Are Adults Ruining Sports for Youngsters?

For more than a decade, the number of young people playing sports has trickled downward.  The data indicates the skid can be traced to the increasing pressure that kids feel in organized athletics at all levels.  This tension is created by adults--coaches and parents--obsessed with winning at any cost.

Athletic participation for kids ages 6-12 has fallen 8 percent over the last decade despite a growing population, according to a study by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association and the Aspen Institute. Nearly 45 percent of youngsters played sports in 2008, compared to 37 percent in 2017.

All the major sports--football, baseball, basketball and soccer--have experienced downdrafts in participation.  Little League baseball reports its programs are down 6.8 percent. Pop Warner Football, the country's largest youth program, has lost a total of 9.5 percent of its players.

The statistics for high school sports participation offer a glimmer of hope.  The most recent study conducted by National Federation of State High School Associations logged hikes in sports participation for the 28th consecutive year, primarily because of the steep rise in female numbers.

The survey showed girl participants reached an all-time high in the 2016-2017 year.  However, despite overall growth in student enrollment at the nation's high schools, participation by boys in athletics was flat. And participation in football continued a steady downward trend.

Some blame parents' growing fear of concussions as the reason for this development.  The movie "Concussion" featuring brain diseased NFL players certainly stirred awareness of the risks.  That may be a factor, but it doesn't explain adequately why participation in all sports has dwindled.

Before many youngsters even reach high school, they are dropping out of organized sports.  Data shows that 70 percent of children leave competitive programs by the time they are 13-years old.  The research clarifies the issue of the decrease in participation by male high school athletes.

The culprit is the pressure heaped on young athletes by their parents and adult coaches.  Study after study has documented that youths' self-esteem is often damaged.  Burn-out is another factor in declining interest in sports, especially for talented kids who play a single sport year-round.

One national study found 42 percent of youngsters reported that coaches pressured them to stay in sports, despite their desire to leave.  Kids just want to experience enjoyment. Too many coaches are invested in winning, no matter the consequences for the young players.

Research by the University of Notre Dame's Center for Ethical Education sheds light on the disconnect between young people and the culture of organized sports.  According to the report, the number one reason youngsters play sports is to "have fun."  Each year it is the top choice.

In addition, kids want to "do something they are good at"; "improve their skills"; "exercise and stay in shape"; "be part of a team"; and, experience the "excitement of competition."  Isn't it illuminating that youngsters do not mention "winning" among their top reasons for playing?

Being No. 1 is part of the American culture.  There is nothing perverse about winning.  However, it is toxic when it becomes the overarching aspiration for young players, especially those aged 6-to-12.  It leads to unfair criticism of kids, low self esteem and promotes the benching of less talented players.

As a youth sports coach for more than 15 years, I can personally attest to the parental demands for excellence from their kids and the bullying by some adult coaches.  Parents do not ask if a kid enjoyed the game, their first question is: "Did you win?"  It reinforces what's really important.

I have witnessed coaches scream at the top of their lungs at kids as young as six years old for errors on the baseball field or missed shots on the basketball court.  Youth organizations always preach participation for all, but the coaches ignore the principle because of their compulsion for winning.

I have felt the sting of this mania.  One year I coached a team that came within one game of winning the championship.  Some parents grumbled that playing all the kids cost us a title.  Next year many parents jerked their children from our roster to satisfy their own neurosis for a trophy season.

A critical problem is that parents see their kids through unrealistic lenses.  They dream their  youngster will star in high school, earn a college scholarship and start on a pro team.  The reality is only one-in-one-thousand high schoolers receive a football scholarship and most of those are partial.

High schoolers have a better chance of winning the lottery than becoming a pro athlete.  A meager 8 in 10,000 high school players will be drafted by the National Football League. Only 1.6 percent of college football players are signed by pro teams. The odds are similar for baseball and basketball.

With those low prospects, you wonder why parents and coaches set the bar so high for young athletes.  Their expectations are quixotic.  If the nation wants to change the culture of organized youth sports, it has to confront parents and coaches about what's best for the development of kids.

At young ages, the priority should be to make sports upbeat.  No one needs to keep score of games for kids aged 5-to-8.  The objective should be to teach children discipline, improve their skills, emphasize teamwork, build character and give everyone equal playing time, regardless of talent.

Many late bloomers get discouraged early because coaches are bent on winning games, feeding their own egos instead of nurturing kids.  If America wants more youths to play sports, then parents need to get serious about insisting a new culture for the organizations that run youth programs.

Most importantly, parents need to be supportive of their kids, less interested in winning at early ages, and wary of hyper aggressive coaches.  Although kids are not equally talented, they all deserve an opportunity to play competitive sports for recreation and the sheer enjoyment.