Youth Sports

There is not much we can do about the negative aspects of youth sports. It is a part of our culture. Yes, they start way too young; yes, the coaches and parents are often out of control; yes, most youth are involved in way too many activities and sports; yes, it is offensive for sports to happen on Sunday morning or so early on Sunday afternoon that it eliminates church. But we are not going to have a major impact on changing this. A few thoughts about what a church can do:

• Have coaches' and parent's forums to teach good practices and use the forums as social pressure for good behavior
• Encourage a sense of experimentation for children and younger youth – trying out various sports, learning the basics. Let them become serious when they hit High School
• Be alert to physiological issues for a child/youth: wincing in pain when the move wrong; swollen joints; signs of exhaustion; depression caused by their sport. Report to the parent.
• Gently ask questions about the appropriateness of a particular sport for a particular youth: If their parents are both under 5'10” question whether basketball is the best sport for them.
• If the athletic event is important enough, cut them some slack about coming late or leaving early for a church event. I usually push back with the parent as much as possible but eventually allow it.  I have had parents drive an hour each way twice to retrieve their child from a confirmation retreat and then return them after the match. I have had parents apologize later and regret having their child miss part or all of the church event
• I once had a family get a schedule changed: the youth was a star for the team, they could not win without him. The family told the coach that they would not miss church.  Period, final. Somehow the schedule for that team managed to miss Sunday mornings. :)