"I have 7 & 5 year old boys who participate in all regular season team sports. I am getting pressure to have my kids participate in the select/travel teams for baseball even at this young age. I was a college athlete myself, and it makes me very angry to hear someone tell me that my kids will never play high school ball if they don't participate in the travel teams during the offseason.
"I'm trying very hard not to be 'that parent', being that I was a very intense, competitive athlete back in my day. I want my kids to play because they like to play,
not because I pushed them into it. What is the balance?"
-- Pete Carlson
Posted by David Jacobson at 07/15/2009 11:43:11 PM |
Pete: It's a racket that lacks institutional control be that the Athletic Director, principal who allows this type of win at all cost behavior to go on or the local school boards, state boards and the NCAA. High school baseball coaches are doing that and in southern Maryland, as are Volleyball and basketball coaches. My daughter attends a private high school in Prince Georges County in Maryland was advised by her Volleyball coach this past spring that if she didn't play club in the spring she would not be allowed to go out for the fall varsity season. Being that my child also plays Lacrosse which is a spring sport I told her that she would not cross seasons to play club. My reason, as a certified strength coach and as a parent is that I want my child and your child to participate in as many different activities as possible. I believe that through high school this will develop both mine and body to compete in the day to day lives that most will deal with following college. Plus when kids do play multi sports during the same season the risk of injury grows expotentially. Several years ago in Calvert County the three HS volleyball coaches basically said that if you didn't play for the club team you couldn't go out for the school team which by the way was coached by the same coaches and this occurred from PEEWEES through middle school into high school. One of the high school teams went on to win back to back state titles. Most of the seniors got scholarships to college which is a good thing however after the first year in college most had given up their scholarships because they were burned out. Don't fall into the trap bring up the concerns to the Athletic Director of the local high school all the way up the chain. Yell, scream or holler but be heard the AAU's, Nike's and other corporations want your wallet and by playing on these travel and club teams they get and the family structure gets further destroyed.
Why the NCAA? Because they and they alone have the power to write rules regarding the recruitment of athletes. Allowing sports coaches to recruit from the clubs instead of the high schools places
Posted by: Michael Smith, CSCS ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 4:17 AM
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Well, Pete~depending on the area you live in, there is,sadly,a bit of truth in the statement.This is true for several sports,and baseball is one of them~although 5 and 7 are not the ages~more like 10-12 from our experience. Keep them playing for the love of it~and if they are pitching, don't let them throw any 'funny balls' until their arms are more mature--no matter how good their 'curve' might be!Thanks for working to not be 'that parent'.You will be the voice of reason for your sons as they grow and become young men.
Posted by: Barb Hoeft ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 4:59 AM
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Pete-
Congratulations for recognizing the value of well rounded athletes, and for understanding that playing a variety of sports when young is the best way to develop a wide range of physical and mental skills that will eventually help an athlete excel in the sport they choose later on.
I don't have a silver bullet answer to make it easy to stand up to the varying interests that are encouraging you to go down the road of "travel" team play. What I will tell you comes from experience. I am a parent, an 8th grade teacher, and a high school soccer coach.
As a parent, I was encouraged to have my son begin playing travel soccer at an early age. We stuck with the rec programs for a few years and then he chose to go that route, as had my daughter before him. Neither one wanted to play in the "summer select" programs, choosing instead to have some down time from soccer and to participate in other activities. I firmly believe that this has helped them maintain their passion for the game and has allowed them to commit themselves to the pre-season, season and post season work with greater enthusiasm and stamina.
AS an 8th grade teacher, I have had many students, both boys and girls, who were playing their sport at a very high level. They were on several teams simultaneously, as well as having private training sessions on a weekly basis. In some cases these students went on to college on partial scholarships, but to my knowledge none of them got a full ride. I do know that several quit playing their sport (baseball and soccer seem to be the ones with highest incidence here) before getting out of highschool because they have lost the passion. Often, the student athlete becomes a very different kind of kid when they quit because they have not developed other interests or social circles to be able to fill the free time they now have. I have seen a few kids get themselves into real trouble as they adjust to a life without that structure and schedule.
As a high school soccer coach, I value a well rounded athlete more than a "one trick pony". I find that the players who play other sports are better athletes with more physical skill and athletic ability. Their game specific skills may not be what the 4 season soccer player has, but their impact on the field is often just as great. I find that playing other sports such as basketball and lacrosse help them have a greater understanding of the strategic component of the game and there is great carryover. Last year, one of my leading scorers was a kid who made it to the state tournament in wrestling! He knows something about the value of body positioning relative to his opponent and applies it to the soccer field with great advantage.
I guess I would encourage you to "read your kids". Expose them to as many sports as possible when they are young. Encourage good effort and not results, then watch which ball they pick up and play with when they are in the yard with each other or with friends. Be firm with coaches who push too much- recognize they have both a $ interest and a professional reputation at stake. If they can get the best players and win more championships, they appear to be the better coach and will make more money and have more power in the long run.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisburger attributes much of his success in the NFL to the skills he gained playing other sports. His lateral movement was developed as a short stop in baseball. I believe he also played basketball. He was not the starting quarterback of his highschool team until his senior year.
