What Athletic result makes it all worth it?
Written by: Phil Roberts (Executive Director of The Yard @ Wire Park)
The journey of youth sports is a long process. Parents, grandparents, siblings, and athletes make huge sacrifices in order to reach goals and achievements. I’ve asked parents what are the biggest sacrifices that they make to participate in youth sports at an appropriate level for their athlete. These sacrifices include:
Financial investment
Weekends on the road or in hotels
Time away from extended family
School work not getting completed because of mid-week training
Kids not having as much “down time”
Kids not spending as much time with friends
Most teams require their players and families to make these sacrifices. Unfortunately, if families are not willing to make these sacrifices, most players don’t develop athletically at the same rate as other players.
So…What makes it all worth it?
A question that I’ve been asking myself and other parents is simple. We understand all the sacrifices. We understand the process. We know it’s a journey. What result from going on this journey will make all the sacrifice worth it? In business or personal life, we know that if we don’t have a purpose, we will never reach our potential. If we do not have an “end result” in mind, the following will inevitably happen:
Frustration with adversity
Lack of motivation to complete day-to-day tasks
Deflecting blame and responsibility to other people
Inability to celebrate “small” victories
Losing focus on relationships with people
Navigating through the journey of youth sports must have the same plan. As parents, we are often fearful to set a vision for our families and children regarding sports. One of the main reasons is that we don’t want to place undue pressure on them to achieve their goals. However, it is imperative that we set goals for and with them. These goals must include an “end result.” Playing athletics will end for everyone. So what will make all the sacrifice worth it? Read the bullet points again through the lens of youth sports. These things will happen for athletes AND parents if there is no purpose. Having a roadmap that includes purpose will make decisions much easier for families and athletes.
