EYEAMCYCLOPS Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 When do athletes ever get a break? Summer this, summer that....Fall ball, club league, travel teams, 7 on 7, summer work outs, ect, ect,....... Is it really worth it?? Give me a break!!!! Shouldn't kids be given time to be a kid? Are moms and dads blind to this situation? Do parents use all this for "baby sitting" purposes? Have any of you high school coaches lost athletes because they are burned out before they finish high school? It seems that kids are trying to specialize is a sport. :thumbdown: Your opinion..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futfan Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Mine get one activity at a time, and not year round, and not all the same. Cross Country, Football, Soccer, Track, and maybe one summer camp. It's not just burnout for the kids, but for us to try to keep up if they did. We try not to be vicarious, that helps. Let them decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzchips Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 it is especially bad in baseball. Have seen many kids by the time they get in HS are tired of fall ball spring season and summer ball. they just get tired of it all the time. But the summer stuff is very overwhelming. 7 on 7, baseball, basketbal, soccer, summer track. It's crazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centexan Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 it is especially bad in baseball. Have seen many kids by the time they get in HS are tired of fall ball spring season and summer ball. they just get tired of it all the time. But the summer stuff is very overwhelming. 7 on 7, baseball, basketbal, soccer, summer track. It's crazy I agree that is does get crazy when kids are involved in everything, but in the larger schools some of those thing are necessary evils, meaning they need to be participating to improve their chances in the sports they play during the year. The 7 on7's, the summer workouts, and AAU Ball help kids tremendously !! My Younger Brother played AAU basketball for three summers and when basketball season came around his confidence and abilities were miles ahead of his teammates and most opponents. In smaller schools, those things are an escape from boredom and trouble !! They ( small school kids) benefit alot from these activities as well!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captcaveman Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 When do athletes ever get a break? Summer this, summer that....Fall ball, club league, travel teams, 7 on 7, summer work outs, ect, ect,....... Is it really worth it?? Give me a break!!!! Shouldn't kids be given time to be a kid? Are moms and dads blind to this situation? Do parents use all this for "baby sitting" purposes? Have any of you high school coaches lost athletes because they are burned out before they finish high school? It seems that kids are trying to specialize is a sport. :thumbdown: Your opinion..... If you don't want your kids to do these things don't let them. Remember you as a parent have final say, not your child, or anyone else. As parents we can say NO! What they do does not have to be a discussion, it never was when I was growing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loftin74 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 When I played ball in highschool, my parents never forced me into activities or summer workouts. I did those things because I wanted to be a better athlete. My coaches never forced those things upon me, they just expected me to at least show up to the weight room every once in a while during the summer. (Work ethic pays off) If a kid is getting burned out with all of the activities he or she is involved in, it is their own fault for signing up, not the coaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifetoshort Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad1105 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I always let my kids participate in what they wanted to participate in while they were growing up. Two of my three children were extremely involed in athletics. Both were multi-sport participants for a time. My daughter ended up with volleyball only as a sophmore and played both school and junior olympic volleyball. It got her an athletic scholarship in college. My youngest son went to just baseball as a junior. We did lay off summer baseball after the sophmore year because he wanted a break. His high school baseball coach questioned his committment to baseball. So we played both summer and fall baseball after that. Every child is different, drive is different, skill level, I could name several more. It all boils down to the individual and what they want from it and what they get from it. Personally I would much rather have my children and see other children participating in sports than drugs or alcohol. Too much free time will get youth in trouble much more times than not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Switchblade Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I never had much free time, but I never wanted it either. I liked having something to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsallheart Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 This is a funny discussion solely on the fact that sometimes neither parent or kid has the option to take a break over the summer. Lots of times presure comes from the coach, in the form of "well its optional but.......you might not start next year if you dont play 7 on 7." Its not right but it happens. I am a big backer of letting kids rest relax so they will be ready for the next year. Plus the way i see it some summer league stuff gets kids into bad habits that coaches have to spend time fixing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackflag79 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Do kids ever get a break? I think the question should be "Do parents ever get a break?" :lol: I'll tell ya, I've got 2 young daughters and they keep the Mrs. and me busy to no end. Basketball, softball, gymnastics, band, cheerleading, church camps, field trips, and I'm sure I'm leaving a few things out. My wife and I have decided to let our children decide on what they want to do. We don't MAKE them do any of it. If they want to try it, we let them. Of course, if we have to pay for it, they are gonna stick with it until the season or session is over. That's one of only three requirements, basically. Another one is for their grades to not suffer. If their grades suffer they will get their extracurricular activities cut. The other is they better do their best at all times, no haphazard attempts. After all, we're paying big money to let them do these things. So far, everything's been good. We haven't had any burnout problems (at least the kids haven't :w00t: ), or any other reason to discontinue any of their activities. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swc4qb Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Most kids will spend the rest of their lives working jobs that are at least 40 hours a week and 50 weeks out of the year. Sports do not even touch those numbers. If the kid is motivated to do it, take advantage of it. I have seen more kids whose parents will not let them be as involved because of the time it takes away from having a JOB or things to do at the house (baby sit siblings). Kids have the rest of their lives to work, let them enjoy being a kid and taking part in sports. How many of us would go back and get after it in everything if we had the chance? I know I didnt take advantage of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futfan Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Do kids ever get a break? I think the question should be "Do parents ever get a break?" :lol: I'll tell ya, I've got 2 young daughters and they keep the Mrs. and me busy to no end. Basketball, softball, gymnastics, band, cheerleading, church camps, field trips, and I'm sure I'm leaving a few things out. My wife and I have decided to let our children decide on what they want to do. We don't MAKE them do any of it. If they want to try it, we let them. Of course, if we have to pay for it, they are gonna stick with it until the season or session is over. That's one of only three requirements, basically. Another one is for their grades to not suffer. If their grades suffer they will get their extracurricular activities cut. The other is they better do their best at all times, no haphazard attempts. After all, we're paying big money to let them do these things. So far, everything's been good. We haven't had any burnout problems (at least the kids haven't :w00t: ), or any other reason to discontinue any of their activities. :thumbsup: Good Philopsophy! You choose, You Stick with it, Adn do your best at it. If you don't like it, you finish, but don't have to do it next time around. Except for finishing their Eagle Scout award, we haven't "made" them do anything, activity-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyUp Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Well I guess that depends on when coaches stop getting hired/fired for kids not winning because they had all summer to "just be kids". Funny how society/parents want to win, but most people think that very little has to be put into something for that to happen. I would love to know how many people on their first day at work went into the boss's office and demanded a raise. If you as a parent, community, school, and so on want the success in your local school's athletic program then understand some sacrifices in your child's leisure time is going to have to be forfeited. I tell kids all the time, someone else is getting better than you right now. I think you hit on a big point here. If a team or individual wants to really excell in their sport of choice, they need to put in the extra time to get better than their competition. I see many athletes that only pick up a basketball when it is basketball season and wonder why they are not as good as the person across from them. Its because they spent their summer playing in select leagues, AAU, etc. to get better and prepare themselves mentally and physically to play. It just depends on how good you really want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
out2prove Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 i can remember in the spring of my senior year, i had a 3 day stretch where i played 18 holes of golf and a baseball game on monday, 18 holes of golf and another baseball game on tuesday and then ran in the area track meet on wednesday...as tired as i was, i wouldnt have traded it for the world...i loved to compete and if it meant playing 7 on 7 and select baseball during the summer, I was all for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorGrad84 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I know with one of my sons the fact he is involved in so many different sports, and other activities, PREVENTS him from getting burnt out. The different sports feed his competitive side. By always having a different sport, it keeps things interesting for him. He works hard to get better in everything he does but it is not to be better for the sake of that sport, but it is instead to beat the other guy no matter the sport. He just wants to win, period. Do I think he does too much? (football, cross-country, basketball, baseball, track, golf, ag judging teams, one-act play, Academic UIL, etc.) Absolutely! But his grades are high, he keeps up with his stuff at home, and he never slacks off in any competition. As long as that stays the same, I'll let him go do what he wants. After all, that's 90% of the reason I wanted my kids in a small school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeport Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I do understand that you can burn a kid out. However, these days do kids really even need a break? I know some parents would like to have their child home so they can go on vacations and things like that. However the other 80% probably dont have anything to do but get into trouble when they have time off. I think keeping the kids busy is a good thing. With so many kids not having structure away from school. They may as well be somewhere safe keeping them from the things that so often throw our kids off track. So they dont need to much of a break! