As parents of kids who are youth sport competitors we strive to
give them the best support that we can. We cart them off to
practices and games, shuttle them to hurriedly eaten meals, and the
odometer on our vehicles keeps racking up mile after mile on out of
town jaunts.
As parents of kids who are youth sport competitors we strive to give them the best support that we can.
We cart them off to practices and games, shuttle them to hurriedly eaten meals, and the odometer on our vehicles keeps racking up mile after mile on out of town jaunts.
Some of us coach the teams, act as the team parent, serve on the board of directors, handle the equipment duties or provide maintenance on the field.
Pep talks after tough defeats become the norm.
All for the good of our children.
In doing this, though, we must keep a watchful perspective on family values and how sports tend to pull us away from the most cherished things in life.
A recent survey by a major university discovered that children in youth sports are only having one old fashioned sit down meal at home per week, where the whole family is present and lively discussions amongst family members can take place.
Startling, isn’t it?
All of us are guilty at one time or another of letting sports consume our lives and the lives of our children.
Most of us have made changes to put family time at the forefront, but others fail to recognize the problem and have fallen into an annoying rut allowing the same pattern and behavior to continue.
Regulating family time and sports time is a challenge, I’ll grant you that.
On one hand we can’t deprive our kids who have a desire and passion for the sports or activities they like, yet on the other we can’t let them lose sight of the true meaning of family togetherness.
Youth sports have grown into a year-round business with club teams, travel teams and premier teams competing in tournaments all over the nation.
Recreational seasons overlap and less and less time is spent getting to know your kids and your spouse.
I applaud the parents who have balanced family, life and sports without sacrificing the fun and time commitment that both require.
These certain parents have recognized that family values and sports can co-exist and enjoyment for both can still be had.
These family values should include education, religion, participating in extra curricular activities at school and providing some form of community service.
If you find yourself looking at your child and distinguishing the fact that all they do with their free time is compete in sports year round, it’s time to re-evaluate your thoughts on how to develop a new behavior that makes him or her more well rounded.
If you find yourself playing in tournaments every weekend in beautiful downtown Bakersfield because you think it’s fun for you and your child, it’s time to re-think your priorities.
Parents, sometimes, get caught up in the web of youth sports and lose sight of the big picture, and that big picture is putting family values first.
I personally know of local parents who didn’t let their kids play in the All-Stars at the conclusion of the season because the next chosen sport for those children would start a few days after that ended.
A popular decision among the coaches? Nope. Other parents grumbling about loyalty? Lots of them.
I could see the argument both ways and both are justified, but I applaud the decision, especially since both kids were only nine and ten.
There will be plenty of time to compete later on and into high school.
This family realized that there can’t be a sport, a tournament or an event that’s more significant than a family outing that’s been planned for a year. Bravo!
Once parents differentiate between sports and family and can understand what it means in the total scheme of life, and the valuable intangibles associated with family values, they’ll be on the road to succeeding in their role as a parent.
In years to come, believe it or not, your kids will thank you for it because they’ll realize they’re not a one dimensional person, but an all around individual.
Rich Taylor is the CEO and head instructor of California Pitching Academy and a scout for the New York Mets. Reach him at rj********@***oo.com.
