Let's Return the Game to the Children

A summer never goes by when the media doesn't report altercations that occur in youth sports among parents, coaches and umpires. Just recently a mother attacked an umpire after a youth baseball game and a tee-ball coach pleaded guilty to assaulting a 15-year-old umpire during a game involving 6-year-olds.

How many of us have seen on the TV news magazines or experienced firsthand parents yelling at umpires or referees for bad calls, or a coach yelling at a kid for making a mistake or dropping a ball? Have you ever seen youngsters reduced to tears because they lost the game? Have you ever observed a child who has been criticized by a parent after a game?

What is happening to youth sports and our children? Recent research shows that of the 20 million children in out-of-school organized sports, approximately 17 million quit by age 13.

We, as park and recreation professionals and board members, should be concerned about the state of organized youth sports. I recently read a great book that examines the problems occurring in youth sports and what can be done about them. Why Johnny Hates Sports by Fred Engh, president of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, takes a historical look at sports during this century and how the behaviors surrounding both professional and college sports influence youth sports. It reviews common problems in communities and takes an in-depth look at the role of parents, coaches and supervisors of youth sports.

The bottom line of both the book and the issue of youth sports is that we have the power to affect youth sports by offering fun-filled and rewarding experiences that put fun back into sports for kids. Here are just a few thoughts gleaned after reading the book and working in the profession for 30 years.

Our philosophy of youth sports must change • Keep the concept of intense competition in the school arena.
Park and recreation programs should center on the fun of playing, the importance of teamwork, and the lifetime benefits of sport and exercise. "Win-at-all-costs" should not be tolerated. Playoffs, all-star teams, championships, and trophies could be eliminated or at least offered only to the higher age groups.

• Our programs first and foremost should teach sportsmanship and fair play.
Remember that old saying, "It's not important whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."

• Speaking of losing, have we taught our participants how to lose and lose gracefully?
On a recent radio talk show, the commentators spent an hour discussing the art of losing. If we don't teach children how to lose, we are setting them up for failure in life. We must get back to stressing that the kids should just do the best they can; that the sky won't fall down or we won't be mad if they lose the game. If everyone makes a contribution on a team, isn't that more important than winning?

One of the most important roles that we can play is that of educator. This must cover not only the coaches but also the parents. Why Johnny Hates Sports points out that there is an ugly parent in all of us. Sometimes when we think we are giving words of encouragement, we are actually embarrassing the child. Through proper orientation and education of the parents, we can help them discover their real responsibilities and role in the youth sport process.

There is a lot more child abuse in youth sports than we think. Much of this is verbal and emotional abuse. Examples of emotional abuse include adults who place unrealistic expectations on the kids, such as scoring so

8 / Illinois Porks and Recreation

LET'S RETURN THE GAME TO THE CHILDREN

many points, striking out so many players, or playing error free.

Coaches who make kids sit on the bench, game after game, because they aren't "good enough" to play unknowingly give out another type of emotional abuse. Never giving the second-string player a chance to play is a form of abuse. Seventy-eight (78%) percent of children interviewed said that they would rather play on a losing team than sit on the bench for a winning team.

Younger children who aren't developed physically are oftentimes made to play sports with equipment that is far too advanced for their skills. We as professionals should constantly be on the look out for newer, safer, and more age-appropriate equipment. Why does baseball have to be played with a regulation hard ball? Can't the younger players use a soft, textured ball so that they aren't afraid to catch it?

Education is also important for the recreation supervisors and volunteer league administrators who run the youth sports programs. These dedicated individuals need to understand that the decisions they make have a great effect on children's mental, physical and emotional development. They have to know how to develop adequate policies and regulations, provide a safe environment and equipment that is age-appropriate, plus how to manage finances and recruit volunteers.

Many of these areas are not taught in college programs. Park and recreation agencies must seek quality training programs such as the Academy for Youth Sport Administrators offered through the National Alliance for Youth Sports to complete the job of educating those who run our youth sport programs.

We can make a difference in the lives of children through youth sports, if we approach it in the right way. Let's go back to the basics and let the kids have fun.

As Engh suggests in his book, "Let's return the game to the children."

July/August 1999 / 9