Children in Sports

Sports have the potential to raise ones value of self, team building and community creating. With inordinate pressure being placed on youth by media image along with parental pressure and extremism, many children fall by the wayside as they cannot live up to the expectations of their families and society. From the youngest participants to professional athletes, there is a plaque of depression and suicide. As often stated by good coaches, it is only a game, yet so often, it has become much more than that. Fun has literally been ripped out of the heart of sports. Little girls and boys sitting on the bench as adults jump up and down with perspiring red faces, yelling at the children who have not made the point necessary to elevate their own shallow egos.

So much in the world is heavy to begin with; can’t we put the “game” back in game? Without any effort, we can remember our free spirit as a young child, running, dancing, singing and enjoying life the way it was meant to be. Please allow children the opportunity to be authentic. As time passes, that will be psychologically beaten out of them. Reflect before opening your mouth and ask yourself, “Is this going to make the child happy?” As an adult, we are solicited to be teachers in spite of the fact most of us are not good at it. It is best not to participate as a mentor if you are not fully prepared to allow the healthy instinct of the child to govern your support for their actions. Allow the freedom of spirit to mold the player and remember the greatest of stars enjoy the game with full, unwavering passion.

Vol 21 Issue 2 page 4