AUG 2015
2015 EDUCATION RESOURCE GUIDE
INSIDE
CALENDAR • EARTH TALK RESCUE SPOTLIGHT • DAD’S EYE VIEW
Your local guide to Preschools, Private Schools, Public Schools and Educational resources!
Focus on Fundamentals A HEALTHY RETURN TO THE BASICS OF AGE-APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT IN YOUTH SPORTS
T
he youth sport movement in Amer ica b egan in t he 19th century with the start of the mandatory-schooling movement. Sports were seen as an important element in teaching “American” values of cooperation, discipline, hard work, and respect for authority. Youth sport opportunities in the early 19th century were facilitated by educators and teachers who were guided by principles of age appropriate growth and development as well as a big picture, long term educational outlooks that focused on the needs and learning abilities of children. And the ultimate goal of team sport participation/education was for America to produce healthy, proud, compassionate, and productive citizens. Competitive children’s activities have certainly evolved since they began in late 19th-century. Starting in the the 20th century, organized youth groups eventually took on the responsibility of providing children with sports activities. This movement was paralleled by the advent in the 1960’s of the self esteem movement - where every child got a ribbon - and a higher stakes college admissions culture, that created a “growing competitive frenzy over college admissions as badge of parental fulfillment.” Check us out on-line at www.oregonfamily.com
(Historian Peter Stearns) Competition was the buzz word of the 1990’s and has continued to ramp up the anxiety for parents in this decade who are seeking the magic solution when it comes to a meaningful youth sport experience. It is hard not to get caught up in the arms race of winning championships, national titles, and world championships for kids aged 4 to 14 playing youth sports in America. Youth sports has thus in the 21st century, e volve d to b e c ome more about the end result and winning rather than the educational pathway for long term development through learning and love of the game. For parents of children in the 21st century, the youth sport scene is a challenging one. Parenting has in fact been deemed the most competitive sport in America as Mom’s and Dad’s seek to navigate the current youth sport culture that has them scheduling personal trainers, budgeting for travel, making appointments with physical therapists and orthopedic surgeons, and purchasing the latest in performance enhancing equipment, all the while giving up f i n d
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family dinners and vacations. It might be then both disheartening and yet welcoming at the same time for parents to know that in 2015, there is now a national crisis within the ranks of youth sports. According to the Aspen Institute’s Project Play 2015 report, kids are leaving sports in a
sig nif ic ant way. 2.6 million fe wer k ids are playing basketball, soccer, track & field, baseball, softball, and football. (Sports & Fitness Industry Association - SIFA data provided to the Aspen Institute,
w w w . o r e g o n f a m i l y . c o m
by Bev Smith
based on 2013 statistics) The reason: “Today, adult led competition dominates and try-out based, multi-season travel teams for as early as age 6, siphon players from and support for in-town recreation leagues that serve all kids. The emphasis of performance over participation happens well before kids’ bodies, minds, and interests mature. We tend to value the child who can help win games or whose families can afford the rising fees. The risks for that child are overuse injuries, concussion, and burnout.” (Farrey, Tom, Game On: The All American Race To Make Champions of Our Children, New York: ESPN Books, 2008) Despite the loss of youth sport participation however, research still shows that kids who are involved in sports are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, get involved in gangs, will have a later on set of sexual activity, and are more likely to do better in school and have positive peer relationships. SO WHAT TO DO? The Aspen Institute’s Project Play suggests that we adopt a sport model that welcomes all children based on broad access which leads CONTINUED ON PAGE 2… PAGE 1