Good luck!
Posted by: Cal Donnell ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 5:42 AM
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Way to early to "specialize". Let them play different sports and let them enjoy it. They will probably be forced to pick a sport at the high school level, but they will have experienced the different sports and will be able to choose what THEY enjoy. We were told the same thing even as a 13/14 year old. My son continues to play different (and even non traditional sports)and will play college baseball this year. (His choice)
Posted by: Chris Daffin ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 5:48 AM
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Let them play wiffleball in the backyard all summer! The current high school coach will either not be there when your kids are of age, or not care whether or not they played travel baseball. There is plenty of time for that, this is way too early. If the kids are outside playing everyday, that is half the battle. If you played college ball, you can instruct them on techniques much better than some Daddy coach at the first grade level.
Posted by: kcs ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 6:02 AM
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I've coached soccer for 18 years, everything from 4 year olds to 18 year olds. True, it is harder today for kids to participate in school sports without a good background in the sport. I remember playing Jr. High basketball, having only played Rec basketball prior to that. Today that would be difficult. I think a lot of good athletes are turned away because they haven't had good training to that point. To some that's progress. To others is sad.
My advice to you is to make sure your children (at their ages) play in an environment that is instructive and fun. That will make sure they develop skills, and even more importantly, an enthusiasm about the game. As they get older and more experienced, they may need the travel team environment, but you can judge that as you go. Also, don't hesitate to have them play multiple sports during these early years. It helps develop their overall athleticism. Keep in mind, that kids also need some downtime, so don't feel like they have to be in a sport 12 months of the year.
Posted by: Dave OBrien ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 6:21 AM
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Pete, first I congratulate you on your resistance to the escalation of your sons' sport careers at their early age. Personally, five and seven years old is too young to possibly get any benefit from that kind of organized competition. My question for you is have you asked your seven year old where his interest lie? He may not want to do it now and the regular season serves his purposes. He will let you know when he is ready for that kind advancement. Couches all over this country are filled with seven year old all stars, while high school teams have players that developed over time.
Posted by: Barry King ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 6:32 AM
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Unfortunately, this is a problem for alot of parents. I have coached for twenty plus years; high school,little league, and travel teams. The biggest problem I see with players who play travel ball early is burn out. They eventually get tired, and give up. Travel ball will definitely help with fundamentals and experience, but you still have that last growth spurt that occurs for girls and boys in their teens, not to mention mental maturity. I believe that players should play one sport when they can choose what they love to play. My daughter has been a multi sport athlete in high school, and picked softball as her sport, being a first team all league player
in that sport she decided(NOT me)to play travel,
and not play soccer,or volleyball. It is a challenge for parents to let their children make these choices for themselves, but don't let pressure decide what is right for your child.You know what is in their best interest.
Posted by: Dennis Priest ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 7:02 AM
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Even at this young age, I think it is important to take your cue from the kids. Present it as an option and see how they respond. If they are begging to do it, chances are better you'll all enjoy it and benefit from it. Doing it because someone tells you that you have to is obviously not a good reason to do it. They are only young once, and for too short a time. Enjoy it!!
Posted by: Tom D. ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 7:08 AM
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The priority for a 7 and 5 year old should be to have fun and to learn proper technique and not be thinking about whether they even want to be playing baseball in high school.
For children that age I would not even consider having them play on a travel team unless I knew the coach and his philosophy of working with young children. Travel teams can be very competitive and I would not want my child being subjected to that type of environment at that age.
If I was okay with the travel program I would probably ask my child if he wants to play travel and not even mention high school.
It is likely that the travel program is short of players and perhaps the person you spoke with brought up the high school issue knowing that you might be influenced by that, but I would be suspicious of any program that uses that reason to convince parents to sign up their kids.
Posted by: David ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 7:15 AM
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I have been a travel lacrosse coach for over 7 years. My sons, now adults, were travel players but not until they reached at least 6th grade. They went on the play high school and college sports. I saw too many boys burn out from playing travel too young, never to regain their enthusiasm for the sport. Playing high school ball is directly related to the desire of the child to participate, not an expectation or a duty. Let the boys enjoy playing their sports at this young age. They will know when it's time to try to play on travel teams.
Posted by: Neal Myerberg ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 7:26 AM
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Pete, I think the balance is realized when kids find their own balanced point at which they are able to play as much as they want to play, while also obtaining enough instruction and game experiences to improve. For each kids, the amount may be different. Other sports will compete for their time, and seasons sometimes overlap, so if you spend lots of time communicating with your kids, and discuss which sports they like to play and why they like to play them, then offer what is available, they may likely make their own choice. And if you aren't coaching them, make sure that you seek out coaches who uphold your own values; not all coaches will.
Good luck! And remember--your kids only get to do this once.
