Like so many things, there has been a great bifurcation that eliminates "normal." You have kids with 3 sports-injury surgeries by 18, who spend teenage years in a "training camp" run by Dad. And you have kids who never ran a mile in their lives. Not much in between!
Like so many things, there has been a great bifurcation that eliminates "normal." You have kids with 3 sports-injury surgeries by 18, who spend teenage years in a "training camp" run by Dad. And you have kids who never ran a mile in their lives. Not much in between!
@Empty_America I can't believe non competitive "sports" like geocaching aren't more popular among parents Seems like the exact right middle ground
@Empty_America Even the neighborhoods make it hard to get in the middle. UMC neighborhoods don’t have many kids around for low stakes chill play. Everyone is busy.the society for it is gone.
@Empty_America Meanwhile in countries that still produce great athletes, kids are binding rubber bands into soccer balls and playing in the streets.
@Empty_America Couldn't have said it more . Took over the strength and conditioning for my nephew highschool team because the coach had the ego lifting weights way to heavy for them as well as not doing mobility work to help resist injuries
@Empty_America Trying the thread this needle now and, out side rural schools it’s hard because of the professionalization of kids sports. (A secret factor, tho not the total reason, is “this might help get Johnny or Susan into college” thinking).
@Empty_America When I was a teenager, used to be on a swim team that was divided into age and competition-level groups. Team decided to get rid of the older teenager, more casual group, forcing the kids there (who mostly did it for fitness) into the competitive tier.
@Empty_America It's why I really enjoyed Rugby in high school, no one in my family knew anything about it so there was no pressure to practice in off-season.
@Empty_America This is a general intensification we see across all systems. Things aren't 'fun' anymore. Play and physical activities don't = sports. Even PE used to have less of a sports focus. Look at 1950s Laban-inspired UK curriculum. The Dutch are good on this. See athletic skills model.
@Empty_America Most play theorists would say that if a children's activity is organised and observed by adults, it's not play. Bring back play. If it's organised on a spreadsheet, it's not play.
@Empty_America It would probably die tomorrow if sports were not related college admission/scholarships.