel team, and another rec sport, he has some sort of practice almost daily, and weekends are all spent on games. When one sports slows down, another one picked up. Of course I want to support their passion, but I truly don't understand why we spend so much time and effort on little kid sports? Sure, my kids dream about making it to the professional leagues, but let's be honest, that's almost impossible.

My kids are both doing well academically, but we have virtually no time to give them academic enrichment or extension because every spare minute is spent on sports. They have so much potential academically (both are identified gifted). So far I have let them play sports because that's what they enjoy doing, but as they get older, shouldn't we shift focus to academics?

Do parents here just don't care about academics as much as they care about sports? Why is kids sports such a big deal? Don't tell me your goal is to send them to MLB or NFL, or make them the next Michael Phelps, LOL. Is this because sports plays a big role in college admission? How big of a deal is it? I am not against kids playing sports, my questions is why spend SO MUCH time on it?

[Anonymous]

It's exercise. It's fun. It's very good for you. Sports build more than muscles. Friendships, healthy hobby, learn to manage time, learn to accept defeat. The list is endless.

[Anonymous]

You're doing what you say everyone else is doing but you're confused? Why do you allow your own kids to play sports at that level?

[Anonymous]

Their parents make them. Overscheduling is a huge problem.

[Anonymous]

Not everything is a cost benefit analysis.

Sometimes you do things because you like them.

Sports, arts, music, plays, hiking, reading, etc

[Anonymous]

It's the culture. It is kind of crazy to me really because it seems to get worse as they age. I advocate for healthy habits, keeping active, etc but I also don't get the level of emphasis on sports either.

Beyond college, you don't see grown men/women doing most of these activities.

[Anonymous]

WE get sucked into it because everyone else is doing it. Kids sports are a huge money maker. Leagues, personalized training, extra activities is multimillion dollar industry. We're suckers for it. What can I say?

That, and all the kids' friends are doing it and they want to hang out with friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their parents make them. Overscheduling is a huge problem.

I am OP. I am not making my kids doing any of those sports, they literally beg for it. I think my older one might stop talking to me if I dared to pull him off the travel team, LOL.

[Anonymous]

Why do so many posters that dislike sports assume parents expect their kids to get a full ride to college or play professionally? Our kids played sports because they enjoyed playing sports and all of the fitness, competitiveness, and camaraderie that came with it. They knew if their grades suffered their activities would be reduced but they always maintained strong grades. None of them wanted to play past HS but they enjoy playing on adult leagues now that they’re out of college and it’s been a great way to meet people and socialize and stay active.

Some people just enjoy playing sports. It isn’t more complicated than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Their parents make them. Overscheduling is a huge problem.

I am OP. I am not making my kids doing any of those sports, they literally beg for it. I think my older one might stop talking to me if I dared to pull him off the travel team, LOL.

Maybe you don't, that's great. Alot of parents do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do so many posters that dislike sports assume parents expect their kids to get a full ride to college or play professionally? Our kids played sports because they enjoyed playing sports and all of the fitness, competitiveness, and camaraderie that came with it. They knew if their grades suffered their activities would be reduced but they always maintained strong grades. None of them wanted to play past HS but they enjoy playing on adult leagues now that they’re out of college and it’s been a great way to meet people and socialize and stay active.

Some people just enjoy playing sports. It isn’t more complicated than that.

That's true, and a good point.

Unfortunately grades nowadays means very little (everyone gets As, like seriously). I agree grades cannot suffer if they want to play sports, but because of low expectations at schools, it's hard to tell how they are doing academically.

[Anonymous]

It's the sports-industrial complex. They are businesses.

[Anonymous]

OP is not asking "why do kids do sports at all." She's asking why we have a culture where sports take up so much time to the exclusion of other things. I am from the US and I often wonder the same thing. I worked hard to raise a kid who is well-rounded. She has a physical activity that is not a sport (dance, we don't do competition dance, just performance and classes), and a solo sport she likes (rock climbing). She's also dabbled in tennis, soccer, and basketball. She also loves art and music. She also has downtime (she likes to read for pleasure and to do art on her own time). And then of course school.

I do not understand how/why many kids are dedicating 20+ hours a week on a single sport or on multiple sports. Unless your kid actually has the talent/dedication (and often natural body type) to go pro or be very competitive at the college level, or is just uniquely passionate about their sport, I don't get it. It's just a lot of time to spend on one thing. Wouldn't you rather your kid become an adult who not has athletic skill but also can play an instrument, has relaxing hobbies/interests, and knows how to deal with unscheduled time? It just seems weird to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the culture. It is kind of crazy to me really because it seems to get worse as they age. I advocate for healthy habits, keeping active, etc but I also don't get the level of emphasis on sports either.

Beyond college, you don't see grown men/women doing most of these activities.

The same applies to every extra curricular activity. There is a mens group that have gym reservations after my kid's rec volleyball clears out though, so maybe more adults play than you know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the culture. It is kind of crazy to me really because it seems to get worse as they age. I advocate for healthy habits, keeping active, etc but I also don't get the level of emphasis on sports either.

Beyond college, you don't see grown men/women doing most of these activities.

OP here, I 100% agree with you. I am in such a big culture shock. Where I came from kids spent too much time at school, but here kids do not spend enough time at school and spend wayy too much time on sports. I don't get it.