Kids And Sports

[Golfing Dad]

What bothered me was how sneaky it was done. Even before the All Star season started, coaches got together (including this parent) and we all talked about how we were going to make an All Star team and then that team would become a travel ball team. After the All Star season was over and my son's team had finished in 5th place in Southern California, we had a meeting right on the field. The head coach (manager) asked the kids, "How many of you are going to be on my travel ball team?" Every kid raised their hand.

About two weeks later we found out this parent had been building his own travel ball team behind our backs for the past 2 months time and that many of the parents were in on it.

Was my son the best? No, was he better than others that were asked? Yes. Throughout the All Star season my son had one of the highest batting averages in our county (.600) It was just the fact that my son had given up a season of soccer to be on this team and another parent had their son pass up a season of football to be on this team, and yet this parent had destroyed it. He could have been honest up front from the beginning. This parent had asked so many kids from our area to be on his travel ball team and had never asked my son. If he had at least asked, I would have been okay with it.

That being said, we have since patched things up. This year my son was not All Star material (he wanted to golf instead) yet this parent picked him to be on the All Star team. He did terrible. My son played but kept telling me he wanted to golf (no, I didn't force him to play baseball). Now my son has two travel ball teams asking him to play and he is turning them both down. He wants to play golf. Also, I get along with this parent now also.

Who knows, looking back now, maybe this parent did my son a big favor. My son loves golf. His favorite golfer is Zach Johnson because he started playing at age 10 (like my son) and his dad was a chiropractor (I am a former chiropractor).

I know this post may sound a little contradictory. Like I said, this parent and I get along now, and my son is happy with golf, the parent still has his travel ball team (and they are good too).

[Golfing Dad]

That last post was to pittpanter, I thought his quotes would show up in my post.

[enduro]

What bothered me was how sneaky it was done. Even before the All Star season started, coaches got together (including this parent) and we all talked about how we were going to make an All Star team and then that team would become a travel ball team. After the All Star season was over and my son's team had finished in 5th place in Southern California, we had a meeting right on the field. The head coach (manager) asked the kids, "How many of you are going to be on my travel ball team?" Every kid raised their hand.

Like I said, parents ruin youth sports. I was the only kid whose dad wasn't a coach on my little league teams that made the All-Star team. Politics, and for what? We stunk, of course. But even at the time I thought it was stupid. Even the idea of an "All-Star" team is retarded at that age.

These parents are so nutty today they really think their little kid is going to make some kind of future in a professional sport. Maybe get a scholarship to college. Here's a better way to get a scholarship: do your homework and pass tests. Kids don't care about these things. They're manipulated by their parents who are living vicariously though them. The kids really just want to go out there, play the game, talk about baseball cards, pop a soda at the end and do whatever kids like doing. The coaches are generally so much more competitive and I never knew why. I liked to win and was probably more competitive than most kids, but in the end I just liked being out there. It's disgusting how quasi-professional parents are trying to make youth sports. That's why these silly instances happen. Just think for a second how stupid it must look to an observer, all these parents conspiring about shit like this. And then other parents rumbling they didn't get in. Now, lets think about the kid who doesn't care and just wants to have fun. Why put a kid in this situation? Hilarious and sickening all at once. Good idea going to golf imo.

[GDWindowpane]

My dad had always told me to get my son involved in golf. I finally did about 4months ago. It is so nice to not have to worry about my son getting enough "playing time," or parents yelling at my son if he makes an error. I also got tired of every other parent telling me that their son was going to be a professional baseball player. One parent was even telling his son not to worry about college because he is, "Going straight to the pro's right out of high school."

Just wait until he starts playing high school golf. Politics, creative scorekeeping and complete lack of knowledge of rules prevails...

[Golfing Dad]

Just wait until he starts playing high school golf. Politics, creative scorekeeping and complete lack of knowledge of rules prevails...

That's why I hope to be the high school coach. I have had former students who go to different high schools and they have said so far there has not been a problem at their school. Oh well, the nice thing about golf is my son can still be playing it 30 years from now.

[Leftygolfer]

I have a little boy. He is almost 3. It is impressive to see him swing his cut down heavy clubs. He is showing interest in golf. He is asking all the time to go out and play. He can get the ball off the ground. I will not push him.

[PEZGolf]

Just wait until he starts playing high school golf. Politics, creative scorekeeping and complete lack of knowledge of rules prevails...

And in some cases, incompetent coaching. My son played basketball from age 7 until he was a sophomore in high school. He played freshman basketball and JV on good teams, and was 6th man, and occasionally, a starter. I knew what the Varsity Coach was like, and he knew my evaluation of him. When John was an 8th grader, I was his Assistant Coach. The Head Coach is in our local Sports Hall of Fame for the number of career wins his teams have achieved. My son and I had conversations about good coaches vs. "others". I asked John what he was going to do in his Junior year. "Play volleyball, and NOT basketball", was his reply. His team won the NY State Championship and was undefeated in his junior year, and would have duplicated that record in his senior year, but lost their last game in the Finals of the State Championship. His coach was excellent in all respects. The basketball coach simply made many mistakes, in terms of strategy, tactics, use of time outs, proper substitution, etc. The team had a mediocre record in the two years John could have played for them. At least he had the option of switching to another Varsity Sport, and enjoyed it. He always had golf to fall back on and went on to become an All American golfer in college, but we live in Central New York and there is no golf during the winter. That is why he wanted to play basketball, but had to change to volleyball.

[Cussin hacker]

Kids sports are WAY overated. I'm glad my two boys would rather fish, hunt and ride dirtbikes. It's more about psyco coaches and parents, from what I've seen, than it is about the kids. Damb glad I'm not caught up in that BS!!

Well said Enduro!!

[mkadams]

It´s a very constructive and relevant thread. Actually I am also a very great online source for junior golfer to get golf accessories.

[PEZGolf]

I am very happy that our grand daughter is 5 years old. She plays AYSO soccer and practices golf with me. There is no pressure on her, and she plays for one reason: "I like to, Granpa." She is the perfect age for us to have her try out various sports and determine which ones she likes the best. By starting her with soccer and golf, she is learning the differences between a team sport and an individual one. This is an important lesson for all kids to learn. We did this with my son and daughter, and it worked well with both of them.

[SoccerGolfer]

As a 16 year old Junior in High School, Im playing school soccer, and golf outside of school (to be on the school team you need to shoot around an 80-85). When I was younger, I played every sport in existence, football, basketball, soccer, golf, I even did gymnastics. The only thing my parents signed me up for that I wasnt enthused about was gymnastics, and they let me quit after the first year.
Today, the only sports I play, I love to play. My parents have tried to get me a personal speed and strength trainer for soccer (my main sport) but I said no. Im not good enough to get recruited to play soccer in college, and I probably wouldnt be able to walk on at a d-1 school. I said that I was playing because I wanted to.
Another thing I've noticed quite alot, is parents not getting involved with their kids' choice of sports, but getting involved with the ref's decisions (soccer especially, but football also). Everytime a call is made that is questionable, the parents start groaning and complaining and haggling the ref. For all those people I have a few words for you...
IF THE KIDS ARENT COMPLAINING ABOUT IT WHY THE **** DOES IT MATTER?!?!?

Sorry for the novel, and being kind of off topic, but I just wanted to share my experience with everyone.