My son plays lacrosse, his coach has called about his playing in a summer league..which he really doesn't want to do, and another league that two alumni are coaching.
I mean he likes it...he's good at it. He enjoys playing during the season..and even practicing pre season..only he's NOT going to be a professional Lacrosse player, and we can live with that. We figure we do enough of this type of thing during the school year, he wants a break over the summer. I'm fine with that. Plus..he's got a part time job that keeps him busy.
I have relatives that have their son in THREE different baseball leagues. They run during the same time. The child is not allowed to go to the pool, or to the beach on days that he has games...because his father thinks it tires him out. The kid is 10! The game is supposed to be fun, but they are a chore for the boy. You would think that between the games, the practices, and the private pitching lessons the kid would be slim. Only they're not. Pretty overweight, which they play off as his being "big" right now. Only he wasn't able to play with kids in his own age group, because he weighed too much during "football season"..last fall. They rest up during the day...playing video games and eating, so they're not tired to pitch at night. Then they get home at 10:00..(yes 10 year olds play under the lights) and eat dinner.
Sounds healthy, huh? It's NUTS. They don't take a vacation because they can't miss baseball, and his father also coaches two of the teams. Dad is re-living his love of the game through his son.
My son says he sees kids like this all the time in high school. Kids that are so played out by the time high school sports come along, they don't want any part of it. I can see from the experience in my own family how that would happen.
I really think that the line between participation, and doing something fun and healthy is being blurred. Moderation is the key. I don't envy young parents facing this now. It almost seems to me like a competition between parents, and the entire social aspect of the leagues rather than a simple game for some kids to play, and have fun.
Off soap box...sorry you didn't ask for all that, but it's just something that's been going on with some family members and when I saw your post..it set me off.
Participation is a wonderful thing, and they learn more than the skills required for their particular sport..but lately it just seems to be very competitive at younger and younger ages. Makes me wonder what happend to the days, when a kid had a practice or two and maybe a game once a week.