This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Overzealous Parents Drain Fun From Youth Sports

Overzealous Parents Drain Fun From Youth Sports

With the promises of big dreams, youth sports can bring about the worst in many parents who have high hopes of stardom for their children. How likely is stardom? With high tempers and game violence, has the meaning of youth sports gone astray?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 PRLog (Press Release) - Jun. 15, 2011 - June 16, 2011- North Olmsted, Ohio -  “Youth sports are big business selling big dreams. And, the denial runs deep among sports parents.” At least, that’s the word from Aisha Sultan of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in an article that is garnering national attention.

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/relationships-and-spec...

If your children are involved in sports, you’ve probably seen this denial. It usually manifests itself as an angry parent yelling at his young child from the sidelines. This scene has become so common that hardly anybody pays attention anymore. And that’s alarming.

It’s not just that these parents are a distraction. They can be downright dangerous. We’ve all heard stories of parents getting into physical altercations with other parents, referees, umpires, and coaches. Other times, it is more subtle. There is a reason why doctors have been reporting more and more overuse injuries in younger and younger athletes.

While the reason for increased parent “participation” isn’t entirely clear, it may have to do with the notion that big businesses, such as year round travel leagues, have effectively sold the idea that they can make any child into a college or professional sports star. This is a lie.

"The notion that you can train your child to become a college athlete is unrealistic," says Mark Hyman, the author of Until It Hurts: America's Obsession with Youth Sports and How it Harms our Kids. Realistically, the percentage of high school athletes who go on to play college sports is about 5%. Far fewer get full rides, and very few of those scholarship athletes even make it to the pros.

“Unfortunately, the real reasons to involve children in sports have been lost among many parents,” said Timothy Ward, Operations Manager of Athletic Revolution International, a rapidly growing youth fitness franchise organization.

Those reasons would include physical and mental health and development, teaching youngsters how to work as a team, and developing leadership skills that are valuable throughout life. A pipe dream of a big fat paycheck from a professional sports organization isn’t on that list.

“Athletic Revolution was founded on sound scientific principles of growth and development. Children are not professional athletes, neither physically nor emotionally, so we shouldn’t treat or train them like they are,” said Liz Donnelly, owner of Athletic Revolution Cleveland. Donnelly encourages coaches and parents that when it comes to youth sports, let kids be kids.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?