Youth soccer essay

[Anonymous]

This is worth a read. I am sure many on here will push back , but I have lived this game (kids in or out of college now) and he makes a lot of great points. Among them:

“Avoid spending your life obsessing over how to give your kid a leg up. We often overemphasize minor items, blowing them up as if they are what matters most. Sure, extra help and support are sometimes needed. But what often happens is people take advantage of a parent’s desire for their child to make it, whatever “make it” means. Next thing you know, you are paying $5000 for a travel team and sacrificing your entire family weekend to shuttle across the state at age nine.

Be wary of anyone promising specific results or scholarships. Be cautious of anyone telling you that your child needs to quit their rec-league team in favor of a private coach or a particular organization. There is a cottage industry of youth gurus promising performance, scholarships, and more. But what actually leads to elite performance is good genetics and loving the game. If anything, the professionalization of youth sports works against kids getting to the next level because it runs a high risk of burnout and quitting.

There is inordinate pressure to play travel ball and spend loads on private coaching. In many geographies, this starts as early as age six. “


https://thegrowtheq.com/how-to-save-youth-sports-a-manifesto/

[Anonymous]

OP .. should say youth “sports” essay, but applies to soccer for sure.

[Anonymous]

Completely agree and I’ve got kids on top soccer and volleyba$$ club teams. I love spending time with them (more than I probably would if they weren’t on these teams). I try turn travel tournaments into mini vacations and also check out local colleges. We require them to play a town sport to stay connected with local friends, and they do track.

The goal is fun and exercise. Period. If they want to play in college, it’s on them to put in the extra effort to get there. We’d like the shorter admissions pile, but aren’t counting on it and academics takes priority, not the team.

They’ve lucked out with athletic builds and height, decent coordination and very coachable. In our eyes - that’s enough. The rest needs to be self driven, which they do with rec track & field.

We aren’t paying for private anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is worth a read. I am sure many on here will push back , but I have lived this game (kids in or out of college now) and he makes a lot of great points. Among them:

“Avoid spending your life obsessing over how to give your kid a leg up. We often overemphasize minor items, blowing them up as if they are what matters most. Sure, extra help and support are sometimes needed. But what often happens is people take advantage of a parent’s desire for their child to make it, whatever “make it” means. Next thing you know, you are paying $5000 for a travel team and sacrificing your entire family weekend to shuttle across the state at age nine.

Be wary of anyone promising specific results or scholarships. Be cautious of anyone telling you that your child needs to quit their rec-league team in favor of a private coach or a particular organization. There is a cottage industry of youth gurus promising performance, scholarships, and more. But what actually leads to elite performance is good genetics and loving the game. If anything, the professionalization of youth sports works against kids getting to the next level because it runs a high risk of burnout and quitting.

There is inordinate pressure to play travel ball and spend loads on private coaching. In many geographies, this starts as early as age six. “


https://thegrowtheq.com/how-to-save-youth-sports-a-manifesto/

I like the message, its generic and could apply to soccer for sure... but it's hard to take it at face value when this website is setup to sell you books relating to mental fortitude and fitness in youth sports. This is a mixed message for sure: Don't spend a unnecessary money on youth sport, there are too many folks trying to make a fast buck! Click here to read all about it and buy these books?

...okay, wait, what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is worth a read. I am sure many on here will push back , but I have lived this game (kids in or out of college now) and he makes a lot of great points. Among them:

“Avoid spending your life obsessing over how to give your kid a leg up. We often overemphasize minor items, blowing them up as if they are what matters most. Sure, extra help and support are sometimes needed. But what often happens is people take advantage of a parent’s desire for their child to make it, whatever “make it” means. Next thing you know, you are paying $5000 for a travel team and sacrificing your entire family weekend to shuttle across the state at age nine.

Be wary of anyone promising specific results or scholarships. Be cautious of anyone telling you that your child needs to quit their rec-league team in favor of a private coach or a particular organization. There is a cottage industry of youth gurus promising performance, scholarships, and more. But what actually leads to elite performance is good genetics and loving the game. If anything, the professionalization of youth sports works against kids getting to the next level because it runs a high risk of burnout and quitting.

There is inordinate pressure to play travel ball and spend loads on private coaching. In many geographies, this starts as early as age six. “


https://thegrowtheq.com/how-to-save-youth-sports-a-manifesto/

I like the message, its generic and could apply to soccer for sure... but it's hard to take it at face value when this website is setup to sell you books relating to mental fortitude and fitness in youth sports. This is a mixed message for sure: Don't spend a unnecessary money on youth sport, there are too many folks trying to make a fast buck! Click here to read all about it and buy these books?

...okay, wait, what?

So get the books from the library. Boom, done. Kinda like practicing against a wall instead of with a personal trainer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is worth a read. I am sure many on here will push back , but I have lived this game (kids in or out of college now) and he makes a lot of great points. Among them:

“Avoid spending your life obsessing over how to give your kid a leg up. We often overemphasize minor items, blowing them up as if they are what matters most. Sure, extra help and support are sometimes needed. But what often happens is people take advantage of a parent’s desire for their child to make it, whatever “make it” means. Next thing you know, you are paying $5000 for a travel team and sacrificing your entire family weekend to shuttle across the state at age nine.

Be wary of anyone promising specific results or scholarships. Be cautious of anyone telling you that your child needs to quit their rec-league team in favor of a private coach or a particular organization. There is a cottage industry of youth gurus promising performance, scholarships, and more. But what actually leads to elite performance is good genetics and loving the game. If anything, the professionalization of youth sports works against kids getting to the next level because it runs a high risk of burnout and quitting.

There is inordinate pressure to play travel ball and spend loads on private coaching. In many geographies, this starts as early as age six. “


https://thegrowtheq.com/how-to-save-youth-sports-a-manifesto/

I like the message, its generic and could apply to soccer for sure... but it's hard to take it at face value when this website is setup to sell you books relating to mental fortitude and fitness in youth sports. This is a mixed message for sure: Don't spend a unnecessary money on youth sport, there are too many folks trying to make a fast buck! Click here to read all about it and buy these books?

...okay, wait, what?

So get the books from the library. Boom, done. Kinda like practicing against a wall instead of with a personal trainer.

I like the way you think

[Anonymous]

Like anything, parents should do what they want. If they wanna spend on privates, why do you care? What's the point of harping they shouldn't? Old saying that's never more true for you parents - very likely jealous - who think they need to tell everyone how to do things:

you do you.