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A Race To Nowhere

I always love to receive info from our members and parents here on Riverview Hoops. Some members will send me information on camps, others will send me their dates for home games or tournaments. I'm also lucky to receive webpage links and web articles from time to time, all I find are a good read and when I think of it I post it here on my site and on Riverview Hoops ( http://riverviewhoops.wix.com/riverview-hoops# ) . Some of the articles I receive are better than others, and this one stood out as more than 3 members sent me the same link within a weeks period.

I debated with myself on what I was going to do with this one as I never want to offend any parent, coach, guardian or player with any blogs or info that I post. Anything that hits this screen from me is meant to encourage all our basketball programs and participants from the puppy age class all the way up to High School and beyond.

So I followed the trail of information on this article about youth sports that was sent to me and found it on multiple sites, there's even a movie documentary made on it! So as a parent, a coach and website host I felt it was my obligation to share this eye opening article.

The article goes on to describe youth competitive sports as "an adult driven, hyper competitive race to the top in both academics and athletics that serves the needs of the adults, but rarely the kids". strong words...

I love to coach and watch youth sports and the fact that anything we can do as adults to get our kids away from TV's and video games or to even to put down their ruddy cell phones for just an hour a day is an awesome accomplishment! There is so little time left now for physical fitness and kids also need that break from the regular dramas of everyday life. That's why organized sports and activities are so important to our society

But for some adults, the competitive lines can get blurred quickly and the need and drive to be better takes over. Adults need to realize that allowing youth, especially at the younger ages, to experience a variety of sports and/or other activities will benefit those kids more than hamper them in their futures.

All too many times over the years I've seen kids being directed down one path and getting bored and discouraged and eventually quitting for one reason or another. All of a sudden, they have nothing because they've been made so focussed on that one direction for so long it becomes too late to get involved with another sport or activity. They feel that they will be too far behind to catch up with others so they don't bother to get involved.

I've seen multiple places where coach bloggers mention that youth need time to switch gears. They need to rest some muscles and stimulate others. Too much of one thing is not necessarily a good thing. We as adults need to allow our kids the time to experience different things.

Anyway, before I goon too much of a tangent, parents and coaches please take the time to read this article by following the above link.

http://stevenashyb.wordpress.com/2014/10/20/the-race-to-nowhere-in-youth-sports/


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