burnout

[vol4u]

I been thinking about this for awhile then I read about Taylor Hall and wondered how many kids are affected by burnout. I have a daughter who played basketball on an elite team traveling all over the country gone alot of the spring and most of the summer and into the fall tring to be seen by as many collage's as possable. At first she said this is what she wanted to do but looking back I think she played because she thought that's what we wanted. In today's world of high school sports it seems each sport is year round plus if you choose to travel that leaves no time for kids to be kids. My daughter doesn't play travel ball anymore but still playes high school. I told her unless you really loved it you she should just play school ball. She might miss out on a scholship but thats ok I don't know if she wants to play collage ball anyway. The main thing now is she is having fun playing basketball again plus getting to do some things she hasn't got to do the past few years. I know that there are kids who really love to play year round but I bet the percentage is low and with kids playing so much so early I think we will see more burnout in the years to come. I just wanted to throw this out and see what other parents and players had to say.

[ksgovols]

Meh. It's more of a disease at the younger age groups, when you have 8U AAU teams traveling around, but I know what you're saying. It particularly affects marginal kids that have to work their tails off at one sport to try to get some type of college look rather than the true athletes that can play 2 or 3 sports and still get the scholly. The other thing it affects is the other sports at small high schools. Places that should be sharing athletes are fighting over them.

 

I'm not going to put it all on the parents living vicariously through their children. Some of these coaches lives are just as vicarious. My opinion is that all travel sports need to be cleaned up from AAU to USSSA. There are few boundaries for those that want to push them and too many times, the players' best interests are not at heart. It's also my opinion that there should be a 3 month minimum dead period for all sports and it needs to be instituted at the national level since most parents and coaches aren't going to do it. Put up your basketball for half of March, April, May and half of June, put up your glove and bat in September, October and November.

 

Kids get burned out because it never stops and by the time they're in high school, they are spending 75% of their free time working on their sport. Most of the time I don't think it's by choice. Adults get sucked into for $$$. Plain and simple.

Edited September 7, 2010 by ksgovols

[Hoopallday]

Meh. It's more of a disease at the younger age groups, when you have 8U AAU teams traveling around, but I know what you're saying. It particularly affects marginal kids that have to work their tails off at one sport to try to get some type of college look rather than the true athletes that can play 2 or 3 sports and still get the scholly. The other thing it affects is the other sports at small high schools. Places that should be sharing athletes are fighting over them.

 

I'm not going to put it all on the parents living vicariously through their children. Some of these coaches lives are just as vicarious. My opinion is that all travel sports need to be cleaned up from AAU to USSSA. There are few boundaries for those that want to push them and too many times, the players' best interests are not at heart. It's also my opinion that there should be a 3 month minimum dead period for all sports and it needs to be instituted at the national level since most parents and coaches aren't going to do it. Put up your basketball for half of March, April, May and half of June, put up your glove and bat in September, October and November.

 

Kids get burned out because it never stops and by the time they're in high school, they are spending 75% of their free time working on their sport. Most of the time I don't think it's by choice. Adults get sucked into for $$$. Plain and simple.

 

you are so right. Year round activities are not for everybody and burn out can be a case of changing intrest. Some young ladies want the scholorship and some just want to play for the fun of it and both are good reasons to play. But if you are that young lady that wants to play at the next level then you have to play for a good travel team if you are from the Northeast TN area. If you are the young lady that just wants to play then there is no reason to put yourself through the year round grind. Also, I must say if you find a good travel team to play for it is a very rewarding experance and can be a real joy but those type of teams are few and far between. I hope every young lady has the opportunity to reach there dream. What ever they are!!!

 

You are also right about the kids playing for the parents. If this is the case then everybody looses.

[split4or50]

In a graduate class i attended years ago an administrator discussed a national study that stated athletes typically participate in a sport for 11 years before burnout becomes a factor. So if an athlete starts participating at the age of 7 then burn out could start at the age of 18. I wonder if the year round participation has decreased the 11 years?

[myfeethurt]

In a graduate class i attended years ago an administrator discussed a national study that stated athletes typically participate in a sport for 11 years before burnout becomes a factor. So if an athlete starts participating at the age of 7 then burn out could start at the age of 18. I wonder if the year round participation has decreased the 11 years?

 

I know several girls that are excellent ball players that quit playing. They were not burnt out on basketball. They were burnt out on bad coaches, drama and politics.

[Hoopallday]

I know several girls that are excellent ball players that quit playing. They were not burnt out on basketball. They were burnt out on bad coaches, drama and politics.

 

 

Very good point and very true.

