Earlier this year, Ohio’s Gilmour Academy girls’ basketball team had a playoff game, which they won—big. They beat Northeast Ohio Prep by 107 points. Yep—107—that’s not a typo. The final score: 108 to 1. That’s not a typo either. While this type of score stings, the sting of losing goes away, and soon it doesn’t matter; at least it shouldn’t matter.
That lop-sided score got me thinking about what we think about sports in today’s culture. We worship sports, don’t we? It also got me thinking about our family’s experience of sports as we had four kids playing a variety of organized sports from young ages through high school and college. One memory in particular came to mind. It’s been almost 15 years since I was watching my eldest child play her heart out in the last game of her high school field hockey career. When the final whistle sounded and she walked off the field after a 1-0 playoff defeat, she cried. It was over, and it ended with a loss.
I remember that as I was driving home from that last game I thought back through the years of watching Caitlin play countless games of field hockey, soccer, softball and a variety of other sports. She was a good athlete whose love for play and dogged determination had brought her lots of success on the field. During the drive, I also got to thinking about what kind of sports parent I’d been to Caitlin in the previous dozen or so years. While I remembering thinking how I’d hoped I’d done it all the right way, I realized I had done some things wrong.
No doubt, you are ministering to many of the 30 million kids participating in youth and/or school sports in America, so it’s a good idea to think seriously about your response to their use of their God-given athletic abilities. Research seems to point to the fact that perhaps we’re doing our kids more harm than good. A survey conducted by Michigan State University found that 70 percent of our kids will drop out of sports by age 13. Their reason: Because adults (mostly parents) have turned playing games into a negative experience that isn’t fun anymore. It’s also probably not surprising that legions of young kids who are pushed to play at higher and higher levels at younger and younger ages are getting seriously injured at unprecedented rates. National surveys estimate that each year, there are about 3.5 million sports-related injuries to kids under 15. At the time they should be looking forward to teenage years full of sports, they’re too burnt out and hurt to play.
Without a doubt, youth sports can provide many benefits. There’s the benefit of good health and improved physical fitness that comes with athletics. Sports can teach cooperation and teamwork. Play can be fun, and there are lessons to be learned about life from winning and losing. However, rather than reaping these benefits, too many kids are paying the price that comes from too much pressure to win or be the best. Before they’re halfway through elementary school, many kids already have chosen one sport to specialize in and play year-round. They’ve been placed on premier teams that practice several days a week and then travel here, there and everywhere for weekend games and tournaments. Times have changed since most organized sports were organized by kids who converged on a neighborhood backyard after school. The only shouting done by adults were the shouts summoning kids home for dinner. When it came to play, 10-year-old kids couldn’t get enough. Today, they say they’ve had more than enough.
As I thought about what kind of sports parent I’d been, several guidelines I’d learned from my own experience came to mind. I think they might be worth passing on from this parent to the parents in your youth ministry. Here they are:
First, if they haven’t been blessed by God with athletic ability, encourage but don’t push them. I coached baseball for 12 years. On more than one occasion, I had a young player show up who had very little natural baseball ability; despite lots of practice, things didn’t improve greatly. From time to time, these kids have a mom or dad who thought their son was destined to be the next Mike Trout. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sadly, these unrealistic expectations make the game anything but enjoyable for everyone involved. The element of fun soon disappears.
Second, if they have been blessed by God with athletic ability, encourage but don’t push them. Yes, we have a responsibility before God to equip and encourage them to do their best by playing up to their abilities; but too much pressure to be the best has been the straw that breaks the camel’s back of lots of young athletes with great potential.
Third, let them have fun. Baseball is a game. Football is a game. Soccer is a game. Hockey is a game. Basketball is a game. Games are meant to be played. Play is meant to be fun. Experts say that when the enjoyment is gone, it’s usually not long until a young person walks away. Let them play and have fun as children. That’s what they are.
Finally, teach them how to win—and lose—with dignity. Perhaps the best way to get that message across is to love them whether they win or lose. I’ve talked with too many teens who feel as if their parents’ love and approval hinges on the final score. That’s too bad. They’re all winners if they’ve played to the glory of God.
Remember how Caitlin cried after her last game? After a few minutes and a couple of hugs she was smiling again. Sure, the loss hurt, but when put into the perspective of her entire life and God’s eternity, Caitlin realized that her final loss really didn’t matter that much. After all, it was only a game.