Posted by: Scott Burford ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 7:34 AM
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Pete, I have boys the same age. I share your feelings and believe kids should play several sports for reasons talked about previously. Unfortunately this specialization you referred to is making the kids better at that one sport and it is tough to buck the trend. My kids play ice hockey which they love but it is hard to keep them off the ice when all their teammates are playing year round almost. I talked to a parent whose husband was a D-I Lacrosse All American and their kid doesn't play Lacrosse which I think is crazy given the knowledge and here in the DC area LaCrosse is a hot bed of talent and teams.
It will be interesting to see how the economy feeds into the expensive of playing year round.
Posted by: David Frenkel ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 7:37 AM
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Unfortunately this is a self-fulfilling trend that needs to be reversed. Travel/Select programs because of their cost and time commitment use threats like these to justify their value. High school coaches align themselves with a program and then are stuck with that situation which ends up limiting their freedom on who they can select for their team. Travel/Select team have a value, they allow like minded players to compete against one another but they are not the end all be all as a way to make it to the next level.
Let your kids develop their passion on their own and what they should do and where they should play will become obvious. Your job is to expose them to the various opportunities (especially at their age) and help them make the decision that is best for them. Early specialization and commitment is a major symptom for burn out. In the end good coaches recognize talent regardless of where it was developed and for kids that develop it there will be a place for them.
Posted by: J.Williams ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 8:16 AM
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Hi Pete, Every parent finds themselves in the same position these days, particularly with baseball. There is a ton of pressure on both the parents and the boys to "keep up with the Joneses". Ultimately, each player will develop consistent with their talent level and hard work, regardless of what team they play on at 8, 10 or whatever age. Do what is best for your child's overall development and you will never be sorry. There is more to life than sports, and your job as a parent is to keep sports and "winning" in its proper context. The cream will rise to the top regardless. If your child has that talent, it will happen. If not, you will be glad to have raised a well rounded, well adjusted child who had other interests and passions once baseball comes to an end. Good luck, Brian Gaspardo, Orland Park Illinois
Posted by: Brian Gaspardo ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 8:20 AM
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There is no balance. The emphasis on tournament and travel teams during is what is wrong with Little League. Kids are developing at different rates. By the time they reach high school everything evens out. However, Coaches tag kids, usually their own, at your sons' ages to be their stars, giving those kids extra opportunities in practice, games and in tournament ball. As the years go by, the tournament kids get all the play as they have name recognition with the coaches giving little opportunity to the kids they don't know. This discourages the other kids and they quit. Parents also become disillusioned when they see the coach's emphasis on winning and as this was not the same game we played as kids. Local Little leagues need to rethink their emphasis as they are losing kids and parental support.
Posted by: Kathy P. ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 8:22 AM
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Pete,
I have two boys witht he same age gap as yours but about 4 years older. Both my boys are good athletes and like to participate in multiple sports, I encourage this. The older boy is a member of a travel team that was organized by a couple of parent coaches with the intent of keeping it low key and low cost. Boys participate when they are available. An adhoc tournyent here and there. This particular coach is all about the kids, no one is left out or marginalized.
My younger son joined a different travel ball team (also organized by parent coaches) which we though was going to be low key as well. We found out we were wrong pretty quickly as the uniform bill came in at over $200 (for 9 Year olds). The coaches on this team were all about there own children. The coaches also take themselves very seriously (it is kind of funny when you remove yourself from it). These factors plus 'age' made this a not ideal situation for my son.
Better athletes will participate in multiple sports. Baseball is very sedentary.
5-7 Years old is way, way too young for specialization. Your sons will not play high school baseball if they are burnt out on it. Also remember that developing growth plates need a break from throwing. There are many professional atheletes that never played organized ball prior to high school.
When and if you can find a willing wise coach, and your sons want to play travel ball, consider the earlier model. I would wait until you kids are at least 10 Years old.
My sons will continue to participate multiple sports, perhaps into high school
John
Posted by: John ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 9:02 AM
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Hi Pete,
Having kids that are now 11 and 13 I have been through this exact scenario. In our case it was soccer and I was led to believe that without year-round training my kids and others I coached would not be good enough for the high school varsity level.
I, like you, want my kids to experience sports for the love of the game and for the great benefits sports bring to children and young adults as they grow. I have followed the progress of kids several years older than mine and have found that while the day of the three-sport varsity athlete is mostly gone, that many of the varsity players in baseball, soccer, basketball and lacrosse are not one-sport club players (the club players are definitely some of the better players). Your kids are young enough that they can still specialize if they and you want to when they are a bit older. If they are good athletes then they'll find a place to play and develop. I have also seen kids specialize and join 12-month progrmas and then burn out or not be good enough to eventually make their own club teams. Then they have fewer options for other sports. So many things change when adolescence hits! My two cents.
Posted by: Charlie Griffiths ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 9:27 AM
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Listen to your kids. Let them play how they want.
Here are some reasons why I have not pushed my son to be on traveling soccer teams, despite pressure.
1) Kids who are pushed too early into a sport can burn out; the best gymnast on my highschool team quit after our freshman year because she was tired of the sport, having been in gymnastics constantly since she was 3. Let the kids lead you, and they are more likely to stick with it and love it.
2) While the parents who say that kids need to specialize early to make high school teams may really believe that, they also need to convince others in order to make a team for their own kid. They can't have a traveling baseball/soccer/football/etc. team with only 4 kids.
