I didn't know there were such things as club sports when I was younger and I graduated high school only ten years ago. Athletes when I was younger played 2-3 sports through out the year. You very rarely saw athletes committing to only one sport. Even when we were just young bucks we played soccer, t-ball, football, basketball and if we weren't at practice or games we were out running and jumping being kids. Even through high school I remember getting up early to lift, go to school, go to practice then after practice go do more physical activity. But today kids are committing to ONE sport in middle school. Working with hundreds of club volleyball players through out the week I always ask the girls what other sports do you play and they look at me and laugh then proceed to tell me that they don't have "time" to play other sports because they have to commit all their time to one sport. It breaks my heart. It really does. A lot of these girls are so talented but are stuck playing one sport because of politics and coaches with big egos. It's a flawed system based on ignorance.
Parents ask me all the time how can my kid become a better athlete and I tell them have them play more then one sport. Well little Jimmy Smith doesn't have time for that. Kid has pitching practice, then batting practice, then practice practice, then speed and agility then he needs to go home and study and make grades. Can't hang out with friends. Poor little tink tink. Then these kids come to us with over use injuries that are extremely predictable. We explain to the parents that the kid needs an offseason and guess what little Jimmy ain't got time for no offseason. Well then little Jimmy is going to just become another injury statistic. Long term this is deteremental to the kids growth both mentally and physically. Another reason is there are bad coaches who don't understand movement patterns and what proper jumping and running should actually look like. So they instill this poor motor patterns into your child and you as a parent have no idea. Then they have no idea how to physically prepare your child for their sport. No credentials to be a coach. Think about it you wouldn't trust a doctor who got a weekend certification but you'll trust a coach who got their certification at a weekend seminar? C'mon you're better then that.
Its funny the club girls we train leave our facility in the best shape they have ever been in and then when they return from their high school season they are back to the worst shape they have ever been in. Parents open your eyes. Don't let your kid be another statistic. Have them play more then one sport. Let them have an offseason. Let them be kids.
Coach B
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