Anonymous wrote:When I was growing up in the 90s, kids around me did an instrument plus orchestra or band, maybe math or other tutoring, and sports. But these were rec sports. If you were particularly athletic, you'd maybe do two sports per season. Even for middle and high school, I don't remember kids really going off for travel teams. When did travel sports really take off?

I have an elementary schooler now and am really surprised at the number of kids on travel teams. Are these kids just leaning hard into that one sport? They haven't hit puberty yet. What if things don't work out... do they just go back to rec for that sport? And how do they balance that with other commitments? Even with kids who aren't particularly athletic, 7-8 year olds are signing up for basketball drill classes for 2 or 3 seasons, doing travel soccer, travel hockey, in the school's music program... Are these kids still able to do it all? How? Are they skipping some of their commitments?

How is high school different in terms of activities? Are seniors in high school applying for college as the 2 sport superstar who also learned 2 languages and plays in the regional youth orchestra, while maintaining an above 4 point GPA and setting up their own charity? And then getting rejected from all the Ivys? I'm getting sort of depressed about all the early pressure around me, and college apps are still a decade away!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

I didn’t see a link to this report, just the quotes about it, so I don’t know if there’s actual data here or just the opinions of the people quoted. But in general, I don’t think that the kids dropping out at age 13 is necessarily a problem (unless the kid isn’t keeping physically active). Sports kept the kids outside, socializing and engaged up until their teen years - much better that than at home on a screen, keeping to themselves, etc. And two, high school is when some opportunities open up that a teen wouldn’t have had access to before. A full school orchestra, drama club and performances, band, robotics club, volunteering, an after school job - so the formerly athletic teen may be transitioning to other extracurriculars.

There’s a link at 13 something

Those are some reasons too. But parent over involvement and getting caught up in the big business hype that more is better also causes kids to dropout. This can’t be dismissed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

I didn’t see a link to this report, just the quotes about it, so I don’t know if there’s actual data here or just the opinions of the people quoted. But in general, I don’t think that the kids dropping out at age 13 is necessarily a problem (unless the kid isn’t keeping physically active). Sports kept the kids outside, socializing and engaged up until their teen years - much better that than at home on a screen, keeping to themselves, etc. And two, high school is when some opportunities open up that a teen wouldn’t have had access to before. A full school orchestra, drama club and performances, band, robotics club, volunteering, an after school job - so the formerly athletic teen may be transitioning to other extracurriculars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

If only a few can make a high school team why push the kid to the point of chronic injury? Is the goal only to play in high school or do they love playing? The big business of kids sports and pushy delusional parents have ruined it for kids looking for some fun times to play a sport.

My goal would be to have freshman, JV and varsity teams for all sports at the HS level and fewer cuts.

DP. I'm actually glad there aren't a that many teams in high school. We need more of our kids focused on getting their butts in their seats and studying. More sports means less focus on the things that will actually help to eventually get these kids into college and or/ get them jobs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

If only a few can make a high school team why push the kid to the point of chronic injury? Is the goal only to play in high school or do they love playing? The big business of kids sports and pushy delusional parents have ruined it for kids looking for some fun times to play a sport.

My goal would be to have freshman, JV and varsity teams for all sports at the HS level and fewer cuts.

DP. I'm actually glad there aren't a that many teams in high school. We need more of our kids focused on getting their butts in their seats and studying. More sports means less focus on the things that will actually help to eventually get these kids into college and or/ get them jobs.

Anonymous wrote:Kids are dropping out at a time that they should start being serious. Instead too much too soon leads to failure too many times.

Elementary school should be casual play, learning the basics, play with friends or family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

If only a few can make a high school team why push the kid to the point of chronic injury? Is the goal only to play in high school or do they love playing? The big business of kids sports and pushy delusional parents have ruined it for kids looking for some fun times to play a sport.

My goal would be to have freshman, JV and varsity teams for all sports at the HS level and fewer cuts.

DP. I'm actually glad there aren't a that many teams in high school. We need more of our kids focused on getting their butts in their seats and studying. More sports means less focus on the things that will actually help to eventually get these kids into college and or/ get them jobs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

If only a few can make a high school team why push the kid to the point of chronic injury? Is the goal only to play in high school or do they love playing? The big business of kids sports and pushy delusional parents have ruined it for kids looking for some fun times to play a sport.

