There is a current athletic epidemic among many of the nation's best young athletes and that's the pressure placed on them for superb performance and winning at their respective sport. Parents and coaches have pushed kids to the limit with inflated hopes of fame and fortune. In many cases, the pressure is created to take care of a family financially or to demand children to gain a full-ride scholarship to college.
Inflated Hopes
The selfish acts of emotional control over kids, committed by some parents and coaches, can have an extreme long-term effect on youth. The chances of these young individuals "making it" are extremely small, with many having physical and emotional issues the remainder of their lives. Most children can begin playing sports as young as age 5 and competing around age 8, says John Engh, vice president of youth development at the National Alliance for Youth Sports. He adds, "The lure, however unrealistic, of turning children into pros has some families rushing to enter the sports maze."
Physical
Parents and coaches push kids to the absolute maximum physical capability, and at that point they raise their expectations higher and demand even more. Injuries occur that remain with kids for years affecting physical growth. The November 2006 issue of the "Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine" presents expert viewpoints of injuries to children in various sports. According to guest editors Drs. Thomas M. Best, Willem van Mechelen and Evert Verhagen, "No one seems to be backing down."
Emotional Stress
Many youth are not prepared to handle stressful situations. Again, by not having the proper mental training, children are left to fend for themselves, not knowing how to cope with winning and losing. Their behavior toward others can be affected and they often have trouble with their siblings.
Education
During the developmental stages of a young athlete, the emphasis is sometimes placed too much on the sport and not on education. Many times, parents will become "fix it" parents, meaning that they let their children get away with mistakes in order to continue to focus on their sport. Many parents lose opportunities to teach children important life lessons. Young athletes train with coaches who do not have real experience or education in player development or planning skills. Such coaches simply go through the motions without careful consideration to what the child physically can do.
End of the Road
The percentages are very low for those players who go on to make it as professional athletes. For those who do make it, the road traveled seems to be worth the blood, sweat and tears. For the larger percentage of those athletes that don't make it, the emphasis unfortunately was to concentrate on making it and not having a backup plan. Their lives become unfulfilled and depressing. They continue to live the remainder of their lives engulfed with what might have been. The end of the road should be one of no regrets with an abundance of life lessons learned. By proper training and development, the larger percentage of children who don't make it will be more adept for life after sports.
