A Sporting Chance

 

            Not all children end up playing traveling youth sports and some do not play sports at all growing up. Yet somehow, to the amazement of ever expanding community of athlete parents, these children still turn out to be productive citizens, some contributing to society at the highest levels imaginable.  Growing up my family and I were fully immersed in the traveling sports community. I played hockey, baseball, football and was also involved in martial arts for a time. My brother was also a hockey player and my sister a successful basketball and fast pitch soft ball player. In other words, there were very few moments to rest at our house, it was always go, go, go.  Surely, the amount of money and time that my parents had to sacrifice so that we could participate was excessive. Recently, my father flat out told me that there were moments when he was not sure how he was going to pay the bills, let alone our athletic fees and actual traveling expenses. By now, you are probably wondering, what is your point? Well, I’m getting there, just hang tight.

I am no longer a child and I no longer play at any competitive sports. As a matter of fact, about the closest thing I have left I compete in is either a game of two-on-two basketball with my boys, or a day out on the golf course with my work buddies. All kidding aside though, the nagging injuries that I suffered playing high level competitive sports growing up continue to haunt me each day of my life. From my surgically repaired shoulder that requires a shot Cortisone every three years or so. To my groin and hamstring tears that never quite healed right, so that I walk with a slight limp. I must say it wasn’t just money and time that were being sacrificed all those years ago traveling from town-to-town playing sports. The point was to make it big, to play in the NHL, or the NFL, all of the hard work, longsuffering and sacrifice for a less than a 1% chance, where is the logic in that?

To have a much success as has been the case, travel youth sports must certainly be offering something of value to these children and their families, but what? Most of us have heard all of the common arguments that support travel youth sports. The more popular ones are that traveling (team) sports build “character” that you can use throughout the rest of your life. They teach all important lessons, such as; how to function in a “team” environment, how to be coachable, how to be accountable for your actions, how to learn from your mistakes, how to take risks in a secure environment and my personal favorite, the cornerstone of sportsmanship itself – how to lose gracefully. I admit to you that each one of these along with so many others are extremely important to the development of a child’s character, however I question the method in which travel sports delivers it. Moreover, I challenge the assumption that sport, whether individually, or collectively can deliver these messages as effectively as a simple well run family unit.

Considering we are given only one body and one mind to use while alive in this life, should it not be paramount to protect our kids while they go through the fragility of their youth? Are we so wreck less to not see the alternatives that exist elsewhere in functioning communities such as the theatre, or the boundless arenas of science,  math, music and art, to name a few. Feed them from these areas and watch them grow and experience success. Fuel their strengths in the areas in which they will be required to use for their jobs, for their future families, for the betterment of society. To evolve as a culture we must move beyond the pitfalls of the common misconception that every child wants/needs to play sports, and that they should aspire to be part of a traveling team as the pinnacle of their young lives.  Just as most children are curious beyond measure, so too was Albert Einstein who was once quoted saying, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”  Not just curious about sports, but rather all things.