"My two young children play in a local non-profit athletic club that has undergone a transition toward becoming a feeder program for the local high school. Many of the high school coaches run the club's meetings, and they want players as young as seven to run the high school 'system.' Most of the kids in our club don't even end up playing high school sports, and I think the high school coaches are overly involved. What do you think?"
PCA Response by Will Jackson, PCA Trainer, Atlanta
Your question addresses one of the major shifts in youth sports today: in many places the philosophy has changed from an emphasis on maximum participation to a goal of developing elite youth athletes to stock winning programs.
PCA strongly believes that winning and learning life lessons through sport should be complementary goals for all youth programs. Those dual objectives are appropriate for all youth coaches, regardless of whether they are volunteer parents or paid coaches from the high school level. And research clearly indicates that coaching with life-lesson goals actually enhances performance and increases chances of winning on the scoreboard.
Wise high school coaches realize that the longer youth athletes stay involved with their sport the more likely more of them will evolve into athletes who can contribute at the high school varsity level. That means the better the experience can be for all athletes, ultimately the high school program will benefit.
Many high school coaches bring a high level of expertise to a youth program that can benefit every child in the program, which is a win-win. However, if they are rigidly focused on channeling players into their system in a way that doesn't contribute to a good experience, it can be a problem.
If you feel the latter is the case, you can talk with the organization leaders to express your concern. You could go beyond that and get involved with the organization to try to re-direct your league's priorities. If other parents feel like you do, then they might become advocates for the changes you'd like to see. Ultimately you can look for another experience for your child that better meets his or her needs if this program isn't willing or able to accommodate them.
The concerns you raise are representative of many issues in today's push for win-at-all-cost sports. Creating a local culture built on positive support for all kids in sports is a worthy goal, and I hope you'll choose to dive in to make a difference.
(PCA Trainer Will Jackson played football for Davidson College and taught psychology and coached football, baseball, wrestling, track and basketball in Atlanta-area high schools until his retirement. Most prominently, he served as head football coach and Athletic Director at Dunwoody HS near Atlanta and at Wesleyan School in Norcross. In retirement, he still assistant coaches varsity football at Wesleyan.)