3) Letting kids participate in many sports is going to benefit them most in the long run. If they don't make their varsity high school team, there are other clubs and organizations they can participate in - for instance, if they don't make the baseball team, maybe they can join a church or community softball league. And they get to meet more people if they are in more activities.
Posted by: Deb ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 10:06 AM
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The short answer to your excellent question is to ignore the rest of the world and do what is correct for your boys. Some kids like to be pushed and have a personality that repsonds well to a challenge. Other kids are easily overwhelmed by even a little competition. You will have to determine what is best for your kids.
As the dad and coach of 7 and 10 year old boys, I have the same issues. I've decided to "push" them into sports, but only a little. My reasoning is that young kids don't really know what they want or don't want. With today's video games and internet sites, it is easy fro kids to "choose" not to get off their butts and actually exert themselves. I think it is better to give them the chance to develop and be truly good at something while their reasonably young. They both excel at football and baseball, and for now at least, seem to enjoy being asked to join elite teams.
If, in a few years, they decide to change sports or try another activity, it will be their decision. I will at least know they've had a chance to play the game. Yes, there is sometimes an unfortunate win-at-all-cost mentality to youth sports, but I think that shouldn't get in the way of a little firm direction from dear old dad. Remember, it wasn't long ago when we thought "father knows best".
Posted by: Jay from CT ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 10:09 AM
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I have found as a coach and a parent, that travel teams can be a great resource to help your kids improve their skills, but that being said, as long as your kids work hard and are coachable (listen to their coaches), they will do fine. The main thing is to keep it fun for the kids, so that they want to continue to play, and to stress the basic fundamentals of the game. My kids play football and wrestle and have both done well, but I think mostly because they have had fun doing it. Too often when children are on travel teams year round play can become a grind, especially if the coach stresses winning over learning and improving. My older son did not do travel (club) wrestling until he got to High School this year, and he still made the team as a freshman, so your kids will still have an opportunity...but the main thing is to make sure they are having fun and learning. The best thing about travel teams is it gets the kids more playing time, and that is where they will develop their skills and improve their game. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Posted by: Steve Lopez ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 10:24 AM
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Pete, I have a nine year old that is blessed with athletic ability. He's blessed because he works very hard at it. He;s big, fast and smart on his feet. His main sport is baseball but last year I signed him for full contact football at his school and found out that he was very good at it. Unfortunately the coach of this travel team only played his favorites. I didn't see the team score a point in three games and he only played my son in the last 15 seconds or one play of each game. That's right, I said 15 seconds or one play. He was playing the same eight players for offense AND defense the whole game. Some of these starters even cried from exhaustion and he just called them cry babies. My son was worked five days a week for two hours at a time just to play for one play a game. I never let my son quit anything he's started but after talking with the coach I realized that this guy had no clue what he was doing to all these boys. (I have coached youth baseball for six years with a very high win rate. I removed my son from this team and signed him up for flag football, ages 8-14. The squad is broken up into junior varsuty and varsity squads. Each plays one quarter a piece. My son excelled at this game and became one of the high scorers. I have been approached by a traveling teams football coach during this time. This particular coach has known my son thru the baseball program in our city. This football program is a city league. I asked my son if he wanted to play on this team or continue to play flag football. I told him he can make this decision until he's thirteen. He has decide that he wants to stick to flag football for now. He is learning the game and perfecting his moves at the same time. When he is ready for full contact he will be mentally and physically ready. The one benefit he got out of his initial full contact introduction was just that! The full contact experience. He will know what to expext when he makes the transition. He may not have had much game time but he still participated in the practices which were full contact. So don't listen to anybody but your son. He will tell you what makes him happy and it's easier to support him in all thst he does. Good luck to you. I hope my story wasn't too winded. Signed, Coach Jerry "Z"
Posted by: Jerome E. Zieminski ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 10:51 AM
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I have resisted my son pursuing the "elite" baseball teams for several years (he's currently 11). I coach my son's rec team I strongly believe that, even though he is a top player, he needs to learn from playing on teams with mixed ability (and from the neighborhood). He and I just participated in our first regional all-star tourney and while the team lost 3 games in a row we had better team spirit and kid enjoyment than the other "superior" teams. No contest. After the third loss in a row, our kids ran out onto the field and played pickle. That's what I want my son and his teammates to get from baseball. The "elite" competitiveness will come in time. As one offset, I coach a more competitive fall team (though it's still not at a travel team level).
Posted by: jon Lickerman ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 11:29 AM
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I coach my daughters u16 travel softball team. At her high school, its almost impossible to make it without continually playing in summer and winter leagues. Nowadays, kids are specializing in just one sport and are getting better and better because they continue to play year round. My other daughter (13) also plays club volleyball too, it will help her in making the high school team. I also coach my son (10) little league team, he is not on a club team because i feel it is too intense. We play several seasons through out the year but some travel team coaches are much too intense and will probably burn the kids out by the time he reaches 13 yrs old, they truly take the fun out of the game. When I was growing up, we could get by with playing 3 sports and 1 season a year and still make the high school team. I also played in college. But nowadays, kids only play 1 sport so they improve at a faster rate. But i still feel 5 to 7 yrs old is much too young to specialize. Give them the opportnity to experience other sports too. When he gets a little older you as a parent will see which sport he excels in and most importantly which sport he enjoys the most, than you can seek a travel team.
