Youth Sports Are WAY Too Political! (Should My Kid Play?)

Youth Sports Are WAY Too Political! (Should My Kid Play?)

Learn how to change your thoughts, change your behaviors, and change your life. Subscribe to the Dr. John Delony’s show!

As heard on this episode:

Get John’s Questions for Humans Conversation Cards:

These platforms contain content, including information provided by guests, that is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to replace or substitute for any professional medical, counseling, therapeutic, financial, legal, or other advice. The Lampo Group, LLC d/b/a Ramsey Solutions as well as its affiliates and subsidiaries (including their respective employees, agents and representatives) make no representations or warranties concerning the content and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning the content including any treatment or action taken by any person following the information offered or provided within or through this show.

If you have specific concerns or a situation in which you require professional advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified professional expert and specialist. If you are having a health or mental health emergency, please call 9-1-1 immediately.

Products:

[caitlinbures]

I have three boys and we have never put them in try out teams because of this toxic parent culture! I don’t think kids under middle or high school should have try at teams AT ALL!!!! Go learn rules, learn Sportsmen-ship, get exercise, team work and have Fun! That’s what kids should be doing!!!!

I am not a mom that thinks every kids should get a trophy, that’s the lesson of what hard work. But all kids should be able to sign up and play and have fun!!!
Good advice Dr. John!

[liveslisa]

I loved Dr. John's question "Do you want this man to have influence over your child?" That says it all. Listen and if your gut is getting wound up, walk away. Trust your gut.

[jackieyoung]

My theory on kids sports becoming so competitive is everybody is trying to get their kid on a track to a sports scholarship these days because college tuition has gotten so out of control.

[Jenda-lddj]

My sister has a son in travel baseball who is 11 years old. Been doing this for 4 years. I had been to a few games over this time. Bottom line is this: Parents are living their own dream through their child. This program costs many thousands of dollars, are gone from home 80% of the time, taken out of school many days throughout the year for traveling to ball games (sometimes five states away). Arguments and fights regularly ensue amongst parents. Politics and money determine placement of the kids on the team and special treatment. Her boy has extreme anxieties regularly, does not listen to or respect others and is developing extreme arrogance. He appears to be well on his way to a personal disaster, with a lifetime warranty.

[cpirtle]

I love John's response so so much. I was at the park with my 2-year-old son recently and a Little League game was going on. I saw a grown man yelling and cussing at a 10-year-old little boy. I'm not sure if it was his son or not. I couldn't help myself, interrupted him, and asked him to please watch his language and that other little children were around. It broke my heart. Every piece of me wanted to run up to that little boy and get in between them.

[karenhardie]

Youth sports are cray cray. We had parents screaming at refs and umpires. Getting thrown out of games. Parents think their kid is going to be a star and most don't play past high school. My son was a pretty good athlete. Now he is out of college moving on with his life and he could care less about all his basketball ribbons and baseball trophies/medals. They sit in a box in his old closet. Let them have fun, learn skills, make friends. Our league has a try out system for baseball. Kids make an A, B, Or C team. The kids on the C teams are devastated when they don't make a higher team.

[lot]

If Dante was alive now traveling teams would be the 10th circle of hell.

[reuben]

We pulled out of competition soccer over a year ago and we are so glad. John is right, young adults and children must have something extracurricular. Our son is now in martial arts and really loves it, plus we have more money and more free time. Great video

[MedEd]

I've worked youth sports for 10 years as a medical provider. I hear a lot of second hand conversations that parents have. It is a very political atmosphere because parents make it that way. You look at people on the sidelines and you will see dashed dreams of college/professional stardom. Little johnny/Little Sally represents a second chance at that. That's why you see umps/refs getting abused. That's why coaches have quit. Sportsmanship, pushing through adversity, fitness, teamwork get lost and are replaced by stardom at all costs mentality.

[lorinmotta]

Maybe this isn’t exactly on topic but I’m a personal trainer and have trained lots of young kids to perform better in sports, and it is just both hilarious and sad how many out of shape, wannabe parents have no problem butting in with their (usually incorrect) opinions about how 8-12 year old kids should be training. I’m pretty nice but have asked parents to leave training sessions, or simply asked “do you really want me to train your kid”? The childish parents really do affect the kids and it’s bad.

[debbieanderson]

Let kids be kids. Unstructured play. Way to much organized sports. Sports for fun is great! But not performance, financially or politically driven. This really breaks my heart. It shouldn't be this way.

[jessenelson]

I love talking to parents about this. I’m not a coach, but I have played baseball at the highest competitive levels from 10u travel ball till D1 Baseball in the NCAA.. I’ve seen what makes a successful player, and it’s not the coaches. It’s the parents. You will come across bad coaches, and great coaches.. but the parents are the ones who make or break their child’s career.

[MichaelJones-rnpq]

I played thousands of innings of baseball without a single parent being around. Can't kids organize their own baseball games anymore? Same with football. We never had nor did we need parents around to play ball.

[JA-zhxi]

As a parent with two kids who went through travel baseball- travel has ruined sports big time. I saw it every year.

[Joenzinator]

I had my 4 year old in T-Ball, and their coach was great, but we played against a team who had their kids attempt 3-4 coach pitches before brining out the tee. One of the coaches (a lady actually) would torment the kids if they couldn't hit the coach pitch balls. She made it seem like hitting off of the Tee was a punishment. We witnessed multiple 4-5 year old kids have meltdowns as they brought out the Tee. This is a volunteer run rec league for T ball!

I also witnessed another father of a kid around 8 practicing his pitching, just the 2 of them. He started cussing at his kid, yelling at him that he wasn't trying, and throwing balls at him hard with the intent to hit him. I had 2 little ones with me so I didn't intervene, but it really stuck with me.

[hollyharvey]

My three girls go to a school that’s in a rural area… we moved here six years ago and my girls are athletic in multiple sports.. I will be doing cartwheels when they graduate bc the clannish ways of this town are insane! It’s all about whose Dad graduated in the year the school won the State champ or if your Mother is the principle…. I wish they would just let the kids play..like old school times. The best player, if you weren’t the best then you worked to get better..you didn’t play bc of who you’re Grandfather was….

[TheBierman]

The hotel industry makes out like a bandit with travel sports.

[jasonmollcpa]

100% they should play. I learned the hard truths about how life works from playing baseball as a child and teenager.

[jessicagajtka]

Thank you this helped me with my child and his all star league currently.

[Zoey]

Welcome to the classism within youth sports! Unfortunately, organized sports in childhood is definitely a privilege. On another note, parents gets way too heated over their kids sports games