I’ve heard several examples in the past year of high school athletes missing their team’s game or practice because it conflicted with a club game or tournament. They prioritized their off-season sport over their in-season high school team.  

This raises many questions about what kids are learning about loyalty and commitment.

Making this choice demonstrates to both sets of teammates that the club team is more important to the athlete. There are many possible reasons this could be the case. Perhaps the athlete hopes to be recruited, and they need to be seen playing with the club. Maybe the club teammates and opponents are more skilled and challenge them to improve their game. Or perhaps there is pressure (stated or implied) from their parents or the club coach, because the adults are investing a chunk of time and money for the kid to be part of the club.

Where should a kids’ loyalties lie when they’re committed to two teams at the same time? 

School pride

Small communities, like the four I have lived in, take pride in local businesses and agriculture, health care and other services, and their schools. Potential residents will look at what the school has to offer academically as well as extra-curriculars when they choose where to raise their kids. And whether we were raised there or not, we develop pride in where we live, where our kids go to school, where they perform in concerts and plays — and where they play sports.

High school sports are a big part of community pride because they are so visible. Friendly rivalries with nearby towns can create a fun and competitive culture.

Prioritizing club sports poses a risk to team, school, and community pride. Playing for two teams at the same time causes issues for both teams, and surely must cause some internal conflict for the kid.

It’s not hard to imagine a scenario where high school teams could be short half their players for a game because they chose to attend a club practice or game. The club team may thrive while the high school team suffers. The high school team bench could use a few more players, but those who might have been sitting there either quit before they got to high school or didn’t make the cut for the team because they were beaten out — by the athletes who didn’t show up to play. The coach does their best to create a cohesive team but is never sure they’ll have the full team on the court come game day.

Successful teams are built on relationships. It’s hard to build a relationship with a teammate who is pulled in two directions. 

What will high school sports look like in the future?

I often wonder how high school sports will operate 20 years from now. Will club sports continue to rise in importance, eroding high school teams? Or will we reinvent offerings so more kids can participate?

What’s not going to happen:

• Schools cannot discriminate so they can’t prevent kids who play club sports from participating on the high school team.

• Though the AAU’s roots are in preparing highly skilled athletes for Olympic competition, the purpose changed in the late 1970s to supporting and promoting all youth athletes. I doubt that will change. 

What could happen:

• As the divide between school and club sports widens, kids with talent and family resources will prefer to play just club sports. That would open the door for more kids to participate on high school sports teams.

• To balance the club sport culture, high school sports could be offered as intramurals. More kids could participate thanks to more reasonable financial and time demands. And more kids would stay active and enjoy the benefits of playing sports.

What I’d like to see happen:

• A better balance for all kids between sports activities and other important aspects of growing up like academics, family time, and other extra-curricular activities.

• Sports sampling before age 12, with no overlapping seasons. Norway has the right idea.

• Less specialization and more two- or three-sport athletes in high school.

• Club teams that focus on teenage athletes who have the talent and desire to play in college.

• Less pressure on kids to be in more than one place at the same time.

Where should a kids’ loyalties lie when they’re committed to two teams at the same time?

Maybe the answer is to not put them in the position of having to choose.

Read more  

The specialization myth – Lessons from the Driveway

What we can learn from Norway about youth sports – Lessons from the Driveway

 Photo by Merakist on Unsplash