More Than The ScoreSample

As the parent-farmers we are, we can’t lose sight of the fun in the journey of youth sports. It’s about the moments in-between games, the road trips themselves, the post-game pizza parties. Our role in some sense is to keep the fun in the game. It’s those in-between moments when we have the opportunity to tell stories, pass on wisdom, and laugh together. 

My family and I have gathered tons of life lessons from our experiences in sports. We want to keep our goals focused on growing the character of our sons and daughters. But what happens when we lose sight of this? The game moves from being grounded in fun to being rooted in fear. 

When this happens, the goal is no longer fun or character-building. No way. Now, the goal is to funnel elite athletes into the college and professional level. This high-pressure system has created massive disillusionment for parents and athletes. These parents are now spending thousands of dollars each year to pursue what are often unattainable goals. Sadly, parents are not only wasting family resources, but expectations are being pushed onto the lives of their children. These are the children who desperately need a system that is based on fun, friendship, physical health, and character growth. Instead, they get caught up in a combine that will spit them out ten years later when they’re no longer useful for the system’s purposes.

The problem is when we parents buy into a lie. We’ve let youth sports systems have way too much control over our children’s lives. We have to look ourselves squarely in the eye on this and agree that change will begin with us. We need to remove the fear-based underpinnings of our youth sports pursuits and replace them with the fun-infused elements that make them what they used to be. 

Many of us have unrealistic expectations for our children, and we’ve allowed these expectations to drag us away from the core principles that should underlie our youth sports programs. Even so, there is hope. We can step in and bring the fun back, and just as with other positive changes that occur in a society, it starts with the behaviors that we teach and tolerate.

We need more parent-farmers to nurture and guide these young athletes well. We need engaged moms and dads who see youth sports for what they can and should be. We need you.

Matthew 9:37-38 says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” In a real sense, the harvest of youth sports is plentiful. But, the character-led laborers are few. You could change that!