Parents Are Ruining Youth Sports (and youth)

The other day I had the opportunity to remind myself why I believe parents are ruining youth sports. How a parent can become so wrapped up in the idea that his/her child's success (or a lack thereof) on a competietive athletic field is a direct reflection of his/her own life is beyond what I can comprehend.

Many years spent officiating, coaching and being a parent of a youth athlete has darkened my view of youth sports. I've been chased to my car, threatened by a parent with a gun for allegedly missing a clip on his son during a football game, watched in horror as more than one parent has cursed at their six-year old child for missing a grounder, and have been forced to throw many a coach out of a game for misbehavior. And many of these "coaches" were supposed to be pillars of their respective communities. Woulnd't it be great if just once there was a youth sports event and only the youth showed up?

And don't think for a minute that by "youth sports" I mean those sports for kids 10 years old and younger. I've watched as high-school parents force their child to use growth stimulants and physically intimiate their children after a game when the child doesn't perform to their expectations. These, as well as many other, heinous actions are done in the name of "toughening up" their children so they're ready for the real world. Or maybe to gain the edge over another child so some college will take notice. By-the-way, any college will do. Even those with the most dubious reputation. I've literally had one parent remark to me; "I've told my kids, if you don't play high school sports you're getting a job. They're not going to sit around and do nothing." I wonder if the term "doing nothing" includes, oh I don't know........STUDYING??? Just once I'd love to hear a parent say: "If you don't figure out how to factor that polynomial, we aren't stopping at the DQ."

See, here's what parents fail to realize/remember. Even those parents who have gone on to college and received diplomas. The real competition isn't on that athletic field. It's in that little thing we call "adulthood". Real competition exists for scholarships, jobs, etc. Parents aren't equipping their children for this. Maybe that's the curse of the community so centered around blue-collar, industrial employment. There seems to be no level of expectation past high school or the high school athletic field. Maybe that's why there IS so much importance placed on the field of youth sports. Both here in Fort Smith and beyond.

Urban legend speaks of a makeshift sign at the Harvard Business School which reads: "Beat us on the court and field and we won't make a fuss. 'Cause we all know that someday, you will work for us."