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeport Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I will add this over the summer. Coaches should be very considerate of the students time they get with their familys and also communication between coach and parent are key for summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachc45 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I've always been of the mind that the busier my kids are the less chances for them to find themselves in trouble because they got "bored"! But thats just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyClydePuckett Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 In over thirteen years of coaching I have seen several good athletes give it all up because they were burned out. Kids start competitive sports in some cases before kindergarten. You throw in #### like nicer uniforms than any varsity team wears when they are eight or nine other things like "pee-wee homecoming", etc....... and what do they have left to look forward too? As far as kids specializing I have seen it and in just about every case the kid in question has a subpar year. ESPECIALLY when it comes to Seniors that decide to specialize in just baseball. Personally I am all in favor of giving kids time to be kids but sadly these days that means they sit in the ac and play video games rather than go outside and throw a ball around. This is another reason why kids have no clue as to how to play the game of baseball anymore. These days it is the rare kid that knows what the infield fly rule is, twenty years ago it was hard to find a little leager that did not understand the rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldoglbs Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I know with one of my sons the fact he is involved in so many different sports, and other activities, PREVENTS him from getting burnt out. The different sports feed his competitive side. By always having a different sport, it keeps things interesting for him. He works hard to get better in everything he does but it is not to be better for the sake of that sport, but it is instead to beat the other guy no matter the sport. He just wants to win, period. Do I think he does too much? (football, cross-country, basketball, baseball, track, golf, ag judging teams, one-act play, Academic UIL, etc.) Absolutely! But his grades are high, he keeps up with his stuff at home, and he never slacks off in any competition. As long as that stays the same, I'll let him go do what he wants. After all, that's 90% of the reason I wanted my kids in a small school. Amen!!!! They will be graduated before you know it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielLions23 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I know that most high school coaches don't want to hear this, but the most important season for a basketball player that wants to play college basketball is the summer where they can play against good competition and exposure events. So if my kids ever need a break we will take it during school ball. If the kids have a passion and love for the game they will want to play no matter what. If the kids are having fun and enjoying themselves then I say play everyday and keep getting better. My dad always told me to play while I could, because one day I would be working. I don't buy the whole getting burn't out thing, I think it's an excuse to quit when things aren't going your way. P.S. Yes, I coached high school before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playmaker Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 I know that most high school coaches don't want to hear this, but the most important season for a basketball player that wants to play college basketball is the summer where they can play against good competition and exposure events. So if my kids ever need a break we will take it during school ball. If the kids have a passion and love for the game they will want to play no matter what. If the kids are having fun and enjoying themselves then I say play everyday and keep getting better. My dad always told me to play while I could, because one day I would be working. I don't buy the whole getting burn't out thing, I think it's an excuse to quit when things aren't going your way. P.S. Yes, I coached high school before. I agree u dont get burnt out if you love the game, just an excuse for the ones who dont make it to the next level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxRangers2023 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 i could see if a kid has a passion for one particular sport they would want to play it all the time. many kids like several sports (may or may not have a passion for any of them) so they may get burned out on one of them. i could see where a kid who is playing baseball, golf or tennis right now may not want to play that sport this summer unless they have a passion for it. i'd bet most HS coaches would prefer their athletes to play more of that particular sport during the summer but those kids may not have the passion for that sport like the coach does. i say let the kids decide what they want to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveTV1 Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 If kids want to play, let them play. I never viewed playing sports as too much. Sometimes practices would be boring, but playing the games was fun. Before video games, there was a game always going on. I don't think the kids get tired of it, unless they don't want to play the sport to begin with. If they like to play sports, they'll play from sunup to sundown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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