This is especially true for developing youth athletes.
“A LOT of good would come from just getting our kids stronger across the board.
We try to complicate it because we live in a culture that is conditioning us to chase the next thing.
We fail to understand the ‘next thing’ only works if we have the pre-requisite to support it.
-Ray Zingler on X
It’s hard to get this point across because most undervalue the concept of strength.
They don’t understand the truth that strength is the quality that feeds ALL. OTHER. QUALITIES. Capacity, resilience, speed, sport skill.. all of it.
I get it.
It’s a frustrating knowing that the common consumer doesn’t understand it and for the most part doesn’t want to understand it.
But this is why it is so important to continually educate.
It’s like that kid you have to preach something to 1000 times before he finally “gets it.” While we would have loved for him to get it the 1st time, the 999 times are not devalued because the effort accomplished the objective.
Now can you imagine what would happen if we had a large body of intelligent, responsible adults sharing the message? We’d cover more ground more efficiently.
I often ask myself this question:
“What would the landscape look like if we took ALL the money out of the equation?”
Would we have the over prescription of individual sports?
Would we have practices at 10pm on school night’s? (While we’re preaching the importance of rest?)
Would we be <insert money grab end of summer tournament> just because?
Would we even be playing year-round?
Of course not. We have all these things so we can (try to) justify the premium costs of playing.
These people who claim to be “all in it for the kids” would burn out faster than the kids they are coaching who happen to be avoiding burnout by a thread.
We aren’t doing what we are doing for the kids because it is what is best for them developmentally. There is not an inkling of research that defends our current practices.
We are doing it because we have found a way to make money on the abundance.
Take money out of youth sports, even temporarily, and watch the landscape self-correct overnight.
Now I know what I am presenting is hypothetical and unrealistic. And I also support (quality) coaches being paid for their time, but let me ask you this:
If money is the soul driver of the way things are right now, would it not be wise to work on correcting the broken road in at least some capacity?
Love of money is the root of all…
