the craziness of youth sports these days

[TimSJ]

I posted this in the gear grinder but thought it might warrant its own thread for some discussion.

The amount of people and companies that will try and bleed as much money as possible out of you in youth sports these days.

The amount of showcases, scouting combines, spring hockey, winter baseball etc. It is getting ridiculous.

Had a baseball one this morning "xxxx would really like Will to attend the xxx Showcase later this month that i sent you after seeing him throw last night, they placed 9 of 18 seniors with scholarships last year from Atlantic Canada"

He's 13 in grade 8

no scout is looking at or cares about him.

The showcase is $275 for a couple of hours in the fieldhouse. Crazy.

its just constant and it doesn't matter what the sport is It is very easy to get sucked in to chase the dream

[undercoverbrother]

It has been years and years since it wasn't like this.

It's funny, the kid I know with the best shot of "making it" hung up his skates at the end of every season and didn't pull them out again till mid-August.

This boy (who my is the same age as my son, 16, and buddies with my son) just went in the first round of the WHL draft.


I will also add that those parents that didn't play sport at a "high level" are generally the worst at being sucked into dropping tonnes of money.

[Ozy_Flame]

Hockey seems to be overtly expensive, more than most, no?

I remember soccer being a relatively easy and low-barrier sport to play. And scouts would (apparently) show up in the stands here and there during some of the games. I never got a call back for anything but I don't recall my parents having to pay extra for things like skill development or combines.

I suspect these things are more sophisticated now and much more of a business.

[TimSJ]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Hockey seems to be overtly expensive, more than most, no?

I remember soccer being a relatively easy and low-barrier sport to play. And scouts would (apparently) show up in the stands here and there during some of the games. I never got a call back for anything but I don't recall my parents having to pay extra for things like skill development or combines.

I suspect these things are more sophisticated now and much more of a business.

Hockey may take the top spot for crazy in this country for sure but i really dont thin it matters too much anymore particularly if your kid is playing at a higher level

I think Soccer is getting just as bad too. While I was waiting for my son at the fieldhouse last night i ran into a good friend waiting for his kid who was doing soccer on onne of the other surfaces. He was telling me they run 2 hours/4 nights a week in the winter plus there are a bunch of other things they are "expected" to attend

[DownInFlames]

Bring on the Hunger Games except with hockey parents competing to the death.

[Calgary14]

I have a 4 year old son in skating lessons. He can barely keep his balance on the ice for more than a few seconds. We got a flyer for a "junior Flames training session" in the spring for 4 year olds. He has never held a hockey stick. I didnt look at the cost but found it to be a bit excessive

[TimSJ]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

It has been years and years since it wasn't like this.

It's funny, the kid I know with the best shot of "making it" hung up his skates at the end of every season and didn't pull them out again till mid-August.

This boy (who my is the same age as my son, 16, and buddies with my son) just went in the first round of the WHL draft.


I will also add that those parents that didn't play sport at a "high level" are generally the worst at being sucked into dropping tonnes of money.

It certainly isn't anything new and I agree with you specialization is happening way too early.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by TimSJ

It certainly isn't anything new and I agree with you specialization is happening way too early.

THere are football clubs in Europe that 'pick up' children for their pre-Academies.

Like, this is nuts:

Four-year-old footballer scouted by Arsenal while still in nursery

I knew that existed, but that's definitely not a Canadian thing (although a few premier English, Spanish and Italian teams have satellite offices across Canada for youth programs).

Who knows how it all really goes unless you're on the inside.

[Slava]

Watching the Olympics the other night and they were talking about a snowboarder who had their family move from wherever else in the US to Colorado so that they could build their own park to train in. Like sure, it's obviously a party for rich kids, but that strikes me as insane. I can't imagine uprooting my family and everything for snowboarding, but maybe I'm a terrible parent.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by Slava

Watching the Olympics the other night and they were talking about a snowboarder who had their family move from wherever else in the US to Colorado so that they could build their own park to train in. Like sure, it's obviously a party for rich kids, but that strikes me as insane. I can't imagine uprooting my family and everything for snowboarding, but maybe I'm a terrible parent.

To be fair, there's a HUGE difference between going all-in on nurturing olympic-level talent and having lil' 4 yo Johnny in every camp and skills class before he can even skate.

Edit - furthermore, look at all the athletes that still uproot to move to our area to train... I would think snowboarding is far more marketable than the vast majority of Olympic sports... Can you imagine moving your family across the country to train for luge? At least a snowboarder at that level has some shot at recouping costs through sponsorships, etc... The luger? Not so much...