Posted by: Ron ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 11:58 AM
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Below the age of 12 I think it's absolutely essential that children who want to participate in sports get as broad an experience as possible. By the time they enter junior high, and then high school, they will determine what path THEY want to follow. It often surprises parents that their lifetime baseball player has found water polo as their new favorite sport!
I believe there is a small number of kids who are absolutely devoted to a single sport (primarily because their parents are) and they should be given the opportunity to compete as much as the kids would like to. That being said, any travel program that is promising you anything besides training and development is just looking at your wallet. If your child wants to play "travel" find the program that is devoted to those developmental goals and not dedicated to a win at all cost mentality. Fundamentals learned and rehearsed will always benefit the player long after the wins and losses are forgotten.
IMO, travel sports below the age of 10 are nothing but money makers for the coaches and academies that promote them. That 8YO superstar basketball player may well find out in high school that their strength is in cross-country or track. Better to put that $2-5k in the college fund than in a coaches pocket.
Posted by: Mark Phelan ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 12:54 PM
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This is a great topic to discuss!! Where do you start?
I can go on forever on this topic.
Bottom line is the most important thing you need to watch out for is the philosophy of the coach. This coach better have patience and love kids. He also better be fair. If he is not all of those 3 things, don't be surprised if your 7 year old son all of sudden does not want to try out next year at the ripe old age of 8. A bad coach whether they know it or not is very capable of making that a reality. Don't be blind and think just because my child is on a travel team that everything is going to be great. Commitment: You as a parent will be committed for sure, you understand commitment. Is your 7 year old child going to be committed as well? Does he want to be committed?
If I could write the rules they would be that travel sports wouldn't start till at least 4th grade. Lets first have our kids fall in love with a sport and develop a true passion for the game. Let them come to you, the parent, and have that INTERNAL MOTIVATION and say I want to try out for the travel team. Let's stop traveling 40 minutes to another town to watch an opposing coach tell his 7 year old player at the plate with a 3-0 count, "johnny, do not swing at the next pitch no matter what"
Unfortunatley I don't write the rules. I just recently heard there is a prenatal travel soccer team starting up. Only prerequisite is that the mother has to be at least 7 months pregnant to be eligible.
Good luck!
Posted by: RICH DELLANNO ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 12:55 PM
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Pete,
I couldn't agree with you more. In southern California where I reside youth sports are ultra competitive and in certain sports, like soccer, it is almost expected that a child will move from rec to competitive by the time they are 8. And even within travel or club there are higher and lower grade teams, so the parents judge their kid's success based on which team their son or daughter is on.
To me, as one who has coached 20 or so rec and all star soccer and softball teams, if your child shows a true passion for the game do all you can to challenge their athletic growth. If they are talented but not really passionate about the sport rec is fine. Not a big fan of one sport specialization until maybe 13 years old. But it is always individually based.
Bottom line...if your child is a good athlete and wants to play there should be no worry about whther there will be a spot on a high school team. Coaches always want talent regardless of the pedigree!
Posted by: John Kelly ( Email: | Visit ) at 7/16/2009 1:38 PM
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To quote Nancy Reagan, "Just Say No."
To be honest, I have heard about some communities where a particular high school coach, in one sport or another, is said to expect players to have come up through the youth-league travel ranks. I have also heard about some club (translate: "elite") coaches who expect players to begin following the club route at a relatively young age.
I can't imagine, however, that any sane coach would expect parents to enroll their 5-year-old in a travel team. That would presumably mean travel team T-Ball. (But notice that I qualified my statement with the word "sane.")
In any event, starting the travel team pressure cooker at the age of five or seven comes with serious risks. For one thing, I doubt you could find a child psychologist anywhere in America who would say that travel teams are good for five-year-olds, physically or emotionally. And be wary of any travel coaches who promise that they will treat the kindergarteners right -- if the coaches were capable of treating the kids right, they probably wouldn't be coaching a five-year-old travel team in the first place.
Besides, seven years or so is a long time for anyone -- child or adult -- to remain active in a particular hobby or extracurricular activity. If the travel team clock starts running at the age of five or seven, what do you think will likely happen by the time your sons reach their early teen years, precisely when you and they should want their athletic careers to flower? (Nintendo or Play Station?)
If your kids play recreational ball at these young ages, will they be tagged as B-level players in the local youth-league in future years? Not likely, if the league holds honest tryouts. I have found that from one year to the next, many youth-league coaches don't remember who played at which level the prior year. Programs also have considerable coaching turnover each year, as coaches move up with their own kids. If you maintain a healthy attitude about sports, your boys will outlast most coaches active this year anyway.
