Oh, your kid is an elite athlete?? Mine tooooooo!!!!
Instead of convincing the masses into thinking their kids are elite athletes to feed into an elite program for high fees and then they are left wondering why their non-elite kid never gets playing time- and then spending that time hopping clubs confused about why they aren’t getting scholarships and recognition despite all that work and money they are putting in…..
Why not provide programs that actually develop the masses which are in fact, average athletes that love to compete and play and make new friends while staying fit, as a part of their overall experiences growing up. Provide a balanced approach to sport where it’s a game again instead of a job where the average athlete is sadly shamed for not training all year or keeping up with the outlier hyper-gifted, driven and much more rare than anyone will admit for the sake of selling the lie, athlete.
We used to have something like it. I believe we called it REC SPORTS.
Sorry not sorry but- We aren’t creating elite teams. Do we honestly believe that we have that many elite kids to fill the quantity of elite teams that are out there? We are renaming rec sports elite and trying to force everyone into a level that may not at all be the right fit for their skill, development, time, budget, or desire, and it’s become the only option if they want to play sports at all.
What if I was an awesome pianist who practices and studies my craft all year, who also happens to be a decent basketball player and loves to play. Is there nowhere for me to fit within our sports design anymore? Do I have to feel like I’m not a team player and never see the court because I didn’t train all year, travel with the right team, spend every weekend driving and attending tournaments that I play less than 5 minutes in and had to skip my recital for…..and is the only alternative that I just choose piano and nothing else?
What have we done? Heyyyyyyyyy everyone, What. Have. We. Done?!?!
Can we stop this train? Because it’s not fun anymore.. and kids are getting off. Sports are leaving them in a cloud of dust and all they have to show for it is an empty wallet, bruised confidence, frustration memories, and limiting beliefs thinking they failed at something that should be an enrichment and confidence building opportunity. Most kids will tell you they stopped playing because they weren’t good enough, the coach didn’t believe they were any good, and never played and that’s because that’s the overwhelming message and life lesson they are learning. Yes, friends, this is reality. Go listen at a practice or game..
Sports are a business, I get it. But we have sold elite so hard and so well that parents can’t handle teams that lose, don’t have enough training, don’t play the hardest teams, don’t only play the best kids.. we created a monster and we feed it.
Who is going to own some of this mess and course correct? What programs do you know are doing this better? Shout them out. We need more of them. ♥️
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