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Hockey seems to be overtly expensive, more than most, no?

I remember soccer being a relatively easy and low-barrier sport to play. And scouts would (apparently) show up in the stands here and there during some of the games. I never got a call back for aning but I don't recall my parents having to pay extra for things like skill development or combines.

I suspect these things are more sophisticated now and much more of a business.

High level soccer can be bad, although maybe not quite as bad as hockey. Tournaments in the U.S, Provincial teams in addition to club teams etc. But the money grab pressure is in every sport now.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

THere are football clubs in Europe that 'pick up' children for their pre-Academies.

Like, this is nuts:

Four-year-old footballer scouted by Arsenal while still in nursery

I knew that existed, but that's definitely not a Canadian thing (although a few premier English, Spanish and Italian teams have satellite offices across Canada for youth programs).

Who knows how it all really goes unless you're on the inside.

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/m...6Soccer-t.html

Soccer in other parts of the world- when it comes to the pressure on youth, is 10000000x more insane than hockey in Canada. The only difference is the professional clubs always foot the bill.

I encourage people to read the article above I posted to see the pressure on youths in European soccer academies.

[CliffFletcher]

We took our daughter out of cheer because of the craziness. The uniforms, fundraising, hyper-competitiveness, out of town trips. Switched to community basketball and everyone is so much happier.

It really is more about the parents than the kids. For a certain kind of upper-middle-class parent, elite kids sport is the main way to signal status and parental investment. It’s not accidental that most families can’t afford the time and money.

And it’s definitely getting worse. U.S. data, but the amount of money spent on organized kids sports almost doubled in a 10 year period to $15.3 billion. In the U.S. it’s partly driven by desperation to defray the cost of college with sports scholarships.

https://time.com/magazine/us/4913681...-190-no-9-u-s/

[GirlySports]

It's not only sport, music is 100X worse.
And even in education, going into extra private classes and tutoring then sending your kid to a Ivy League school.

[nfotiu]

My kids are 13 and 15 now. Older one played fairly competitive travel soccer, and younger played baseball for a travel academy. Both are done with those sports now, but I never really minded paying money into the clubs they played for. They were run by people really passionate about their sports and were able to do that for a business. They weren't making crazy amounts of money, but they money we spent to paid coaches and facilities, and I think structure and skills developed were good for the kids. The soccer club had a pool of money for unprivileged kids with good skills to play free.

I liked both those paid programs much better than the seasons of parent coached little league. 1 season I was a coach, a couple others I wasn't. There was so much parental fights and screaming and politics and drama in that, that just wasn't there in the paid coach programs.

They both are into golf now and the younger one is starting to play a bit competitively, and I find that a way better sport for kids enjoyment and my enjoyment. His baseball training has served him well, and I get to golf a lot again. Far less politics in golf too. You make the teams based on your score and that's it.

[The Fisher Account]

I have a two year old girl. What are the cheapest, most engaging, where the parents aren't crazy sports for her... that aren't soccer?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

I have a two year old girl. What are the cheapest, most engaging, where the parents aren't crazy sports for her... that aren't soccer?

Would have to say Swimming? And then martial arts (karate, taekwondo etc..) when she's 5? My girls did those and it's pretty blah. We're not going to the Olympics or anything.

[ah123]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

I have a two year old girl. What are the cheapest, most engaging, where the parents aren't crazy sports for her... that aren't soccer?

Not sports perse, but gymnastics is probably the most engaging and fun thing for a two year old. When my daughter was 3-4 we put her into a program at a place called “Little Gym” in Airdrie. They specifically catered to programs for kids under 12.

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Would have to say Swimming? And then martial arts (karate, taekwondo etc..) when she's 5? My girls did those and it's pretty blah. We're not going to the Olympics or anything.

Oooh good one. And it's indoors too.. bonus!

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Would have to say Swimming? And then martial arts (karate, taekwondo etc..) when she's 5? My girls did those and it's pretty blah. We're not going to the Olympics or anything.

I don't think I've ever hated a sport as a parent as much as swim club!! The parents were fine, and I'm sure it is different here. But those swim meets that lasted 3-4 hours that we had to stand around for in 100 degree heat (parents can't in the pool) to watch our kids compete for about 3-4 minutes tops were awful memories! Not to mention every meet seemed to have a 1 hour lightning delay right before my kids were supposed to go. It was great for making them good swimmers though, so I don't regret it at all, but man that was a trying year!