Dear Erin,
My 12-year-old son plays basketball and baseball. He has the option to play in a spring basketball league. If he chooses not to play, I’m worried he will fall behind on his basketball skills.
If he does play, I worry about the stress on him and our family as he tries to play two sports. What do you think?
— Sporty in Suquamish
Dear Sporty,
Warning: I’m going to sound old-fashioned.
Back in my day, sports didn’t overlap. Wintertime meant basketball; springtime meant baseball; fall was for football. Children had the option to play a wide range of sports without taxing the child or the family.
Nowadays, children need to choose their lifelong sport at a very young age. Never mind a pacifier, give that baby a mouth guard to chew on!
Youth sports have become intense, year-round commitments. This vigorous schedule can lead to burnout. For those who think that this practice doesn’t apply to “true” players, consider this: Davie Freese, the MVP of the 2001 World Series, declined a college scholarship to play baseball because he needed a break. Only after taking a full year off, did he realize he loved the sport.
My advice is to do what is best for your family.
If participating in two sports causes your family stress by driving all over Timbuktu and spending every weekend sitting on bleachers, don’t do it. Your child will be fine. He is still getting exercise and a valuable team experience by playing on one team. Plus, your family will have time for non-sports related fun.
But if your child is up for the double-duty and can juggle two sports as well as schoolwork and other responsibilities, and it won’t place a big burden on other family members, than go for it. Make sure and clear it with your son, though. You may find that he doesn’t have much interest in one of the sports.
And don’t underestimate the value of downtime. Between school and social pressures, sports teams and the constant media our children are exposed to, it seems like our children have less and less time to just be. It’s OK for them to be idle once in awhile. That’s often when creative thoughts take root.
If it’s fame and glory that you’re worried about—and I hope I’m not a dream squelcher—you may be on the road to disappointment. According to statistics from the NCAA, the odds of a high school player becoming an NCAA college player are incredibly slim—and the odds of becoming a pro are even slimmer.
For men’s basketball, only 3 percent of high school players will play in college and there is only 0.03 percent chance of a high school player being drafted to the NBA. Remember, these statistics all assume your child makes the high school team, which is a difficult achievement in its own right. Granted, those odds are significantly better than winning the Powerball lottery jackpot at 0.0000005707 percent. But it does keep things in perspective.
— Ask Erin is a feature of Kitsap Week. Have a question? Write Ask Erin, Kitsap Week, P.O. Box 278, Poulsbo 98370 or e-mail ejennings@northkitsapherald.com.
