Kids sports are neat. They give kids something to do and something to learn (both skills and values), and help them stay fit and healthy. I don’t know how they’re typically set up these days, but it seems to me that sports could be something that kids do almost every day.
Here are my impressions about them:
*they should be self-ref’ed, only remotely overseen by adults/coaches
*they should be for socializing, learning (values, skills and confidence), health (injuries mean a different approach is indicated), range of motion
*all kids on a team should play equal time
*the point of teams is that not all kids have to be at a given event: enough would always show up to field a team; if one have enough players then the other team can provide players to make enough (and if a lot of extra kids show up another game could even be played, if only as scrimmage)
*scores and results are general indicators of progress
*sports shouldn’t disrupt kids lives, shouldn’t involve much travel or expense or time
*kids should gradually learn to do all the roles in the team, all the positions in the sport and on the field, all the chores in the club (infrastructure stuff), and coaching younger kids as soon as possible
*seems like a wide variety of sports are in order, ranging from lifeskills (like swimming and dancing) to adventuring (like hiking, biking, xc ski and paddling) to solo sport (like running) to team action—it all has something to show a kid
It seems like the above would get the best results from sports for kids. And offhand it seems that if each point is strayed from much that clear negative results will often occur. –But correct me if I’m wrong! : )
I mean, are there occasions when it’s OK to have a game’s every move dictated by adults? when steady injuries are OK for some kids? when some teammates should play more than others? when kids put attending games/practice above almost all else? when scores are somehow as seen as actually important (in a non-betting situation)? when kids lives should be built around sports rather than a typical variety of kid things? when kids should only serve limited roles on teams?
