Communication
Youth sports can be a very important and joyous time in a child’s life. It is when they start to bond with other children, learn teamwork, how to listen, and develop better hand-to-eye coordination. Channeling their extra energy can also result in lower cortisol levels and better rest at night. Despite these positive aspects to youth sports, there are always athletes and parents alike who disregard them, only to focus on the competition. Athletes push themselves too hard, and parents sometimes get too competitive on behalf of their children. In contrast, there are those who do not take youth sports seriously enough, acting as if they have been forced into it, while their parents seem to forget their children are even involved in a sport at all. After interviewing a coach for youth sports it seems though he is a dedicated individual who will help any child willing to play, he prefers athletes and parents who are able to find the middle-ground when it comes to involvement.
There were some athletes and parents who took youth sports too seriously, however. He admitted that every year he has coached, there have always been athletes who attempt to push themselves too far. In some cases, parents do not step in, they are sometimes the ones encouraging the athletes to push themselves. It is an unhealthy situation, as well as irresponsible. The ages the coach supervises are between the ages of seven and fifteen. Typically he sees athletes taking sports too seriously in the older groups, but he has seen younger athletes be too serious about their activities, as well. In those situations he typically blames the attitude of the parents. When the parents are taking the sport too seriously, or being too hard on the child, the child starts to emulate that attitude. In one situation a few years ago, he recalled a situation when a parent had to be banned from games because any time her child was removed from the field so another child could have a chance to play she would start shouting insults at the coach and the other children. Other parents encourage their children to work-out before they have reached a pubescent age in order to help them excel in sports.
Over his years as a coach, he says he has seen it all and there is a middle ground, as he had mentioned before. Most athletes and parents get involved and understand sports are meant to be a healthy outlet and an extracurricular activity to channel energy. Children and parents should be involved, but it should not be there life. Some take it far too seriously, like those who push themselves too hard, or parents who insult other players for no reason. He has also seen athletes and parents who do not take sports seriously enough. Some athletes appear to have been forced onto the team, which makes it less of a fun, exciting, challenging experience for other players. It is not a pleasant time when this happens. Moreover, some parents do not seem to care when their children have a game. He says it is easy to tell when a child is distraught about not having their own personal cheering section like many of the other players. He is happy to supervise the children, teach them a skill, and guide them in all things sports, but admits it breaks his heart when parents do not share the same interest in their own children’s lives that he seems to have.
In sum, after interviewing the youth sport coach it seems there is a middle ground concerning how serious parents and athletes should take youth sports. All athletes and parents should be involved in the sport without making it their life, being verbally abusive, or pushing themselves too hard. They also should not join the sport if they do not take it seriously at all, as it can hinder the experience for others. He enjoys coaching in all aspects of the word, and does not mind when athletes or parents take the sport too seriously, or do not care about the sport all; he merely wishes these individuals would think about how they are impacting others when they act in this way.
