Changing Dynamics of HS Sports

[MNDad]

First thing I want to know is where are travel coaches working where they are paid "thousands and thousands of dollars?" Around here, the only people paid thousands and thousands of dollars to coach softball are high school coaches. There are definitely some coaches in some sports (not necessarily softball here) who agree to coach simply to earn more money. If they weren't paid they wouldn't do it. Others seem to do it for the ego trip, or so they can boss a bunch of kids around. Many of the most successful coaches do it for the love of the game, and because they love working with kids. They probably don't have too much trouble getting players to come out for their teams.

That aside, there is definitely more pressure on kids to specialize earlier. But there are more opportunities to benefit from it as well, and that's where the issue lies. Personally, I believe it's good for kids to play multiple sports - if they have interest in multiple sports. I do believe all the stuff about cross-training and not over-stressing muscles through too much repetition. And about not burning out mentally.

At the high school level, especially at the upper classman level, it does change for most if your plan is to continue playing in college. And that's the difference from the "good old days" to now.

Back when I was a youngster, you had to be pretty athletically gifted to think about playing in college. We didn't have all the training they have now, so it was easy for the cream to rise to the top. You either had it or you didn't. Now, if you weren't born with athletic gifts you can make up for it with great training and willingness to work. And there are more places to play now, so if you don't qualify for one of those top schools there are plenty of other options. More available money - whether as an actual athletic scholarship or an "academic" scholarship awarded because you can hit a softball pretty hard - changes the game as well.

It's highly unlikely we'll go back to the way things were once upon a time. The world has definitely changed.

Most of the travel coaches here are paid thousands of dollars to coach summer teams. Several make a living off of it, combined with giving lessons, clinics etc. They’re passionate about softball, love the kids and coaching, but they’ve still gotta eat and put a roof over their heads.

 

[riseball]

"Don't audit life" is a philosophy I live by.....but I'd much rather a child seek to achieve in the classroom or on the field than to sit around measuring their worth based on the number of Instagram "likes" they received. Balance is essential to happiness, but we should encourage children to pursue their potential....

Very well said.

 

[CoogansBluff]

... I'd much rather a child seek to achieve in the classroom or on the field than to sit around measuring their worth based on the number of Instagram "likes" they received. Balance is essential to happiness, but we should encourage children to pursue their potential.

’

No argument here. But there are many achievers who are miserable in more ways than one. Don't overrate it, IMHO.

 

[BT3100]

We grew up poor. When I was 11 I took on a paper route when I turned 12 I began to work in a local supermarket bagging and delivering groceries. I wanted so bad to play sports in HS but all practices were after school and I worked from 3:30 till 6:30 every day and all weekends. I held that job until I graduated college. Looking back I do at times wish I would have been able to peruse sports more but we need to do what we need to do. I look at my 12 year old DD and I would never ever allow her to work like I did. But at the same time I point to my work ethic which I developed at an early age for my current success. It's a tangled world. How do we teach our kids the lesson we learned the hard way without the "hard way"?