Can We Please Slow Down Youth Sports to Emphasize Fundamentals and Ensure Our Kids Truly Understand the Game?

As a parent to two kids in youth sports, it's overwhelming. We feel that if we don't put our kids on the travel teams, or make them play all year, they'll be behind. From the moment our children show interest in sports, we’re thrown into a whirlwind of leagues, teams, and competitions. You want your kids to be on pace, but really, what are we DOING!?

Who remembers when they first started participating in sports? Take for an example, softball. I remember starting as a young girl doing slow pitch, which was the only thing offered at the young age group. We learned the game through PRACTICES and maybe had a game once a week after a few weeks of learning the actual game. This taught us the rules and the fundamentals of softball. I taught us the importance of playing catch and properly breaking in your glove. It taught us where to stand on the base while playing defense so we don't get hurt, and how to properly run through first base. Who remembers that carpet square behind home plate? If it hit there, it was a strike. Man, those were some fun times. There was really no full-on pressure to perform. We were there to find out if we enjoyed the sport, learn about it, and decide if we wanted to pursue it. And damn it... we ACTUALLY learned how to play the sport! We felt fully prepared to play, and we knew through practice, we would get better.

Ease them into Youth Sports to create confidence.

We all remember the joy sports brought us as kids. We just loved PLAYING. As parents today, we recognize that joy and want that for our kids. Truly, I feel all this hype is coming from a place of love, but we MUST take a step back. Kids are not fully developed adults. Their bodies are still growing, their minds are still adapting and developing, and they don't truly know what they love yet. They don't even know what's out there, to be honest. It is such a detriment to the kid to full them in, full on at such a young age. When most of your learning is through competition, how can a child fully learn the fundamentals. Game situations are not for learning the fundamentals.

Think about it, you start a job, you feel a little unprepared, but you got it. You're stoked. Day one, sure they eased you into it by showing you your office, around the work space and tell you the general overview of your position. Day two comes and you're thrown into it... just like game time for a kid just learning the game. Your boss (aka coach) is trying to instruct you while you're trying to remember what they told you on day one. Your co workers (fans in the stands) are yelling "come on!" "let's go", and my favorite "RELAX" (haha... yeah that's always effective when your nerves are at an all-time high). To top it off, there's a state official in (let's say you're a nurse and the State Agency is coming in to observe) to make sure you are doing things right (aka the ump). How would you feel? Would you want to come back to work? Hell no, you wouldn't! You'd feel COMPLETELY set up for failure. Yes, your friends or parents would encourage you to continue, and say "it'll get better", or you just need to "work harder" or again, my favorite "RELAX". How can you develop a love for a job that you don't feel comfortable doing or confident in what you need to be doing. You are continually being corrected, yelled at and grossly under trained for.

This is youth sports as we've grown to have it these days. Kids are thrown into the world of travel ball at a young age, most at 10, before they even truly know how to play the sport. My husband is a baseball player. When our son was 7, he wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with sports. We were a little bummed as both of used to play our sport and LOVED it. Joe was baseball (still pitches from time to time at 43) and I was a volleyball player through college. Still love to play when I can fit it in between youth sports! Ha!

Our son didn't show any interest, and we were ok with that; however, when t-ball rolled around, we put him into it just to introduce the idea of a sport. Let's face it, t-ball is really just social hour for kids. They learn which way to run if they hit it. (And yes... I know SOME parents even throw their kids into competitive t-ball, COME ON PARENTS... do better) So he did T-ball... painful to watch, but a fun time for the kiddos, and that's ALL it is supposed to be and THAT'S OKAY.

He liked it enough to try baseball. He was on a team with all his school friends, and Dad was the coach. There were nights when he didn't want to go, but we always said, if you sign up, you finish. So he went, and he always enjoyed his time, but never thought he was jacked about the sport. When it came time for all the boys to be on a travel ball team at 10u, we didn't push it. We asked, and he said no, and we continued to practice and played town ball twice a week. He just wanted to play and have fun with his friends. No biggie! Town ball was a great way for him to learn the game, develop a baseball IQ, and have fun.

