[XutvJet]

Overall, I think kids club sports has gotten quite bonkers. I'm 48 and live in Kansas City and I can't remember there being "club" level sports for those under ~12. And for those that played club 30+ years ago at 12 and older, you were of the top ~10% in terms of skill as clubs were far and few between. Now most anyone can play club sports, regardless of skill, as they create lower level teams for those players. The parent gets the honor of paying the high club fees (much of it going to the upper level clubs for their travel fees) and in return for the bragging right of your child playing "club sports". From what I see, it's more the parents and bragging rights as their child could give a rat's ass so as long as they're playing with their friend(s). I reality, most of these kids probably should just be playing well organized REC which has higher levels.

IMO, club sports for young kids (12 and under) is just a big cash grab for the clubs and bragging rights for the parents. Lots of parents get it in their head that because their son Johnny can out run, out hit, out throw, out kicks, etc. most of the other kids at 9, he's destined to be a D1 level athlete. When I played HS football, there were SO many parents upset that all of us got better than Johnny as the years went on. Turns out Johnny just got bigger earlier then the rest of us and we all ended up surpassing him at a later age. Most kids that went on to play college sports didn't get really serious about sports until around 14-15.

Then there's the clubs (and many parents) planting the idea that your child needs to be playing club at <12 or else they'll "get left behind". See my argument above.

To be pushing kids to train and play like college and professional athletes is a huge problem, IMO. For one, many don't have the time to play other sports because their one sport consumes nearly all their time. Which leads to #2 which is many become burned out and stop all together. Then most importantly, injuries. Sub 16 y/os are getting the injuries of college/professional players. This is largely because of their training whether it being their bodies worked too hard and their training to do adult-like sporting actions which leads to excessive torque on their body and/or impact/contact injuries. A sports doctor I know says his clientele has been getting younger and younger and it coincided directly with the advent of what we know as club sports today.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

We have a great league with mostly awesome parents and coaches - I've just been spoiled, my son as well. This coach didn't know how to delegate and once he had his starting 9 in his mind - of compliant kids who seemed to be fired up in practices he stuck with them.

I'm over it now - it is what it is. His son made errors on easy plays as did his other choices in the infield.

How old are they?

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

Overall, I think kids club sports has gotten quite bonkers. I'm 48 and live in Kansas City and I can't remember there being "club" level sports for those under ~12. And for those that played club 30+ years ago at 12 and older, you were of the top ~10% in terms of skill as clubs were far and few between. Now most anyone can play club sports, regardless of skill, as they create lower level teams for those players. The parent gets the honor of paying the high club fees (much of it going to the upper level clubs for their travel fees) and in return for the bragging right of your child playing "club sports". From what I see, it's more the parents and bragging rights as their child could give a rat's ass so as long as they're playing with their friend(s). I reality, most of these kids probably should just be playing well organized REC which has higher levels.

IMO, club sports for young kids (12 and under) is just a big cash grab for the clubs and bragging rights for the parents. Lots of parents get it in their head that because their son Johnny can out run, out hit, out throw, out kicks, etc. most of the other kids at 9, he's destined to be a D1 level athlete. When I played HS football, there were SO many parents upset that all of us got better than Johnny as the years went on. Turns out Johnny just got bigger earlier then the rest of us and we all ended up surpassing him at a later age. Most kids that went on to play college sports didn't get really serious about sports until around 14-15.

Then there's the clubs (and many parents) planting the idea that your child needs to be playing club at <12 or else they'll "get left behind". See my argument above.

To be pushing kids to train and play like college and professional athletes is a huge problem, IMO. For one, many don't have the time to play other sports because their one sport consumes nearly all their time. Which leads to #2 which is many become burned out and stop all together. Then most importantly, injuries. Sub 16 y/os are getting the injuries of college/professional players. This is largely because of their training whether it being their bodies worked too hard and their training to do adult-like sporting actions which leads to excessive torque on their body and/or impact/contact injuries. A sports doctor I know says his clientele has been getting younger and younger and it coincided directly with the advent of what we know as club sports today.