Finally, travel teams for these particularly young kids can be very expensive. Lots of gas money, hotel bills, meals and the like. Many young parents (with college debts, mortgages and other obligations) can find better ways to spend hundreds or a thousand dollars on their particularly young children, especially because it is almost impossible to predict future talent before puberty. Even if your guys play rec ball for a while now, they will have plenty of opportunity to outpace the kindergarten superstars if their abilities permit later on.
Oh yes, what about the college athletic scholarship down the road? Save a few years' worth of travel team expenses, invest the savings at a conservative rate of return, let the money compound, and watch what the kitty amounts to when your players walk across the stage to receive their high school diplomas. You will be able to send your guys to college even if they are not one of the .5% who get some form of scholarship tied to athletics.
Keep the fires burning!
Doug Abrams
Posted by: Doug Abrams ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 1:53 PM
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Pete,
You as a college athlete know that it is absurd to tell any 5 or 7 year old kid they won't play high school or beyond if they are not on travel teams at such a young age. At the highest level, if you have read anything about Stephen Curry the Warriors first round pick, his Dad Dell who played in the NBA kept him out of the AAU racket since he did not want him to gain bad habits and other pitfalls with the current system. Obviously it worked out well for him.
I have a six year old son who is a very good athlete. He has shown the most interest in basketball from the time he was 3. We had him in youth basketball program thru his pre-school. This program was brought into his pre-school and it went great. The guy suggested our son would enjoy coming to his gym and participating in his regular program so we did it.
I still like have respect for the genleman, but this program was not right for our son. They had 5 year olds scrimmaging and our son was just not ready emotionally for this. Once it was done, he actually rejected basketball for months and this was a kid who would shoot and play for an hour a day. Now we have him with a coach who is terrific and believes (like I do) that kids under 8 are simply not ready to play competitive hoops. I tell you this since I think you need to know your kid and balance it with the crazy world out there to ultimately find the right balance for your kid.
Posted by: Larry ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 1:58 PM
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At that young of an age, there is no way to assess whether a kid will make a high school team or not. Now if they were 13, I could see it, but not age 7.
Your boys should only play if they want to. Just beware that they might say they want to only because it will make you happy. They have to be truly committed to it for travel ball and if they like other sports then there will be conflicts. It will cost you time and money and is only worth it if they truly have a passion to do it. If they don't, then you will force them to do something they don't like which will make them resent it more down the road. Then high school will really be out for them.
Posted by: Greg ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 2:09 PM
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There are other options than paying someone ridiculous amounts of money for instruction. My son is thirteen and I was hearing the same comments about making the high school team when he was nine years old, so he wanted to try the travel team that was running locally, being managed by someone who played for a notorious Pac-10 school. The fees started out at a fair rate, but within two months increased by 30%. the unfortunate part was that this coach was doing pitching lessons with kids who weren't on our team while our practices were going on, leaving me and another Dad to help our players in the Batting Cages.
After hearing so many horror stories about travel ball, and some of the unethical things that had gone on with some instructors, some friends and I started a non-profit travel baseball organization. We've had it going for 1.5 years and have had success. There are no paid positions in our organization. No paid Managers, Coaches, Board members, etc and we've been able to keep the cost similar to most recreational leagues. This fall we will be adding some Girls fastpitch teams to our organization. All of it with nobody collecting any payment.
While there are many very good paid instructional and travel coaches that I've seen, I've also seen many who are teaching incorrect fundamentals, possibly putting a kid in harm's way, and are more interested in improving their resume through winning than helping the kids learn the game correctly.
Don't buy into the theory about high school. If a kid can play the game, any coach worth a dime will notice and it won't matter whether they played travel ball, or not. I'm more concerned with the type of people that I allow my son to be influenced by, hope that they teach him the respect of the game, and hope that they can keep it positive.
Posted by: Mike Sommers ( Email: | Visit ) at 7/16/2009 2:52 PM
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Pete, at that young age don't pressures them to travel, it can be exciting but it also be exalted at time, remember you are teaching the proper way to be in sports, and also trained them up for the high school future and the future coach think they need to travel to become a better athelic they're wrong. The boys become good player in what ever sport they chose to be in, let them enjoy who they are and keep having fun. they will give much easier at a young age!
Posted by: ken frederickson ( Email: ) at 7/16/2009 6:13 PM
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Keep it simple - make this decision "in the family." Be wary of others who try to influence your choices with respect to your child's activities. I'd love to tell you how the greatest American athletes (Babe Didrikson, Jim Thorpe, Deon Sanders) were multi-sport athletes but I don't want to influence your decision.
Posted by: John Thoms ( Email: | Visit ) at 7/17/2009 5:12 AM
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I have a 15 year old football & basketball playing son. We struggled with this pressure for years. I think your gut is telling you what the right thing is to do.....Even in the "answers" in this blog are examples of succumbing to the pressure becasue it's "understood ...a given". Read the examples of those who try to explain JUST how importnat it is..It IS NOT!!!!
One day I looked at DVD of my boy playing flag football at 7-8 yeasr old. It hit me how little this all matter and how much of this is about parents egos not the kid.
