Star tribune artucle

[greybeard58]

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/ki ... 85181.html

[imlisteningtothefnsong]

Grey, that is a very good article, and sadly very true. My one counter point is while I have spent $$ on my kids and their sports, my comment to them has been constant; "If you continue to make good choices, I will continue to you fund Your dreams. If you go and bugger it up, I will fold up my check book and spend my money else where." I don't care if it's piano lessons or god help me, soccer games, it's their childhood, I will help them enjoy it. My feeling about it is I will never want their dreams more than they do. After reading that article, I reflect back on all the different events my kids have played at and much of that info is spot on.

[JSR]

In the article he states:

Parents justify their financial outlay by saying that they’re increasing the child’s chances for a college scholarship or, down the line, a lucrative professional career. But a look at the numbers shows they might be deluding themselves.

If that is true that is sad and unfortunate because it is just not realistic. While I spend alot of money on youth sports, I have no preconceived notion that any of my kids are ever going to play any of their sports beyond high school. We use sports as a way to teach our kids how to work their hardest to become the best they can be in something they love so that someday when they figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives they will love what they do and work as hard as they can at it. If they do that then I know they will succeed and they'll do so in a field they love being part of, whatever that is.

That said I know ALOT of parents who also spend alot on their kids athletics but I've only met a very small few who do so in the misguided belief that their kids will get a scholarhsip or play professionally. Makes me wonder what kinds of errors they made in their study. There is some truth in what they say in the article but I think some of it is to generalized and not substantiated enough.

[InigoMontoya]

I realize that this is not an article published in a professional journal, but I finished this read with more questions than answers. For example, my first question would be, how exactly do kids know how much money is being spent on them.

The follow up question would be, is that why my kid won't wear his retainer - because I've spent so much money on his teeth that he feels pressure about having nice teeth, and therefore is less motivated to have nice teeth?

[DrGaf]

I realize that this is not an article published in a professional journal, but I finished this read with more questions than answers. For example, my first question would be, how exactly do kids know how much money is being spent on them.

The follow up question would be, is that why my kid won't wear his retainer - because I've spent so much money on his teeth that he feels pressure about having nice teeth, and therefore is less motivated to have nice teeth?

My kids know EXACTLY how much i spend/spent on his/her hockey ... and every other bill I write out on a monthly basis.

DAD: Hey kid, look at this ... $1800. You better win at least one tourney.
SON: That's like mowing over a hundred lawns.
DAD: Double that. I found you the work, I get $5 per lawn.
SON: What?!
DAD: We call that an "Administration Fee" in the business.

***Precious lessons about corporate culture/finance can never be taught too early.

[InigoMontoya]

Sounds like he'll be into you for a home on the lake as soon as he gets his signing bonus.

[nahc]

The article crosses all sports and doesn't single out one spefically. I have seen this in all sports from boys hockey to girls lacrosse. Parents truly believe if they spend the money, their athlete will be able to play at the next level, ie D1 sports..........and this is when the kids are 9 and 10 year olds. Multi-sport athlete numbers are dwindling due to the extreme focus on a single sport which is perpetuated by parents but ALSO coaches. I can't speak for outside the metro area but sure hope its differant.......

[Mite-dad]

I spend all that money so someday my kids high school team might finally beat one of those damn private schools.

[InigoMontoya]

All coaches want their teams to have multi-sport athletes...as long as it doesn't interfere with their off-season programs.

[Mite-dad]

All coaches want their teams to have multi-sport athletes...as long as it doesn't interfere with their off-season programs.

Funny you should say this. My oldest boy's football coach wants him to gain 20 pounds this summer........all the while going to strength/agility/skill training, playing baseball 4 hours a day Mon-Thurs, playing hockey 2 nites a week and going to voluntary football practice two nites a week. I'm thinking he could lose 10 pounds. Course his mom wants him to work on the neighbors farm as much as possible too. LOL.

[lilgretzky99]

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/ki ... 85181.html

Grey,

Great article! This really hits home with hockey. The money parents are throwing out is crazy.

Are parents spending money:

A) To allow the kids to live their dreams?
B) Parents living their own dreams?
C) Getting the edge/advantage?
D) All the above?


Of course I love when parents say. "Youth sports is out of hand. I remember when I was a kid and I played hockey, baseball and football. I only concentrated on the sport in season. I played varsity in all three sports, I didn't need to play one sport all year long".

Yet their kid is only playing hockey. Playing all year long. Attending each and every clinic available. Now the latest craze is evolving into laptop schools to get that extra advantage.

So my question. When and who decided that kids had to play one maybe two sports and that's it? What decade did this happen?

At one time youth sports was all about the kids interacting with each other and learning to work as a team.

Now it has evolved into:
Every kid for himself.
Get the advantage.
Do every clinic.
Dry land, dry land, dry land.
Weights, weights, weights.
Trainers, trainers, trainers.
Lap top school, lap top school, lap top school.

When our kids were mites starting out in hockey. The acting high school coach met with all the parents. He said. Take a look around this room. He said maybe 2-4 kids will play varsity hockey. He mentioned the odds to make it.
He then said. If you took all the money you invested in youth hockey and add it all up. It is thousands of dollars. He then mentioned if you invested that money. You would benefit much more and the money would add up over time. I thought that was great advice. Very interesting!

Kicker? This guy now owns a laptop private hockey school.