It was surprising to me how many parents paid insane amounts of money and pushed their kids to play sports that they wanted nothing to do with. "Little Johnny has a great arm, he is going to be an all-star pitcher one day". No he isn't, because he dreads every second he is out there.

[floridaorange]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

Overall, I think kids club sports has gotten quite bonkers. I'm 48 and live in Kansas City and I can't remember there being "club" level sports for those under ~12. And for those that played club 30+ years ago at 12 and older, you were of the top ~10% in terms of skill as clubs were far and few between. Now most anyone can play club sports, regardless of skill, as they create lower level teams for those players. The parent gets the honor of paying the high club fees (much of it going to the upper level clubs for their travel fees) and in return for the bragging right of your child playing "club sports". From what I see, it's more the parents and bragging rights as their child could give a rat's ass so as long as they're playing with their friend(s). I reality, most of these kids probably should just be playing well organized REC which has higher levels.

IMO, club sports for young kids (12 and under) is just a big cash grab for the clubs and bragging rights for the parents. Lots of parents get it in their head that because their son Johnny can out run, out hit, out throw, out kicks, etc. most of the other kids at 9, he's destined to be a D1 level athlete. When I played HS football, there were SO many parents upset that all of us got better than Johnny as the years went on. Turns out Johnny just got bigger earlier then the rest of us and we all ended up surpassing him at a later age. Most kids that went on to play college sports didn't get really serious about sports until around 14-15.

Then there's the clubs (and many parents) planting the idea that your child needs to be playing club at <12 or else they'll "get left behind". See my argument above.

To be pushing kids to train and play like college and professional athletes is a huge problem, IMO. For one, many don't have the time to play other sports because their one sport consumes nearly all their time. Which leads to #2 which is many become burned out and stop all together. Then most importantly, injuries. Sub 16 y/os are getting the injuries of college/professional players. This is largely because of their training whether it being their bodies worked too hard and their training to do adult-like sporting actions which leads to excessive torque on their body and/or impact/contact injuries. A sports doctor I know says his clientele has been getting younger and younger and it coincided directly with the advent of what we know as club sports today.

YES. 100% to all of that. I have zero desire for my kid to play college sports, he either wants to like I did or he doesn't. For the most part our league doesn't have the cringy psycho coaches I've seen in indoor soccer and elsewhere.

You are right about the travel/club etc being bragging rights, it's a bunch of parents making their kids carry THEIR emotional security and self-esteems in many cases, which is disgusting.

The all-star team my son was on is for 10 yr olds. I merely expected all the kids to play. So I guess my expectations were off.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

YES. 100% to all of that. I have zero desire for my kid to play college sports, he either wants to like I did or he doesn't. For the most part our league doesn't have the cringy psycho coaches I've seen in indoor soccer and elsewhere.

You are right about the travel/club etc being bragging rights, it's a bunch of parents making their kids carry THEIR emotional security and self-esteems in many cases, which is disgusting.

The all-star team my son was on is for 10 yr olds. I merely expected all the kids to play. So I guess my expectations were off.

At 10, agreed, they all should play and have generally equal playing time. When you get into around the 13 y/o+ range and it's club level sports, well then, they are old enough to understand that positions and playing time are earned. This is in a perfect world of course because some coaches do play favorites, give kids a harder time than others, make up their mind that some kid will always act in a certain way thus a constant problem, etc. Teachers can be the same freaking way.