Posted by: John Bowden ( Email: ) at 7/17/2009 6:24 AM
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Pete, travel ball at this age is very inappropriate. I'd really question the background and training of the coaches behind this. Unfortunately, many of our youth sports are being taken over by an entrprenurial model that stresses the wrong approach to development. For an excellent source of information for parents, check out:
http://www.canadiansportforlife.ca/default.aspx?PageID=1001&LangID=en
At this age, kids should be encouraged to develop fundamental sport movement skills, be exposed to a variety of sports and have little emphasis on competition. Early focus on travel teams will lead to burnout, etc.
Posted by: Mike Bowes ( Email: | Visit ) at 7/17/2009 8:01 AM
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I can recommend a book to you that was recommended to us by two orthopedic surgeons we've been seeing as the result of an injury sustained by my son while in club baseball at the ages of 10 and 11. The book is called Revolution in the Bleachers, I don't recall the author's name but it's easily available on the web. It really helps put some perspective on all this early pressure. One of the things that disturbed me the most while my son was in club ball was that while the coaches were nice people and excellent ball players themselves, they had no training or expertise in teaching or in the developmental issues which come into play when one is teaching children. One example was the shaming of a pitcher in front of the team who asked to be removed from the mound when his arm hurt. I encourage you to wait until your children are older.
Posted by: Gail Rolfe ( Email: ) at 7/18/2009 10:25 AM
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"Revolution in the Bleachers" is by Regan McMahon, a great friend to us here at Positive Coaching Alliance. This book is highly recommended!
Posted by: David Jacobson ( Email: | Visit ) at 7/20/2009 1:11 PM
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I believe my son summed it best when confronted with an opportunity to play travel baseball, then asking himself this question ... "Would I have more fun playing baseball on the same team as kids from other schools, cities or states -- kids I would never see or talk to or be friends with outside of practice or a game; or would I have more fun playing on the same team as kids I know, go to school with, or live in my neighborhood?"
Posted by: John Koz ( Email: ) at 7/20/2009 1:55 PM
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I think the answer to a lot of this lies with coaches. As a mother of 4 children, two of which have moved on to college, every coach has wanted their sport to be the primary focus of my child all year round. They've also received grief, when they wanted to pitch a softball on their own time, during basketball season. I've had a football coach get on my son's wrestling coach about his "not" being mad because my son was hitting and throwing for baseball.
The fault was not with my children, who were enjoying all the sports and using their free time for positive physical activities instead of tv or video games. I've had no coaches challenge my children about going home, eating chips and sitting in front of a tv, only if they were doing something extra for another sport other than the one they coached.
For my older children that have moved on to college sports, the first question that they were asked by collge coaches were which travel team they were on or what club they were with. They really didn't care too much about their high school.
The bottom line is that I advocate for my child. They don't want to be confrontational with the coach so it is my responsibilty to know when enough is enough and when bullying is bullying. I also make sure that when I meet a Positive Coach, I let them know how much I appreciate them and what life lessons they are modeling for my child.
Posted by: Jan Reed ( Email: ) at 7/21/2009 1:30 PM
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PCA RESPONSE BY JOE SCALLY, DIRECTOR OF TRAINING AND EVALUATION
Your question raises an issue that is coming up with more frequency.
You are right to say that you want your kids to play because they like to and not because you pushed them. In the long run this approach will enhance both their personal and athletic development. The determination they will need to excel comes from within and is rooted in a love for what they are doing.
While your primary concern as a parent is with your childrens’ overall well-being, let’s for a moment look just at their development as athletes. If you want your children to become great athletes you will encourage them to play multiple sports. Field vision, reaction time, and balance are some of the skills that are honed by playing different sports. Many professional athletes attribute their success, in part, to having played different sports until a late age.
In his book, "Positive Sports Parenting," PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson cites the statement of Dan Gould of Michigan State’s Institute for the Study of Youth Sports that premature specialization is a problem. Research indicates that for most sports it is not a good idea to specialize before the age of 12. Some think waiting until 14 or 15 is an even better idea.
Some risks of over-involvement in a sport at too young an age are burnout and overuse injuries. For example, your five year old has at least nine years before he can try out for a high school team. During that time he could explore a variety of sports and other activities before beginning to focus on the one(s) he likes most. Or, he could focus on baseball, giving him less time to explore.
Unless it is your son choosing baseball, there is a likelihood that the game will become less fun and he’ll quit. Repeating the same motions required by a particular sport with insufficient rest over time wears on tendons and joints. There has been a significant increase in overuse injuries to young athletes in recent years.
This does not mean that your sons should not join travel teams if they are the ones saying they want to focus on baseball. Travel teams require a substantial time and financial commitment. It is important to weigh the effect on your child and the family.
You can increasingly involve your sons in the decision-making as they get older. Ask them about their desires and discuss the pros and cons with them. Learning to approach decisions in this way is an important life lesson. Ultimately the decision is yours to make in the best interest of each child and your family.
