Scott Lancaster on Sports

I cannot decide what irks me more, parents & coaches who destroy the fun in youth sports through their bad behavior and misdirected mission to win games & championships (which is a majority of you by the way) or the so-called youth sports experts that reside at Universities and ONLY write books and papers on what is wrong in youth sports.

All I have to say to all of you is, STOP! Rather than sugar coat and position this issue as if only a few “bad apples” ruin the experience for everyone involved in youth sports, I’m going to tell you the hard-cold fact; You’re all to Blame!

If you’re the over involved parent (the type that needs to coach every team, every season, or the league administrator/commissioner that needs to control all aspects of a youth sport, or the parent that continues to lobby for his/her kid to make and start on any and all teams), or you’re the parent that never volunteers but can be heard every weekend by hollering at kids, officials, coaches and other parents, no matter what group you fall into, you are the problem, not only for your own kid but for all kids involved in your community.

Even the nurturing parent that never says a thing and quietly attends every game, is respectful, and wants their child to have a great experience is to blame! Yes, the highly educated, well balanced, and often the adult with more athletic experience than anyone else involved in sports in your community is to blame. Why? Because they know there is something seriously wrong with youth sports yet they do nothing to enact change.

I also have an issue with Youth Sports Experts that establish foundations and organizations sometimes to attached to prestigious Universities, in order to heighten their importance have become a colossal joke. Enough talking about the issue and how it affects kids.

What we do need are solutions! I have spent most of my entire professional career developing solutions for youth/high school coaches and parents. And I used to be as much to blame as well, until I did something about it. and got penalized for it! Despite my better judgement I coached my son’s football team in a traditional league with traditional rules that are better suited for NFL Players than 10 year olds! Until I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror anymore. I was contributing to a flawed infrastructure that had no consideration for the safety of kids. As a matter of fact I’m currently banned from coaching youth football (which would never stand-up in any court of law) and my son’s team because I raised concerns about the safety of the league rules, and suggested we look to play in a better suited and safer league. So now I sit on the sidelines watching other fathers, with about as much football coaching knowledge as a high school girl’s cheerleading squad (no disrespect to cheerleaders), coach my son and others.

Now don’t misunderstand, I’m not going away and letting this issue go away. Me, unlike you and most parents are going to observe and freely bring to everyone’s attention the mistakes being made and the other options available for their children.

The problem with youth sports are parents. The parents that masquerade as coaches and adults that masquerade as parents. What I don’t understand are the number of parents that make such an effort to get their kids into the best schools & classes, but when it comes to sports, they make very little effort or keep any type of watchful eye. Yet a coach with limited experience and knowledge is given free reign to make decisions regarding your child.

I DON’T GET IT!!! Please step in and question those who run youth sports and hold them accountable!!! I did, and I can get up every morning and feel good that I stood up to the insanity, and will continue to do so until we fix it!!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 at 11:53 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.