[movinonup]

Mine completely burned out during summer camp in June. They had been playing since practice started in November with a couple week break after season, played spring ball, and then practice started as soon as school out for summer. I told her it was ok to quit and it was almost like she saw that I was not forcing her to play, so she was ok (or maybe it was that I told her that she would be able to get a summer job since she would not be playing that made the difference )

[Redog]

I purposely did not let my son play travel baseball at an early age. Started playing travel baseball at a bout 13 and still was not that much - then at 16-17 yrs old played with a high power travel team. I wanted him to love the game and be performing at his highlest level as he got older - when it counted - IF he wanted to go on and play in college - which he did. My middle daughter never played travel anything, but played 3 sports in high school all 4 years - volleyball, basketball, and softball - did not play in college. My youngest daughter/tall for her age - was approached at 8-9 yrs old to play AAU basketball - she didn't want to - didn't make her - again if she wanted to play she had to have the desire to play. She started playing AAU - her choice - at age 13, and played every summer till she graduated. She also "squeezed" in volleyball in high school. She is playing in college now. Both kids that played in college/on scholarship. Different strokes for different folks.... I put a lot of stock in that a kid has to want to play themselves because they want too - not anyone else.

[ksgovols]

I think 13 is a good age too Redog. The kid is making a conscious decision towards his athletic future then. Before that, it's mostly Mom and Dad. He managed to play 3 sports all of middle school and the first 2 years of high school before he had to drop one and it was basketball because of the summer schedule conflicting between all 3 sports. Basketball was furthest away when you're right out of high school baseball and football workouts are right around the corner. June basketball just didn't seem that important.

 

I hate that he had to make the decision. What percentage of kids are prospects? Playing 3 sports should be a worthwhile endeavor even if the kid is a prospect. I'll bet that the scholarships would still rain down if there's no summer basketball and the kids all enjoy their summers being teenagers. The college coaches could watch tape, network with the high school coaches and get the shoe companies and kid brokers out of the mix.

[TitansFan83]

I'll just speak from my own experience from MS/HS Ball.

 

I played ball from 5th grade through 11th and quit before my senior year. I never have regretted it, I am only a freshman in college so I might later but as of now, not once. Basically my life in HS was ball then school not the other way around. It was "open gyms" very strongly (almost mandatory for non-football players) encouraged by the coach. Practices from the 1st day of legal practices until late Feb. - Early March. Then we got about 2 weeks off before off season lifting started. Do that for a bit, then its the summer ball circuit where we would all be on the same team since none of us were good enough to be play college ball so we just worked on the HS plays, etc...

 

It got to the point where one day I specifically remember during the summer before my senior year started. It was our 1st practice of the summer and I woke up, and took a shower. I remember when I got out of the shower I looked myself in the eye in the mirror and said, "Do I want to give 100% this year?" The answer? "No" So I drove to practice, turned in my jerseys and told coach that I respected all that he had done in making me a better player and a better man but that I couldn't give 100% this season so I had to step aside.

 

Again, this is just my story. For every kid it is different. This was just an 18 year old guy's point of view.

Edited September 25, 2010 by TitansFan83

[BigDaddy_1]

I'll just speak from my own experience from MS/HS Ball.

 

I played ball from 5th grade through 11th and quit before my senior year. I never have regretted it, I am only a freshman in college so I might later but as of now, not once. Basically my life in HS was ball then school not the other way around. It was "open gyms" very strongly (almost mandatory for non-football players) encouraged by the coach. Practices from the 1st day of legal practices until late Feb. - Early March. Then we got about 2 weeks off before off season lifting started. Do that for a bit, then its the summer ball circuit where we would all be on the same team since none of us were good enough to be play college ball so we just worked on the HS plays, etc...

 

It got to the point where one day I specifically remember during the summer before my senior year started. It was our 1st practice of the summer and I woke up, and took a shower. I remember when I got out of the shower I looked myself in the eye in the mirror and said, "Do I want to give 100% this year?" The answer? "No" So I drove to practice, turned in my jerseys and told coach that I respected all that he had done in making me a better player and a better man but that I couldn't give 100% this season so I had to step aside.

 

Again, this is just my story. For every kid it is different. This was just an 18 year old guy's point of view.

Good heart felt post and being honest with yourself and the coach.

[wingman10]

I'll just speak from my own experience from MS/HS Ball.

 

I played ball from 5th grade through 11th and quit before my senior year. I never have regretted it, I am only a freshman in college so I might later but as of now, not once. Basically my life in HS was ball then school not the other way around. It was "open gyms" very strongly (almost mandatory for non-football players) encouraged by the coach. Practices from the 1st day of legal practices until late Feb. - Early March. Then we got about 2 weeks off before off season lifting started. Do that for a bit, then its the summer ball circuit where we would all be on the same team since none of us were good enough to be play college ball so we just worked on the HS plays, etc...

 

It got to the point where one day I specifically remember during the summer before my senior year started. It was our 1st practice of the summer and I woke up, and took a shower. I remember when I got out of the shower I looked myself in the eye in the mirror and said, "Do I want to give 100% this year?" The answer? "No" So I drove to practice, turned in my jerseys and told coach that I respected all that he had done in making me a better player and a better man but that I couldn't give 100% this season so I had to step aside.

 

Again, this is just my story. For every kid it is different. This was just an 18 year old guy's point of view.

hope you enjoy your gour yrs in college