Do you see what I am saying? Some where along the line the reckless spending by parents is ruining the game, ruining youth sports. How do you have a coach putting everything into perspective. Forewarning the parents what they were getting into. Now he owns a laptop school charging $13k+ a year? It's because parents will stop at nothing to get the advantage. Spend, spend, spend. Youth hockey has literally turned into buying your kids talent.

Is this good for the sport?

Two years ago. One of the dad's on our AAA team was chuckling. He said he couldn't believe that kids in Minnesota play hockey all year around. He couldn't believe his son was playing summer hockey. You see this dad was from Sweden. He said kids in Sweden don't play hockey in the summer. I asked why it was so funny. He said something like 6 of the top 10 NHL draft picks were kids from Sweden. He said. We develop kids differently and it seems to be working. I asked him. Why is your son playing AAA summer hockey. He said his son doesn't want to fall behind in development. He see's all the other kids playing all year long so he thinks he has to play all year around.

It's a crazy hockey world.

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

Of course we are increasing their CHANCES at college or professional puck. Ice time is ice time, more practice can only help.

The incorrect assumption by this author is that we think we are improving their chances by large margins or spending $ in direct correlation to our players development. That part is false.

Hey son... Want to tryout for HP or Elites or xyz so you can have a better chance at the national team or a big time D1 program? Nope.
Hey son... Want to rink rat stick handle shoot pucks play summer camps lift weights eat right so you can play the game you love and do your best at HP or Elite league or varsity tryouts? That's the one.

My son and my checkbook and his chauffeur worked our butts off since mites. He had a chance to be an incredible and highly recruited players. I can honestly say I am not even 1% let down. He's a great kid and has worked so incredibly hard. What he got, what we all got, from this game is much bigger than a D1 scholarship. I'll do the same for my daughter. Enjoying it every step of the way.

[Nevertoomuchhockey]

I spend all that money so someday my kids high school team might finally beat one of those damn private schools.

This.

[Defensive Zone]

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/ki ... 85181.html

Grey,

Great article! This really hits home with hockey. The money parents are throwing out is crazy.

Are parents spending money:

A) To allow the kids to live their dreams?
B) Parents living their own dreams?
C) Getting the edge/advantage?
D) All the above?


Of course I love when parents say. "Youth sports is out of hand. I remember when I was a kid and I played hockey, baseball and football. I only concentrated on the sport in season. I played varsity in all three sports, I didn't need to play one sport all year long".

Yet their kid is only playing hockey. Playing all year long. Attending each and every clinic available. Now the latest craze is evolving into laptop schools to get that extra advantage.

So my question. When and who decided that kids had to play one maybe two sports and that's it? What decade did this happen?

At one time youth sports was all about the kids interacting with each other and learning to work as a team.

Now it has evolved into:
Every kid for himself.
Get the advantage.
Do every clinic.
Dry land, dry land, dry land.
Weights, weights, weights.
Trainers, trainers, trainers.
Lap top school, lap top school, lap top school.

When our kids were mites starting out in hockey. The acting high school coach met with all the parents. He said. Take a look around this room. He said maybe 2-4 kids will play varsity hockey. He mentioned the odds to make it.
He then said. If you took all the money you invested in youth hockey and add it all up. It is thousands of dollars. He then mentioned if you invested that money. You would benefit much more and the money would add up over time. I thought that was great advice. Very interesting!

Kicker? This guy now owns a laptop private hockey school.

Do you see what I am saying? Some where along the line the reckless spending by parents is ruining the game, ruining youth sports. How do you have a coach putting everything into perspective. Forewarning the parents what they were getting into. Now he owns a laptop school charging $13k+ a year? It's because parents will stop at nothing to get the advantage. Spend, spend, spend. Youth hockey has literally turned into buying your kids talent.

Is this good for the sport?

Two years ago. One of the dad's on our AAA team was chuckling. He said he couldn't believe that kids in Minnesota play hockey all year around. He couldn't believe his son was playing summer hockey. You see this dad was from Sweden. He said kids in Sweden don't play hockey in the summer. I asked why it was so funny. He said something like 6 of the top 10 NHL draft picks were kids from Sweden. He said. We develop kids differently and it seems to be working. I asked him. Why is your son playing AAA summer hockey. He said his son doesn't want to fall behind in development. He see's all the other kids playing all year long so he thinks he has to play all year around.

It's a crazy hockey world.

I would say: B) Parents living their own dreams. I have coached youth sports for 34 years and I can honestly say the parents have become very driven and more controlling than ever.

[black sheep]

if you spend a lot of money your child has a chance to advance if the talent is there.

if you don't spend the money your child has less of a chance to advance even if the talent is there.

im thinking about the crazy parents of a girl in my youngest sons grade, they buy her books all the time and she over doubles the next closet kid in book points every year. what's she going to be a pro book reader?

[InigoMontoya]

They're called editors.

[Defensive Zone]

if you spend a lot of money your child has a chance to advance if the talent is there.

if you don't spend the money your child has less of a chance to advance even if the talent is there.

im thinking about the crazy parents of a girl in my youngest sons grade, they buy her books all the time and she over doubles the next closet kid in book points every year. what's she going to be a pro book reader?

Yes, a very knowledgeable “pro book reader” who will probably earn a 36 on her ACT test. Ivy League school...here she comes!