So the last year town ball was offered, he played. The following year the only option to continue baseball would be to try out for the travel ball team. He was a little reluctant, but he said yes because he started to develop a love for the sport, not a passion yet, but a little romance. He tried out and was placed on the A team. Probably the BEST scenario on his path to becoming passionate about baseball... why? Well, that season he went from a kid that was kind of into baseball (often thinking he wasn't very good) to a confident kid that developed an absolute PASSION for the sport. How did this happen? He grew to be passionate for the sport through taking it in his own time (with a little push from his parents to just try it). He also grew to have a good UNDERSTANDING of the game, which helped him feel confident in the game.

That season, our 12A team grew so much! And over half of the team made the AA team the next year. We are in our last season now as 14AA, and we can tell you, the kids that have the best understanding of the game are the ones who weren't always on the AA team. It's so beneficial to your youth to slow it down, teach the fundamentals and let them decide their own passion. Of course, as parents we need to help push a little bit into trying something new, but we don't need all the fancy travel ball shit that goes on... especially at the age of 10-12. What these kids need, is to understand the sport , which in turn, grows confidence and better prepared athletes. It helps them become passionate about it. And it helps them create good fundamentally sound skills. As Napoleon Dynamite said, "Girls only like guys with good skills."

It's awful to note that 70% of kids quit sports by the age of 13. I truly believe it's due to the pressure that's placed on them, the fatigue that happens and the stress that a child goes through when put in a situation they weren't 100% prepared for. Let's make sure our kids feel confident and have a good understanding of the job they are set out to do.

Returning to the Fundamentals

What if we refocused our efforts on the basics? The foundation of any sport lies in its fundamental skills. For instance, basketball players need to master dribbling, shooting, and passing, while soccer players focus on dribbling, shooting, and teamwork. By simplifying our approach and gradually introducing these crucial elements, we can help kids build confidence and a true understanding of the game.

When observing youth sports, it’s evident that competition often takes precedence over education. Experts in various fields stress that mastering fundamentals is vital for long-term success. Why should youth sports be any different? A 2019 study highlighted that kids who practice basic skills regularly show a 30% improvement in performance over those who do not have a structured practice routine. Practice makes perfect isn't just a saying, it's a truth.

Youth Baseball Players listening intently to their coaches. Developing a love or the game.

Creating an Alternative Approach

To implement a new philosophy in your child’s sports experience, consider advocating for teams or leagues that emphasize fundamental skill development. Ask coaches about their philosophies—do they prioritize mastering the fundamentals and game over winning at a young age? Support initiatives that focus on education rather than just results.

Moreover, consider organizing local workshops that center on the fundamental skills of various sports. Kids have an innate curiosity and dedication; harnessing that enthusiasm can significantly enhance their skills while making the experience enjoyable.

And lastly, we need to emphasize the importance of strengthening. Kids can't play all year round, exhausting the same muscles over and over again. The truth is, their bodies are growing, their minds are developing, and their structures need support. Create a good habit of a strengthening program. Not just lifting weights, but finding a good plyometric workout, body weight work out and just getting into the good habit of fueling our bodies so we can perform without exhaustion or worse, injuries. If you're afraid your kid is going to be set back if not playing a sport 24/7, just think about the setback they'll have if they have a significant injury.

Dancer onstage performing skils she's training for and strengthened properly for.

Moving Forward Together

As a community, we need to rethink how youth sports are organized and experienced. Promoting a culture that emphasizes learning and enjoyment before competition is essential. By making this change, we can help our kids truly understand the game and foster a lasting love for sports.

We have the chance to improve the landscape of youth sports. By slowing down, emphasizing the fundamentals, and nurturing a love for the game, we can create a supportive environment that encourages young athletes to thrive both on and off the field.

Let’s come together—everyone. A lot of kids need sports in their lives, but it doesn't need to be a constant year-round thing. Bring back the 2-3 sport athlete. Create a joy for playing the game and truly knowing the game to create that confidence that will carry them into the years that actually count towards their future in the sport. Nobody remembers who was the best as a 10-12 year old. And I can bet, that kid did not develop to be the best in high school or beyond when it actually mattered. Create an IQ for the game, master the fundamentals, and let the kids know how much fun they can have while playing a sport... this will create well-rounded athletes for the future.

Nolan watching the baseball after he hits it in a game.