Transitory Psychosis

I well remember the shock of discovering how many great basketball players there were in the world. I thought I was pretty good when I only played against my friends, at my school, or in my region. Even in those areas, there were guys better than me. But when I got outside the box of my little athletic world I was blown away! There were tens of thousands of players I couldn’t begin to compete with.

In this day of ultra-organized kid’s sports, it is tempting for parents to believe Junior will almost certainly win a full-ride college scholarship and even cash in on a big pro contract one day. I read an article by Walt Mueller (president of Center for Parent/Youth Understanding) in the Fall issue of CPYU’s journal, Engage, that speaks to this issue. (To read the entire article, click here.”

In Mueller’s article, “Turf Worship,” he tells of sharing a cab ride with a dad who eagerly told of his daughter the athlete, explaining that she was a highly regarded soccer player and a home run champ in her baseball (not softball) league. In fact, he said their family’s summer would be filled with traveling to different tournaments where his daughter could showcase her skills. When Mueller asked the man how old his daughter was, he replied, “Six.”

What’s wrong with this picture? Pretty much everything.

Mueller goes on to cite the research of Dan Doyle at the Institute for International Sport at the University of Rhode Island. Doyle gives the following eye-opening numbers.

475,000 – the number of fourth grade boys playing organized basketball in the U.S.

87,000 – the number of high school seniors still playing basketball.

4,310 – the number who will play basketball in college. (1,560 in Division 1. 1,350 in Division 2. 1,400 in Division 3 school. Only D1 and D2 schools give scholarships.)

30 – the number who will make it to the NBA. That’s something less than .02%. (If you can trust the math of editors.)

The story would be much the same about other sports.

Parents need to wake up. Chances are, your kid is not as good as you think. Encourage him or her to strive toward the dream if you want, but don’t sacrifice things that matter (especially eternal things) for a goal that may be out of reach. Instead, enjoy the things sports can bring into a child’s life. Have fun with the competitive years and make some great memories. If Junior is the one in a million talent, it will be evident soon enough.

Posted Parenting, Sports, teens |