OT Speech Topic: Are Childhood Sports Too Competitive?

[kaylaxlaylaa]

I am in a public speaking class and we had to choose a topic for the semester to talk about, obviously my first choice was cheerleading but I had to think about it in a way that I wouldn't be so biased so I decided to make my subject a little broader. After doing some research and also just through what I have seen throughout the years, as childhood sports get more competitive it seems that as the level of competition increases, so does the number of injuries. Is there a point where childhood sports are simply too competitive? When does the amount of time missed from school, the injuries occur, and even the financial burden just become to excessive. In other words when is enough enough in the world of youth sports?

 

[Nadair5]

I know me, personally, a competitive gymnast for 12 years, always loved the amount of competition. In retrospect, yes there was quite a bit, too much of competition, but I think it shapes kids to be tough. it helps them get ahead in the game of life.

 

[CheerBank]

Leaving cheer out of the equation - It kills me that by 8 or 9 a kid has to decide what sports they prefer playing and concentrate on those (as long as they are in opposite seasons of course). In our area if you haven't started playing soccer, baseball, football or lax by 1st or 2nd grade it's very hard to find a beginner league to learn the basic skills. Parents push their kids to ridiculous lengths and have them on multiple teams with the thought of college scholarships in their heads. We (dh and I) try to end each game and practice by asking our 8 year old non-cp if he had fun and even if it was a tough game or practice hope the answer will still be yes.

 

[INeverStopCheering]

I absolutely agree with what was said above. There is no such thing as a beginning ballet class for a high schooler. You would be in a class with Kindergarteners. I think there's tremendous pressure to pick something and stick with it because otherwise you won't have anything (this is what I love about Allstars).

While we don't want to drive our kids to hard, there is an argument for the fact the the world today is a competitive place and there's nothing wrong with striving to be the best, as long as it does not get to an obsessive level

 

[Getyourcheeron]

I believe they are very competitive sometimes because of the coaches and parents. All they want is the fame and glory (Most of the time for themselves & not the kid) and they want to live vicariously through their kids because they didn't have a chance. You see those Toddlers and Tiaras Parents, the Dance Moms and such but it's not just them. My friend plays select baseball, (which he loves) but his dad pushes him far too hard and even threw him across the garage once. And keep in mind, this kid is 5"8 and weighs 180 lbs. And plus, this lady on T&T said she was over $10,000 in debt from pageants! And it didn't even look like her daughter was that interested! They're teaching kids to be over competitive and to win at all costs no matter what the outcome. As long as you win. It can help kids, but sometimes give them psychological problems for the future.

 

[Getyourcheeron]

lol sorry, but i just got so into that. I love speaking & having debates like this...

 

[kaylaxlaylaa]

This is gonna be kinda short since I'm on my phone (broke my computer.. Again), but I am working on my speech right now and a lot of what y'all have said is included. About how parents are trying to live through their kids yet there are still the good ones who keep the fun in it. Im also talking about how starting younger and younger more "burnouts" and injuries occur which in turn result in kids not wanting to go back to their sports. Specializing young is another topic I'm exploring because specializing young means you may not get other skills you could learn from more sports. Thanks for the input though, keep it coming! It's a semester long class so I'm only breaching the topic this week

 

[KDCheerMom]

I absolutely agree there are many things driving unhealthy attitudes regarding competitive sports and I am sure there are many valid points that have and will be addressed here. On the other side however, there are now so many opportunities for young ladies in sports - that were honestly not available when I was young. This side should be applauded. The positive elements that can be experienced from working hard, working as a team, good sportsmanship and confidence are tremendous. When kept in check - there are wonderful life lessons to be gained and plain good fun. I think most parents/coaches have their right heart in the right place about this. I think we hear about the bad examples and shows like dance moms that have created a negative image.

 

[Nadair5]

This is gonna be kinda short since I'm on my phone (broke my computer.. Again), but I am working on my speech right now and a lot of what y'all have said is included. About how parents are trying to live through their kids yet there are still the good ones who keep the fun in it. Im also talking about how starting younger and younger more "burnouts" and injuries occur which in turn result in kids not wanting to go back to their sports. Specializing young is another topic I'm exploring because specializing young means you may not get other skills you could learn from more sports. Thanks for the input though, keep it coming! It's a semester long class so I'm only breaching the topic this week

I know, when I was in gymnastics, at a young age, around 10, I specialized in tumbling and floor, inside an already extremely specialized sport of gymnastics. Would it have been nice to get the full 6 events? Yes. Am I grateful for the experience I had? I wouldn't give it up for the world.