My goal would be to have freshman, JV and varsity teams for all sports at the HS level and fewer cuts.

DP. I'm actually glad there aren't a that many teams in high school. We need more of our kids focused on getting their butts in their seats and studying. More sports means less focus on the things that will actually help to eventually get these kids into college and or/ get them jobs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. As a rec parent, my goal with DD is just for her to learn some basics of the game and get some exercise. I would rather she be focused on academics, not athletics. Signed- Nerd who outearns all the jocks from my high school.

Nobody wants to be a nasty troll like you.

Uh no, there are a great many comments in this thread that are nasty and insulting to Rec families.

I'm a rec-only parent and didn't feel insulted by this thread.

I'm a former rec parent who had to quit because the girls softball coach screams at the girls "What the EFF is wrong with you?" When they make mistakes and he's allowed to coach even though we complained. I don't want to be part of that organization and I don't care if the people at the heart of it who refuse to clean house feel "insulted".

Sheesh. I hope this isn't the softball league I volunteer with.

It's hard to be a rec league because you're stuck with only the volunteers you get/people whose arm you can twist (like the poster upthread who was an "assistant" coach and ended up taking over the team). That means a jerk who steps up may get to coach even though everyone in the organization knows he's a jerk. Cleaning house isn't as easy as you might think. I can think of like 3 coaches off the top of my head our league would love to get rid of - nothing as terrible as your story but lots of little things - and it's just not been possible.

So the other families will leave. I would be shocked if our softball league had enough teams this year. Between foul mouthed dad and aggressive mean parents it was a toxic environment and people don't want to play it in anymore. The parents sucked the fun right out of it.

Interestingly enough, the people I hear complaining most are actually the travel parents. Complaints about toxic coaches creating a dugout culture that is also toxic. Complaints about lineup construction that just doesn't make sense. Teams imploding over differences between coaches. I hear all that and I think, "I could be paying $300 or so a year for rec which has it's downsides, or I could be paying $3000+ a year to get the same or worse downsides in travel." And the complaints aren't just from one travel program!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

If only a few can make a high school team why push the kid to the point of chronic injury? Is the goal only to play in high school or do they love playing? The big business of kids sports and pushy delusional parents have ruined it for kids looking for some fun times to play a sport.

My goal would be to have freshman, JV and varsity teams for all sports at the HS level and fewer cuts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

I’ve coached rec and had kids in rec and travel and I don’t think that kids stay or drop out of the sport has much to do with the parents. I’ve seen real jerk parents with kids who love those sports and stay with it and kids with great supportive parents drop out. In my experience the reasons that kids leave or stay is

1. Whether or not the kid likes the activity itself.
2. Does the kid have friends/ get along with their teammates
3. Does that sport have cachet with their social group

I think as parents and coaches we overestimate how much we affect the desires of the kids. My personal example is that my son had a great summer swim season a couple years ago. Beating kids who were year-round, swimmers. He just wanted to be on lacrosse team with his friends, even though he basically spent the whole summer sitting on the bench because he wasn’t really fast enough to make a starting spot. We made him finish out the swim season but he never was on swim team again. But 4 years later he’s still playing lacrosse. He just wanted to be with his friends and gain status in his group.

As the guy footing the bills, it’s frustrating to see my son trade. What was likely a pretty good swim career for a mediocre lacrosse career. But what are you gonna do?

+1

Same experience here with both of my kids. They want to play the sports their friends do, and care more about the social prestige/popularity of the sport. Each is now focusing on a sport that they aren’t really even physically suited for TBH- rather than the sports they are better at and work with their body types. It is annoying but really what can you do?

My kid is the same way. I feel like he is giving up on tennis just because his friends don’t play. He is built much better for it and he has been playing for so long and has such an amazing serve and swing. No one at his middle school cares about tennis so he is losing interest.

Hopefully he’ll still play for fun. It’s a game you can play your whole life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

Every time I read these articles I just think to myself: are the authors totally hallucinating and do they not know what high school is like these days? The reason the kids quit at that age is because we make it so difficult to make the high school sports teams at that age and then they choose do other extracurriculars at school if they can’t make the team.