If it were me and assuming your boy is upset by the experience as much as you are, I'd part ways with the team and coach. We did this with a club volleyball coach last month. She was a great coach the first year, but last season, something changed. She was an emotional roller coaster. It was like Good Cop/Bad Cop. She treated my daughter well, but she treated a couple players unfairly, the offense she ran made no sense (basically set the team up for failure), many of the positions she had players in made no sense, etc. I wish I knew nothing about vb because every match last year was like Groundhog Day. My daughter was the best hitter on the team by a country mile, but because most of the other girls didn't want to or couldn't set, she forced my daughter to set. She offered my daughter an automatic position for the next season and told her that she'd be setting again which destroyed my daughter and it tore my wife and I up. My daughter who has laser focus, highly athletic, very coachable, an has a great attitude, simply listened to what the coach said. I told my daughter it doesn't have to be that way if you want to change it. I asked her if she'd want to try other club "open gyms" where clubs get an eye on a player before tryouts. Once she went to another club's open gym and she was allowed to hit and not set, she was like an animal let out of her cage. I've never seen her hit so hard. She been doing open gyms for 6 weeks now and there is much interest in my daughter from the top 3 vb clubs in the Kansas City with them wanting her as a hitter, not as a setter. Even though my daughter (she'll be 14 in 2 months) will not be playing with anyone she knows, she doesn't care anymore. She's realized that her prior teammates (and coach) were holding her back. My daughter wants to play in college and these 3 clubs often turn out D1/2/NAIA level players. The club she was on didn't. My wife and I are willing to do what we can to make that happen for her as long as she remains interested in it. If she gets burned out and quits, that's fine too. She just needs to finish out her season and obligations to the team.

The whole point to this very long-winded response is that if your son wants to play baseball and be happy playing it, find that right team and coach. He'll also eventually have to get used to playing with new kids and that he may be bouncing around from team to team if he's really good. It's also real tough on the parents too as you get close to some of the team parents. Good luck!

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by floridaorange

YES. 100% to all of that. I have zero desire for my kid to play college sports, he either wants to like I did or he doesn't. For the most part our league doesn't have the cringy psycho coaches I've seen in indoor soccer and elsewhere.

You are right about the travel/club etc being bragging rights, it's a bunch of parents making their kids carry THEIR emotional security and self-esteems in many cases, which is disgusting.

The all-star team my son was on is for 10 yr olds. I merely expected all the kids to play. So I guess my expectations were off.

Yeah at 10 everyone should be playing, many kids are still developing skills at that age.

Your approach about him playing is very important. If he wants to play that's awesome. Too many kids told me things like "I'm just playing because my dad/mom wants me to" which is tough because there are kids who would love to play but can't.

[floridaorange]

He loves going to the batting cage and pitching with me. I loved baseball at his age too. Thanks for the feedback - I won't let this 1 overzealous coach ruin his fun or development.

I have cousins that he both watched play in highschool here who were talented players - I'm actually surprised one chose military over college baseball, he is 6'6 and a helluva pitcher. They both can bat too/hit homers. Point being - I know everyone is different in terms of their interests with the life continuum they are on

[UncleWede]

I told my son early on: "I don't care what sport you choose, I will take you/pay for whatever. But you WILL do something, for your physical and emotional health"

Then one day, after soccer and baseball practice, on the way to the pool, he said "Guys, I'm TIRED!" "OK, son, pick what you like best"

Sadly to me, he went with baseball, his least-talented sport. Maybe he wanted to get better, maybe he wanted to ride the pine. But he went all thru HS and much of college playing.

The skill he developed best in baseball, as a catcher, was evaluating the pitcher that day. I see him being a coach in the future, hopefully NOT for youth

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

The skill he developed best in baseball, as a catcher, was evaluating the pitcher that day. I see him being a coach in the future, hopefully NOT for youth

I constantly get asked to coach club volleyball. Screw that. It's the parents that are the primary problem. Many believe their kid is way better than they really are and create most of the drama with the coached. If you've played competitive sports, you can tell who has "it" (a 1%er) and who doesn't within just a few athletic motions.

I play adult competitive volleyball and play with lots of 20 and 30 something y/o club coaches, most ex college players. Many say the worst thing is dealing with the parents. No doubt, you see it all the time. I've told my daughter that she is not allowed to look for me when she's playing. I only yell positive things to the team and not individual players and never ever yell at a ref. Their job is hard and stuff will get missed. That's life.

The only way I'd coach volleyball is by being a mechanics coach where I'd work with kids one on one and have no affiliation with a club. IMO, that's where the real money is and you're not dealing with parents.