If you polled the tens of millions of adults involved in youth sports, how many do you think would utter the five words in the headline above?
In any space involving children, the adults would probably overwhelmingly say that, “It’s all about the kids…” I Googled those five words, and there were 6.77 billion results, nearly three times as many as “What’s the weather today?”
But just because we say it doesn’t mean that it’s true.
Is it all about the kids when the coach of an elementary school aged team curses at the players, or doesn’t play some players because they could cost the team a victory?
Is it all about the kids when we — the adults — are ranking young athletes earlier and earlier, including one nicknamed “Baby Gronk” who was dubbed the “No. 1 Third-Grader In America” and has already fielded college offers?
Is it all about the kids when parents scream and gesticulate on pint-sized courts and fields as if they’re in the Colosseum for gladiator battles?
Three years ago, COVID-19 shut down most of the world, and most children in the United States could not go to school or participate in sports. When things slowly started to open back up, though, I sensed relief and appreciation that our kids could not only play games but even practice. Many youth sports organizations limited the number of spectators but the sidelines and stands weren’t as chaotic. There was grace when a coach got COVID, empathy when a young athlete couldn’t come to practice because of close contact with a family member, thankfulness when an official could make a game official. There was an air of gratitude.
It was all about the kids.
But that honeymoon was fleeting, as bedlam returned to youth sports — and it wasn’t the kids who created it.
There are lots of “challenges” and “problems,” but my hope for the Youth Sports Sanctuary is for us to be true to those five words: “It’s all about the kids…”
In upcoming posts, I will share significant ways we can strive to uphold those five words. You can look forward to:
A post highlighting a nation where an estimated 93% of its youth play sports, scores are not kept for kids aged in the single digits yet consistently fields world-class athletes in multiple sports.
A post focusing on what I witnessed over the course of nearly two weeks at a soccer program outside Barcelona, Spain.
A post outlining what we can model for our children.
Because in this space, “It’s all about the kids” will be constantly uttered and honored.
P.S. — Please comment below with topics or individuals you are interested in me delving into!
Woooww!! Sean it is Sooo true ,, a lot of times we can mistake what we want for our Kids and what our kids really want, I also can heard Often other parents said “ is all about the Kids” but when it comes to Winning a game or championship Parents get So aggressive , then you think “ is it all about the Kids ? “ so Thank you Sean for this mind refreshment and awake Call ! For all parents , it help me to think more in the way that I can truly Help my Kids to allowed them to Choose the Sport and the way that they want to play it or even to choose if they want to do it for Fun Hobby or eventually profesional , thank You Sean , looking forward for the next Newsletter and also i want to start sharing it with Others !!
Thank you !!!