 

[flyergymgirl125]

You may want to also talk about how kid's childhoods have changed over the years. I remember being a kid growing up in the 60's and 70's and we got our exercise from running around the neighborhood playing kickball, SPUD, tag, cops & robbers, flashlight tag and capture the flag. Plus we rode our bikes EVERYWHERE. It was also safer back then. Our parents didn't have to constantly watch us and our neighbors were like our second parents that kept us in line when we misbehaved and weren't afriad to reprimand us or even punish us. It was more of a community that raised us. We didn't start specializing in sport untill high school and dance and gymnastics class, even pop warner cheer was on Saturdays only or after school.

Nowadays, putting kids in dance, gymnastics, cheer, karate, soccer, t-ball at a young age is one of the ways for them to get their exercise. Also, it is so commonplace. All the kids are doing it so if little Susie wants to hang out with Janie, then what better way to plan a play date is to let them do the sports or activities together. Even in schools today, they have taken away all the regular kids games that naturally involve competiton such as tag, dodge ball and red rover. Oh, any everybody wins. We wouldn't want to leave anybody out.

But if kids are being taught in school to be fair and work together and not play any games that single someone out, then why is there such an increase in competitive youth sports? Maybe because competition is natural and a part of how kids learn when they are growing up. We all can't win and someone must lose--that is just how it is. There is also this increasing trend of having kids be the best at something at younger and younger ages. You see it on Youtube all the time.

So what is the difference between now and back when I was a kid? For one, there was no internet, social media and no youtube. When we won a football game or a track meet it made only the local news. If you were really good then maybe it made state news but thats it. Nowadays we hear news from all over the world in the remote-est of places instantaneously. We are bombarded by the news and what is happening everywhere. If you go on youtube, you will see thousands of videos of kids under the age of 7 doing amazing things and it seems like that is the norm. It almost makes most kids seem mediocre, and no one wants to admit to being "just average".

Hope this helps with your speech.

 

[5-6-7-8]

On the other side however, there are now so many opportunities for young ladies in sports - that were honestly not available when I was young. This side should be applauded.

This!!! There were so few options when I was growing up. I even played basketball on a boys team in elementary school because we didn't have any girls sports.

Some other observations ill add:

1. Competition goes up in youth sports while competition in youth PE / schools is going down / away.

2. Sports at school going away. My elementary and junio high growing up offered competitive sports (competing against other schools.). Not sure that really exists anymore.

 

[HitPullCheer]

Kindof off topic but.. Here, if you aren't in a sport you are going to stick with by the time you are in 3rd/4th say bye bye to your chances of getting on varsity or being good on the team. It's ridiculous.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

It is too competitive when an in house recreational league has to go to a draft for girls 3rd grade basketball and you hear one coach tell the kids not to play there best if they want him to be able to pick them and play with their friends. My CP liked playing lots of sports but when it got to where it wasn't about learning and being with friends and coaches pulling stunts like that just for an in house rec league - we had to focus on one thing.
Wish our school had an after school intramural sports drop in club where kids could come and play soccer or basketball or football or other sports for the fun of it with same age kids and have an adult there to teach themsome basics but have it be about having fun and not the win win win.
When we chose All-Star cheer we knew what we were getting into after being in a rec league that was more about fun for cheer. But when rec leagues get to where they are becoming a competitive as travel teams - at least in the mentality that adults are handling it - then where do you go just to let your kids have some exercise and fun with friends.

 

[CheerBank]

Kindof off topic but.. Here, if you aren't in a sport you are going to stick with by the time you are in 3rd/4th say bye bye to your chances of getting on varsity or being good on the team. It's ridiculous.

It's the same here. My 8 year old (3rd grade) plays travel soccer and is on the B team (which is where he belongs skill wise/competitiveness wise and where he can actually still enjoy playing; it also allows him to still play football as the coach is flexible & understands them splitting practices and that football games take priority over soccer practice) but everyone has already pegged the A team players as the ones who will make varsity. Did I mention they were 8?

 

[INeverStopCheering]

2. Sports at school going away. My elementary and junior high growing up offered competitive sports (competing against other schools.). Not sure that really exists anymore.[/quote]

This is really true. My elementary school did not offer any sports. If you wanted to play something you could do football, basketball, cheer, or baseball for the local rec association. Other than that you were going into private clubs and teams

We did have quite a few middle school sports teams, but the kids who were making it were the kids who played on those private teams. The purpose was not to learn, but to win.