If only a few can make a high school team why push the kid to the point of chronic injury? Is the goal only to play in high school or do they love playing? The big business of kids sports and pushy delusional parents have ruined it for kids looking for some fun times to play a sport.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

I’ve coached rec and had kids in rec and travel and I don’t think that kids stay or drop out of the sport has much to do with the parents. I’ve seen real jerk parents with kids who love those sports and stay with it and kids with great supportive parents drop out. In my experience the reasons that kids leave or stay is

1. Whether or not the kid likes the activity itself.
2. Does the kid have friends/ get along with their teammates
3. Does that sport have cachet with their social group

I think as parents and coaches we overestimate how much we affect the desires of the kids. My personal example is that my son had a great summer swim season a couple years ago. Beating kids who were year-round, swimmers. He just wanted to be on lacrosse team with his friends, even though he basically spent the whole summer sitting on the bench because he wasn’t really fast enough to make a starting spot. We made him finish out the swim season but he never was on swim team again. But 4 years later he’s still playing lacrosse. He just wanted to be with his friends and gain status in his group.

As the guy footing the bills, it’s frustrating to see my son trade. What was likely a pretty good swim career for a mediocre lacrosse career. But what are you gonna do?

+1

Same experience here with both of my kids. They want to play the sports their friends do, and care more about the social prestige/popularity of the sport. Each is now focusing on a sport that they aren’t really even physically suited for TBH- rather than the sports they are better at and work with their body types. It is annoying but really what can you do?

My kid is the same way. I feel like he is giving up on tennis just because his friends don’t play. He is built much better for it and he has been playing for so long and has such an amazing serve and swing. No one at his middle school cares about tennis so he is losing interest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:70% of kids dropout of sports by the age of 13.


There’s an interesting article that describes why -

“ parents invest significant time and money in their kids to train with teams and buy their uniforms. They expect “results." They drive them all over to year-round sports, sometimes more than one during the same season. Oftentimes, perhaps unintentionally, they drive them out of sports entirely.

For a lot of kids, it comes down to the fact that sports become less fun and more about the concept of what success is from more of an adult’s eyes than a child’s eyes,” Moffatt says. "Kids want to stay active, play and have fun with their friends, and winning and losing is something that they care less about.”

About 70 % of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13 and the so-called “professionalization of youth sports” can’t be understated as a significant factor why, according to a new report released Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).


“In addition, the pressure to succeed at a young age, as well as the perception that this is the most efficacious route to future athletic success, further leads to high volumes of training and loss of enjoyment in sport, both of which can contribute to widespread burnout and attrition among youth athletes.”


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2024/01/22/70-of-kids-drop-out-of-youth-sports-by-13-new-aap-study-reveals-why/72310189007/

I’ve coached rec and had kids in rec and travel and I don’t think that kids stay or drop out of the sport has much to do with the parents. I’ve seen real jerk parents with kids who love those sports and stay with it and kids with great supportive parents drop out. In my experience the reasons that kids leave or stay is

1. Whether or not the kid likes the activity itself.
2. Does the kid have friends/ get along with their teammates
3. Does that sport have cachet with their social group

I think as parents and coaches we overestimate how much we affect the desires of the kids. My personal example is that my son had a great summer swim season a couple years ago. Beating kids who were year-round, swimmers. He just wanted to be on lacrosse team with his friends, even though he basically spent the whole summer sitting on the bench because he wasn’t really fast enough to make a starting spot. We made him finish out the swim season but he never was on swim team again. But 4 years later he’s still playing lacrosse. He just wanted to be with his friends and gain status in his group.

As the guy footing the bills, it’s frustrating to see my son trade. What was likely a pretty good swim career for a mediocre lacrosse career. But what are you gonna do?

+1

Same experience here with both of my kids. They want to play the sports their friends do, and care more about the social prestige/popularity of the sport. Each is now focusing on a sport that they aren’t really even physically suited for TBH- rather than the sports they are better at and work with their body types. It is annoying but really what can you do?

That’s fine if that’s what they want to do. They’ll drop out soon enough. Choosing a sport looking for prestige among your social circle? That’s a new one I haven’t heard before.

These are anecdotes which are interesting but the study was done, and it’s not new, around the country and it makes sense. Parents need to be aware of burnout and thinking more is better.