Why kids ditch youth sports



Kids join youth sports programs in droves -- and drop out in droves. Twenty million to 30 million 6- to 18-year-olds participate in youth sports programs, but around 80 percent opt out by the age of 12.


"Fun" is a key element of good youth sports programs

Smokey:

I have coached youth sports now for 6 years. I don't disagree with the idea of having "fun". However, teaching and coaching for this time has convinced me that success comes from hard work and real "fun" comes from achievement. Work hard, put up the video games, and stop believing that every activity you commit to is for your amusement and entertainment. A lot of kids are looking for a sense of purpose. If we help them find that they will stay.

ABarker,

I am just trying to figure out how to keep kids around longer. I have a pretty good idea what hard work is. Some kids just get the concept at different times in their lives. I have coached youth sports and worked summer camps since the early 1980's - 30 plus years. I have had some 1st year kids that know hard work, have tons of talent and they get it in the first year. I have had other kids that have worked just as hard for 3 or 4 years but are not as talented/gifted in the sport - those kids are the ones I am trying to get into the high school room as well. They may get the "It Factor" - much later along the path. "It" may click when they are more physically and/or mentally developed.

The majority of my first group tonight "Novice practice" those kids did not have "IT" they were young, low attention span, and they must have had Mello Yello before practice. But I did help them learn about hard work, technique, etc., and we played games at the end of practice.

The second OPEN practice - 3 years or more experience for the most part, and we just moved up about 8 1st year kids who do have "IT" and that 2nd practice is like heaven. I had fun in both practices - but the 2nd one is a bit more peaceful.

I want to know why, when, the 80 percent opt out. How can we change that?


Here is the rest of the article:

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/3885.html

Smokey:

It was a good article . . . I didn't disagree with any of it. Coaching is a science and an art form at any level and I have been around a few coaches that needed to turn in their whistles. My heart tells me that the source of the problem comes from parents and not coaches. The guys in our club are some of the best people I have met . . . but I notice that the same athletes who stay out for football, stay out for wrestling and basketball. The same kids who practice hard in football, practice hard in the wrestling room . . . that tendency that crosses over sports has to be developed at home.

I will add this thought last. The toughest thing for me to handle in the wrestling room are kids who just don't want to be there, regardless of what we are working on. For those guys, it is okay to find a different outlet. I don't think that is quitting . . . I think it is trying new things.

Thanks,

... but the 2nd reason, is kids get too much pressure from adults!

Whether it be parents, coaches, older siblings ... adults can sap all the potential enjoyment out of any sport! We all need to help kids find the passion for the sport that we have. If we can't, that's okay!! And, we need to develop the passion in parents as well!

It's a terrible tough sell to Mom, if she is not on-board!

Here in my home we look at it difrantly. It is my sons job to work as hard as he can. Some days suck,some days are great. I have explained to him what will come from the hard work. Like he will never submit to a bully at any time.He will get collage A scholarship. {if he put in enough work} When some one trys to hurt any of his family he can protect them. Now that my little girl has started to wrestle,she wants to tough as she can be.

I totally agree about the mom thing. I was worried my wife would not get on board. When I first started coaching high school wrestling she didn't like wrestling. I had faith that someday when it was her boy out there on the mat that would all change. Thankfully it did and she is super supportive. And I think her support for our son's wrestling is more important than mine as a father.

My son wrestled and played baseball from a young age until HS graduation--he was decent in both. He hated soccer, played one year around 6-7. Loved football, was a great youth league player, but didn't go out in high school which I thought was a mistake and its been a regret of his. He was in good clubs and bad. Had good coaches and some worthless ones. I don't know what motivated him but here are my general observations.

If they've been in kids clubs/sports for several years and haven't been successful it is very hard for them to keep at it, both for the kids and the parents. That is probably just human nature. And if its an individual sport like wrestling, there's really no hiding that you aren't very good.The kids know. I'm not sure there's any value in children being forced into participating in organized sports if they don't show a real interest in it.

Kids that have true friends in the sport/club seem to stick with it longer even if they might not be really enjoying the sport, they enjoy the company. Same for parents...if they make friends with other parents the long days in the gyms don't seem quite as bad.

Society doesn't place nearly as much importance in organized sports as in the past. When I was growing up, many years ago, being an athlete and part of a team was a big deal. Now, its not. There are many other ways to excel in school. Professional athletes aren't role models any more...many are just down-right scary individuals.

Sports is hard, physical work. Video games are fun.

Since this is a wrestling forum...wrestling is one of the most frustrating sports to participate in if you aren't very good. You get to practice/compete against the same kids repeatedly and some kids just get beat time and time again. Its easy to continue in the sport if you are the winner every week, but if you aren't, it takes a special person to keep plugging away in the hope that someday it will turn in your favor. But I think most 12 year olds are smart enough to know if they are getting clobbered week after week that isn't going to change.

Wrestling is also tough on players and parents...you sit all day for a few matches that can be over in a very short time if you aren't a good wrestler. Again, if you are always wrestling in the medal rounds, it probably seems worth it, but if not, I think it is easy to loose interest pretty fast.

Rford,

This is a great post. You bring out a lot of spot on points. Some kids just aren't meant to be the best at whatever sport they compete in. Some physically don't compete well, others mentally can't get the job done either. When the fun is lost, nothing will make either better. Sports will help youngsters get through life in their later years because of the lessons that they will learn along the way.

I have seen some young wrestlers that didn't have the talent, skills or the natural ability to succeed early on but go on to be very solid high school wrestlers. If we could tap into their mental psychy to find out what made them get to where they got, we could help a lot of more talented, skilled and naturally gifted young wrestlers find the top of the podium later in life (high school or beyond) where it counts the most.