whats your view on this

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Oct 18, 2009
604
18
I disagree. In my experience with girls sports, Softball is probably the hardest sport to master and that's why so many other sports dwarf it in popularity (in my area anyway)

I agree. I think baseball and softball are more skill sports. Its harder to take an athlete at an older age and make them a softball/baseball player than volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, football. If they have the right physical attributes with no skills, I'd say its easier for them to play those other sports than baseball/softball.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
In the first part of the article they cite an op-ed by the Washington Post. Did not really need to read much more. Sounds like some folks are miffed that some kids for whatever reason take sports seriously, while theirs don't. If your kid does not want to play then fine. But save the sanctimonious BS lecture. Sorry if you kid does not have the skills to play at a high level. Get over it and move on. My sister used to spout that same line of crap. Now that her son is in the 7th grade, 6', about 200lbs and can hit a baseball almost 300ft her story has changed slightly. Go figure.

In case you have not figured out the whole purpose of the website and the "project" is to sell a book and some DVD's. It is nothing more than a web infomercial.

Do you really think that my daughter is not serious about sports because she plays 3 of them. When most girls are going to TB practice in the summer, mine is going to TB practice, going to volleyball camp and is running to get into shape for basketball all on the same day. And my dd is the one who is not serious about sports? I don't think so.
 
Jul 9, 2009
336
0
IL
It's exactly what I took out of the article too.

Who plays what and how often to me is a non-issue. If you like the sport, play it. If you don't like the sport, don't play. It's no more complicated than that. Find a team that meets your commitment level. An adult/parent/club is running a team somewhere that will meet your needs, they're everywhere nowadays.

But this part "an adult driven, hyper competitive race to the top in both academics and athletics that serves the needs of the adults" - This is something I see often.

I hear from time to time that, "My daughter's only chance to pay for college is getting a scholarship." :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

If you're that hard up from money, you'll qualify for financial aid.
Attend a state school and borrow (a little) and pick a meaningful major.
Qualify for academic scholarships
Attend a Juco for 2-years. In our county if you graduate in top 10% of your class you get in tuition free.
Ever try saving money and pay for it the old fashion way?

This quest for, "my kid is a.......or she/he is getting......." is somewhat beyond the tipping point. The adult "control" is out of control IMO.

I have one daughter that the only time she runs is in the opposite direction when someone wants her to play any sport. Is she destine for a life of fatness and worthlessness?


I think the general purpose of the documentary/infomercial whatever, was to try to expose the trend and the pressures some kids are under.

I see it with my own kids and their friends. Its definitely a first world problem and much more widespread than when I went to school. They are constantly at school, practice, organized games, studying, etc. While applying for colleges its always about the extracurriculars, sat's, grades, being 4 years on varsity, multi sport athlete.

There is a lot of pressure on this younger generation, probably because the thought is if you don't do all that... you will be left behind, not get into the right college, not get a scholarship and you won't reach your potential. And maybe its true. If you dont do all that... maybe that will be what happens... but maybe not.

My DD was recruited young. She made a verbal commitment in 9th grade before she even played a game in HS. Part of the reason she wanted to make a verbal commitment early, besides it being her dream school was probably to get that pressure off her back. Did I put the pressure on her? I hope not, but maybe I did. But it's not just her. All her friends & teammates are constantly practicing, trying to get better, studying. Almost no free time.

How many parents here are running around bringing their kids to practice, lessons, extra study, games with almost no free time in the kids schedule? I'd guess more than just a handful. That was my life for the past few years.
 
Last edited:
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Do you really think that my daughter is not serious about sports because she plays 3 of them. When most girls are going to TB practice in the summer, mine is going to TB practice, going to volleyball camp and is running to get into shape for basketball all on the same day. And my dd is the one who is not serious about sports? I don't think so.

I think you quoted the wrong post. You comments make no sense in the context of my post. Maybe a re-read is in order.

Let me help you:

"Sounds like some folks are miffed that some kids for whatever reason take sports seriously, while theirs don't."

Never mentioned 3 sports. Can I assume your daughter takes at least 1 sport seriously? Let's move along.
 
Last edited:
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
I think you quoted the wrong post. You comments make no sense in the context of my post. Maybe a re-read is in order.

Let me help you:

"Sounds like some folks are miffed that some kids for whatever reason take sports seriously, while theirs don't."

Never mentioned 3 sports. Can I assume your daughter takes at least 1 sport seriously? Let's move along.
I figured since you could infer something that wasn't there. I would give it a try
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
I react to this article in two ways:

One it can be representative of some parents that force a child into something that they truly do not enjoy. This is not good. This can be hard to discern though at times whether the child is not loving the sport or is just not loving the hard work and commitment it takes to be their best at something.

Two, which I believe can be the more worse evil, is that a parent does not push a child into ANYTHING that requires hard work and commitment. Then you have a generation of wussies that can't fight their way out of a paper bag and I think this is the case with MANY kids.

So in my mind I fear the outcome of these kinds of articles because it sort of celebrates and and tries to justify the easy way out for parents in not pushing their kids to avoid being a useless wussy when they leave the nest (if they ever do....)

Life is tough. If you don't provide challenge and conflict for kids then they never learn from success and failure and MATURE.
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
Not convinced that my daughter focuses on one sport only. Softball is not golf, where you do the same thing over and over. In softball, you hit, throw, catch, run, slide. If you do any strength and agility on top of that, I think that's plenty of variety.

Rather than play another sport, I'd rather she do something else altogether, like drama or band, or just doing family stuff or spending time with friends. When basketball becomes ''cross training,'' it's still softball.
 
Apr 1, 2010
1,675
0
DH and I had DD try all kinds of sports. She's done soccer, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, basketball, volleyball, t-ball/softball, Tae Kwon Do, judo. She decided that basketball, gymnastics, volleyball and swimming weren't for her. She liked tennis, soccer, TKD, judo and softball, but liked softball the best of those.

She mentions every now and then that she misses judo; I would be quite pleased if she goes back into some form of martial arts once her softball career is over. The beauty of martial arts is that there are studios all over the country and you can pick it up anywhere and at any age. Whereas if she wants to play fastpitch softball, now is the time. JMHO.
 
Jun 29, 2013
589
18
The problem with saying specializing in 1 sport is a bad idea is that to be competitive in any sport you have to practice as much as your opponents or teammates. Natural ability only takes you so far. In general, I agree that playing multiple sports is great, but try playing basketball in HS without playing AAU ball in a major city. Very hard to get PT. Same with softball, the days when someone can show up for the first practice without having worked all winter and start are long over for most of our kids. Times have changed.
 

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