The Elite Travel Team Youth Sports Industrial Complex

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Here is an interesting article on ESPN. Would love to hear some comments on this one...


http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/...ll-teams-make-youth-sports-industrial-complex

 

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I'm going to go out on a limb and comment before reading the article. We'll see whether I'm right.

I will guess that the writer believes that we all have things way out of perspective, that almost all travel coaches are horrible people and in it for their own ego and/or money, that no families really want to play travel or select ball, but do it only because they are afraid their kid won't get to play in high school or college, etc, etc, etc. We've read this book a million times.

And since it is a national media source, it won't surprise me if the writer calls for some type of regulation to get things "under control."

 

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Glad to report I was only partially right. He limits it to pre-teen teams. And he makes some excellent points about the obsession with self-esteem in today's world. Better yet, he doesn't call for some federal department to regulate youth sports teams.

Happy to report that I was at least 50% wrong here.

 

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I would but I don't click on ESPN links, and only watch ESPN if that's the only channel that is showing the game I want.

Everything they put on is bias, agenda filled, POO!

 

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Bad reporting which is typical for ESPN. Reporter didn't even try to make it balanced. He went in wanting to bash travel and that is what he did. In his defense it is a commentary.

Some truth there but if you explore the positives it far outweighs the negatives.

Good travel ball teams promote personal responsibility and accountability. They teach girls to set goals and achieve them. To work together as a team. For families it an opportunity to bond. How many non-travel sport parents spend as much time with their kids as we do. It is a wholesome environment that keeps them busy. Yea we spend money but it is well worth it. I love the time I spend with my DD and I love watching the games. I love the atmosphere at the tournaments and seeing old friends. Beats the heck out of sitting on the couch watching TV for all of us.

If the reporter knew half this he might have a different perspective but he writes out of ignorance. JMHO

 

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Many orgs promote good grades, healthy eating habits and proper warm-up techniques.

Here in Ohio, we have studies being done by the Cleveland Clinic in association with the Akron Racers to understand girls muscles more and more.

Many of the problems of ACL's in 16u girls today.. is from being taught wrong techniques for hitting and shifting of their muscles when throwing when they was 9 and over. Here in Ohio, people are trying to stop that .. with more and more orgs shifting to clinics to include 10u as well. Developement at 10u properly.. saves many injuries down the road. Proper taught mechanics is the key.

There is a place towards the bottom of the article to email this writer. I took the time and did so and gave him this link.

I also told him his parent company, Disney, is probally one of the worst when it comes down to making money off of youth sports.. when it comes to USSSA World Series. It's a cash cow.

Sound off to him. Hopefully, he comes visit the OFC website and see how we promote great relationship, health, good grades and the many other things .... versus boys sports like he talked about.

Disgusting article and just opinionated..... I told him I think he son didn't make the elite team and he was venting.. versus a good article with some reasearch. :lmao::lmao::lmao:

It's stupid thoughts like this.. that makes OHSAA be led to believe that they should watch out over all sports in Ohio, 365 days a year. ( See Columbus Dispatch article awhile back).

 

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Here is a picture from the Elite World Series website:

http://www.usssabaseball.org/the_elite_world_series.htm

 

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Mark T. You wanna ring in on this one?

 

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So wait a minute, If I sat on the couch when I was a kid, I'd be fatter now? Dang, that's what I should have done!! Pushing maximum density at 130.....

 

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Mark T. You wanna ring in on this one?

I read the article - and like Joe I thought I knew what was going to be covered. Especially coming from an ESPN writer. Most of it sounded completely over the top negative, but some rang true. Before I try to voice my opinion on this article let me check a couple things.

The article slams the Cali organization that builds diamonds complexes, charges entry fees, checks coolers and backpacks, charges rediculas food and drink prices, calls their events "elite"..... Hmmmmm - DISNEY WWOS...check

The article slams parents for writing local paper articles, sending in pictures to the paper, comparing 10u teams to other national teams...... Hmmmmmm - DISNEY RISE...check

The article berates coaches for making the "next level" sales pitch (at some age it is a bit crazy I admit)..... Hmmmmmm - DISNEY RISE WWOS new "Showcase" event business plan...check

The article bemoans the lost innocence of simply playing pickup games in the park, playing for fun, being a kid.... Hmmmmmm - ESPN host of networks responsible for ranking HS sports stars, broadcasting HS games, made for ESPN All-Star HS games, in our neck of the woods the "Lebron, Prior" effect.....check

You simply can't take anything these writers say seriously when you understand where they are coming from. What is going to happen when they figure out that kids go to certain HS's because of the drama department, the math teachers, the science classes, the dance teacher, etc. Oh my gosh - and those crazy parents that actually send their 10/11 year olds to that "elite" piano teacher in the Short North. Who do they think they are? They will be all over that story.

Ok now for my opinion.....oh ****. I have already wasted enough brain cells on this yoyo. I live in the town Disney built. I hear this **** from them every day. You get used to it after a while......check

 

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The one thing that was acceptable to me was that he limited his comments to teams that are mainly 10 years old and younger. But yes, had he known his own company, he would have acknowledged what Disney does and included them in on the criticism.

This column was far less offensive and misguided than the Columbus Dispatch "series" last year that was simply a hit job.

 

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That Columbus Dispatch job was a "hit" on youth sports indeed, Joe. And it scares the heck out of me that OHSAA is looking to regulate ALL SPORTS, 365 days a year.

Should scare the heck out of all of us that government ( and OHSAA is government under the Ohio Deparment of Education umbrella ) departments feel they should regulate summer sports.. even when the kids are not in school.

This is why I am so against Junior High "school sponsored" softball. Why give them the chance to regulate 11-12 year old girls ?