It seems like statistical data is constantly measuring sports on
a worldwide basis. Compiling everything from victories and losses
to shots on goal and saves has become commonplace.
It seems like statistical data is constantly measuring sports on a worldwide basis. Compiling everything from victories and losses to shots on goal and saves has become commonplace.
Youth sports is no exception to this, but in looking in depth at what makes amateur sports evolve, I’ve found some interesting information that has nothing to do with evaluating on field performances.
For instance, there are over 48 million kids from the ages of five through high school playing sports nationwide in recreation leagues, club teams and all the way up to interscholastic sports.
73 percent of these kids quit their childhood sport by the age of thirteen because they simply are not having fun anymore.
The number of overweight kids has mushroomed and children age six through 11 have increased their weight 300 percent over the past 25 years.
More than 75 percent of U.S. children are not active at least 20 minutes per day.
When speaking of injuries, the highest percentage of injuries in players five to fourteen are led by gymnastics, followed by skating mishaps, baseball, soccer and football.
Believe it or not, but the United States is the only country in the major sports world that doesn‚t have a national coaching education program for every sport, although some groups are now making an effort to establish one.
Less than 10 percent of the two and a half million volunteer coaches in the United States have had any type of coaching education, which makes me wonder what the other 90 percent are doing.
In a survey by the Physical Education for Life group and the Sporting Goods Manufacture Association they found that among the 2,820 parents they talked to with children age of six to 11, 24 percent of them were dissatisfied with spectator behavior at games they attended.
Additionally, 25 percent were dissatisfied with the quality of officiating, and 29 percent were quite upset about how team and league organizers communicated with parents.
On the positive side, though, 93 percent said youth sports promoted personal growth, 86 percent felt they developed more wholesome lifestyles and 84 percent thought they nurtured good moral behavior.
When the kids got their turn to speak out 45 percent of them said they have been emotionally abused (name calling, yelled at or insulted), and 17 percent said they had been physically abused by being kicked, slapped or hit.
As you all know sometimes you can skew the percentages by interviewing a certain demographic group or picking out a geographic area that could substantiate your queries and findings. The following study, however, should raise some eyebrows in the youth sports community.
Conducted by the National Alliance for Youth Sports, this research was done to quantify ethical and character behavior in athletes and adults, by interviewing 803 athletes from the ages of nine through fifteen, 189 parents and 61 coaches.
As they questioned the athletes they found that one in 10 acknowledged cheating, 27 percent admitted to acting like a bad sport , 14 percent thought cheating was acceptable, and 32 percent felt arguing was a part of the game.
Making fun of less skilled teammates was acknowledged by 13 percent, while 31 percent said they argued with officials, and 13 percent tried to injure an opponent on purpose.
In getting feedback from the coaches N.A.Y.S found that seven percent allowed cheating, 33 percent yelled at players for making a mistake and 20 percent made fun of less skilled players. Eight percent admitted to telling their players to hurt opposing players.
And 13 percent of the parents that had a chance to answer the survey said they criticized their kids performance on a daily basis.
It’s quite evident, that while modern technology continues to enhance ways in providing us with updated data on youth sports, we must pay strict attention to the results because they’re setting the stage for the future and how we can improve it.
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.