Posted by: Joe Scally, Director of Training and Evaluation ( Email: ) at 7/21/2009 6:12 PM
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Pete,
I just finished reading an article on Rickey Henderson and his upcoming induction into the baseball hall of fame. In the article several of his former teammates noted what a standout he was as a high school football star. This is a perfect example of an athlete who didn't specialize and still managed to have a career in pro sports. Then there is Tony Gonzalez who played both football and basketball while he was at CAL. As you know he went on to play for the Chiefs and has been very successful.
There are also many examples of kids I know who played on year round traveling teams as kids and never made it to college or the pros. In most cases these kids have the impression that their sports prowess will carry them through and they put less emphasis on school and other activities which are just as important. Many of these same kids never made it to college and are now struggling as they deal with the reality that their dream is gone and they have very few options to fall back on.
In my opinion, sports should remain recreational as long as possible and having that kind of pressure as a 5 or 7 year old is just ridiculous. Stick to your guns and let your kids be kids.
Best of luck,
N.S.
Posted by: Norman Sanchez ( Email: ) at 7/22/2009 9:14 AM
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Those "special" teams won't help your children be better players... you will. Spend time helping them become the people they deserve to be. As a coach it didn't take me long to realize it is more important to be a good person than it is a good player... and how many good people are very good players.
Posted by: Coach Jenkins ( Email: ) at 7/30/2009 4:41 AM
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Pete,
I think you answered your own question. I don't think any child should be pressured to participate in any activity. If they play a sport and excel and love it, they will want to participate without any pressure.
However, as a parent it is your job to give them a balanced childhood. The process of socialization includes many facets of life, not just sports. This process is very important to you and your children. Make sure it is balanced and in your thoughts, don't force them.
I might add, if it not already obvious, that I am not a "win at all costs coach". As an instructor I teach the methods of the discipline. As a coach, I teach the values of life and mentor to the kids.
Hope this gives you some thoughts.
Coach N.
In 1 1/2 years I have 2 state titles and 11 regional wins in tournaments with positive coaching. It does work and many coaches need to learn about it.
Posted by: Gary Nelson ( Email: ) at 8/1/2009 8:13 PM
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Perhaps the best collection of perspectives and advice I have seen on this board about any topic. Bravo.
I'd like to add a story. When my some was around 9 or 10 and wanted to start playing travel soccer, Marco Ethchevry was trying to launch a soccer academy modeled after his childhood experience in Bolivia. I went to see him at the end of an open house and met with Marco and the marketing director of the planned academy.
Marco's plan was to organize kids in temporary groups that would last about three weeks. They would be assigned a coach for that period who would train them phsyically, in skills, in small sided games, and coach them in scrimages. Kids would be given two uniforms, neither of which was high end shinny kind,with reversaible shirts. Every three weeks the groups were remixed, and coaches switched.
This form of training would go on until the kids were 15. Marco said that that is the way things were conducted in Bolivia when he was going up. No fans watching "games," no parents cheering and interferring, no team rivilaries, no unecessary hard or dangerous play to impress coaches or fans. Just good soccer training and playing with some structure but with enough freedom for kids to continue on their journey of figuring things out for themselves.
The idea that repetative drills will develop the subtleties that distinguish the exceptional from the average is a complete misnomer. Such incesssant use of skills and overdirection by egotistical coaches deprive young people of the opportunity to "play" the games they love and, in the course of it, discover the nuances that serve their styles the best.
They develop their problem solving ability and are likely to have healthier and happier experiences in sport. I'd be wary of the continued over coaching by so-called experts that kids through 15 are subject to.
Marco, whose star on DC United unfortunately took a sharp downturn that season, never got that academy meaningfully off the ground. Sounded like a great idea to me. Still does.
Posted by: rich cohen ( Email: ) at 8/9/2009 8:45 PM
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Schools need kids help these days and playing for your school is playing for your community. I don't agree with the coaches who advise children not to play for their schools. It reflects to me the selfish attitudes that sports sometimes support. Play for your high school and carry the banner of your school with pride. You can still play with your club and if you love your sport that much, then it it gives you more chance to play.
Posted by: Jeff ( Email: ) at 8/27/2009 9:57 PM
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You are right in not wanting to put pressure on your kids at such a young age. Let your kids play for who they want to play for because right now high school and college does not mean anything to them. They just want to have fun and play which they should be doing. You have to be strong as a parent and not give into the pressure of others, you do have to watch out for you children’s well being though. Travel, high school, or college as long as you support your kids that is all that matters in the end to them.
Posted by: Jarryd Left ( Email: ) at 9/14/2009 10:04 AM
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I would have to say don't put the pressure on your children to play travel/select. Offer them the opportunity and ask them if they would like to try it and make sure they know it is OK if they don't want to and would rather stick to recreation leagues. I have been Ice Hockey since I was 6 years old and at age 7 going on 8 my parents asked me if I would like to try travel. They only asked and didn't push me either way. I know that not everyone has the same outcome but I did choose to go out for travel that year and I had a lot of fun and made many new friends. Just be sure to let them know it is OK to go back to recreation league if they wish to. All in all I am just saying let them make the decision and don't worry about if they'll play higher levels when they get older that's something they will have to decide also.
Posted by: Brandon Hoole ( Email: ) at 10/14/2009 9:32 PM
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