As parents, the Alex and I have always encouraged our children to get involved in sports. We’ve done dance, cheer leading, karate, tae kwon do, soccer, baseball, football both flag and tackle, swim, wrestling, basketball, gymnastics, tumbling, and track.

Throughout all of these experiences, we’ve had our ups and downs.
The kids have been on teams with kids they disliked but found a way to make it work.
They have been on teams were they had very positive experiences.
They’ve had coaches that they have loved and adored.
They’ve been on teams were they just plain old had fun.

I encourage my kids to participate in these activities as a way to make friends outside of school and to just have fun and be a kid.
In my eyes, that is the point in children’s sports.
It should be about the fun of learning and playing the game.
Not.About.The.Winning.

Winning should not be an important part of a child’s sports experience until they reach the Varsity level in high school where playoffs and state titles have actual meaning. If it were a tryout only tournament team where they only try to get the best players, which would obviously not be the normal school sports, then they can worry about winning all they want. But when it is a sport through school (under varsity only) or through a park and rec, as in recreational…RECREATIONAL should tell this to you right away, winning should NOT be a factor. Yea the kids will keep track but the COACHES have a responsibility to the kids to teach them the fundamentals of the game and to get them ALL experience so they may enjoy the game and become better players. This is especially true when you assured all of the parents in the first meeting that YOU WOULD DO THIS VERY THING!!!! You said winning didn’t matter, you were there to teach the kids. Then the season starts and all of that goes out the window. I know my kids aren’t the fastest or the strongest but they love these sports, both to watch and to play. When the coaches are unfair and make the game about winning and only let some of the backups in during the final minutes, innings or what have you, of garbage time, it hinders their enjoyment and discourages them from further participation.

Another issue that the Alex and I have a problem with is coaches favoring their own children on their team. Yes, I understand that it is your child. Yes, I understand that you volunteered for this position. What irks me the most is that when you volunteered for this position you knew that your responsibility was NOT only to your child but to ALL of the children on the team. Each child deserves the opportunity to learn the different aspects and positions of a sport and all should be given the same opportunity to play.

Oh, and lets not forget the coaches who yell.
And not only do they yell, they swear….in front of the kids.
I’m sorry but as a coach, you should be someone that the children look up too and set a good example.

So, have at it.
What are your experiences with your children and organized sports?