whats your view on this

[TorontoCFE]

Softball is a series of complex movements that are best learned by someone already with a mastery of coordination from other
activities.
It is terrible at developing endurance because nothing last more than a few seconds. Even strength is not developed well.

If all someone knows is softball, I bet they would have a tough time picking up other sports.
If they played hockey, soccer and basketball, I bet learning softball would be the easy part.

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

First off - Gov't programs regarding sports participation - that sounds Troubling...
Second - Softball and Baseball are the toughest team sports to master and take a good deal of practice for someone without an innate ability to play if you are going to start getting serious about softball at 13 good luck to you.

With that being said - My DD tried several sports - Swimming, Basketball, Soccer and Golf – Did well in some of them... but HATED all of them...
"Boring!" was her description.

So should she be mandated to participate in a sport she doesn't really like because some government agency or feel good organization says it's the right thing to do?

I see these articles all the time and they seem to be written by writers who’s kids can’t or won’t participate at a high-level and they are trying to justify it.

If you’re child wants to play every sport God bless them - If they want to play no sports God bless them.

But don’t try to justify those decisions by condemning my daughters decision.

 

[TorontoCFE]

There is no desire to force kids to play sports.

The point is that:
1. kids who play a sport are more likely to end up playing longer and at a higher level if they play more than one sport.
2. Year round training at only one sport is not ideal

Baseball is a sport that requires complex movements where you are usually doing two things at once - moving while throwing or catching,
hitting something that is moving while you move, etc. These type of skills are easier if you already have exceptional basic skills.
No one is saying you can't start playing baseball before 13 but you should not, ideally, play only baseball and not year round.
If you master the ABCs (agility, balance, coordination, speed) then it is easier to excel at whatever sport you do.

What happens when a baseball only athlete can't or won't play baseball any more?
Odds are they don't play any sport.

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

I’m not saying that it's bad for kids to play multi sports – I was commenting on the article that tries to make single sport parents feel bad or feel that they are doing something harmful by letting their children play a single sport year round.

If my daughter did not play one sport year round she would not be playing sports year round. Simply because there has only been one sport she enjoys.

I do not doubt that children who play multi sports are better all-around athletes, though I doubt the assertion that was stated; "Softball is considered a late specialization sport that you can take up at 13 and still reach elite levels"

and I truly do not like the idea of federal agencies having anything to do with youth sports (But thats probably just my Right Wing Paranoia)

 

[chinamigarden]

First off - Gov't programs regarding sports participation - that sounds Troubling...
Second - Softball and Baseball are the toughest team sports to master and take a good deal of practice for someone without an innate ability to play if you are going to start getting serious about softball at 13 good luck to you.

With that being said - My DD tried several sports - Swimming, Basketball, Soccer and Golf – Did well in some of them... but HATED all of them...
"Boring!" was her description.

So should she be mandated to participate in a sport she doesn't really like because some government agency or feel good organization says it's the right thing to do?

I see these articles all the time and they seem to be written by writers who’s kids can’t or won’t participate at a high-level and they are trying to justify it.

If you’re child wants to play every sport God bless them - If they want to play no sports God bless them.

But don’t try to justify those decisions by condemning my daughters decision.

I don't know that anyone is condemning any girl for her decision to play one sport the article suggests that kids are being pushed that
Way by some coaches and some parents who are afraid of the kid missing out. But the kid who just wants to specialize because she loves it I don't see her being condemned.

 

[riseball]

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.

 

[sportinus]

Well I posted this because as I watched my DD play hs softball I thought back to my hs days(yes they had hs in the stone age) and I really doubt I could be a 3 sport player in HS nowadays. There are some very talented players out there.

 

[chinamigarden]

Tommy John on the reason there are so many Tommy John surgeries now Tommy John stunned by rash of pitchers needing surgery this season - ESPN

 

[obbay]

If they played hockey, soccer and basketball, I bet learning softball would be the easy part.

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) if a girl is a good hockey (or soccer, or Basketball) player she is labeled an 'athlete" and even though she is only an average softball player, she gets special attention even though she has done nothing really to earn it.
Other than your DD how many 5 tool softball players have you seen at the High School level? compare that to the number of good basketball/hockey/soccer/lacrosse/field hockey players. where I live, if you can play another sport well, you get a free pass in softball, but it doesn't work in reverse.
That said- I am a big advocate of playing different sports in every season, unless you don't want to play other sports. My oldest DD loved softball and Figure skating and did both year round. when she was younger she played basketball, did dance, and soccer as well but settled on softball and skating. and then added recreational ice hockey in the winter.

 

[fastpitch]

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.