10Coaching, Communication, and Clarity, Oh My!
SPORTS HAVE ALWAYS reflected life. Our culture has currently lost its way on this. The stories of triumph and loss are equally gripping. The stakes are higher than ever. The levels of pressure to win and for fame are now at a level of the professional ranks, but for 14-year-olds! The challenges of trained athletes at peak levels are immense. Each athlete at that level has trained and prepared well for tens of thousands of hours that would yield an expertise belonging to the few who compete with the best. But as parents, we have fallen into this trap of the kids getting this level of knowledge and understanding in a noticeably brief time at incredibly young ages.
Character Developer
Parents are paying a great deal of money to club programs, and “experts,” to gain an advantage to outperform their fellow competition. Unrealistic expectations mean kids are running away from sports earlier, and maybe some they genuinely enjoy, because it is no longer enjoyable.
We got lost at the massive exchange of dollars for values. We have forgotten that youth sports are truly about the character development of a young person and the life lessons that can be experienced through sports. We are measuring the wrong things. The key performance indicators are not Wins and Losses, Trophies, or All-Star Game Selections!
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