Kids and Sports

[Jumbie]

It's been a while since I posted to this forum (or any other forum for that matter), but I've been doing some informal coaching this summer so this caught my attention:

 

Kids and Sports

 

The questions to you all are, What were your childhood sports like? How were your coaches? Did you have fun? Did you kick ass? How did your parents deal with it?

 

Second, I have to ask about how you plan to deal with your own kids and sports.

[Reverend Jax]

I've been doing some informal coaching this summer

Ah, and with that sentence fragment, about 6 pedophilia jokes come rushing into my head. So Jumbie, what exactly is 'informal coachng'? Do the parents of said kids know that you're spending time with them? OK, ok, I'll stop....

 

I personnal don't have any memories of coaches pushing really hard like in movies and news reports,. No coaches that took it personnaly so you were afraid to lose or anything.

[The NZA]

childhood sports were made for me by a coach that was like a father figure, and taught me to never give up or hide behind shortcomings/handicaps.

 

From age 4 to about 15, between school and summer camp, i was around this guy almost every day. I learned archery to focus my vision, and he forced me onto track, soccer and football when i was older, really made me step my game up and put forth the effort.

 

Looking back, it meant the world to me, and i dont think id be here, training in this line of work, had it not been for him, moreso than any other teacher i had. i cant stress how important a good coach can be for a kid, from my perspective.

[Jumbie]

Well, we can broaden the discussion...

 

I notice a trend towards far more structured activity for kids after school and on weekends compared to the large amount of free play kids used to have. Lots of shrinks have noticed too and they are critical. They feel freeplay has much more benefits not least of which is socialization and encouraging creativity.

 

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'Informal coaching' means they play on their own in the empty area next to my house. I yell at them to tell em what losers they are when I see them do something wrong.

 

OK, of course, that's a joke. But I do sometimes talk to them after they're done playing and give em advice on their technique and approach. They know I used to play and they seem to respect my knowledge. Of course, it could be that they're humouring me since they're playing on my land...

[archangel]

since I grew up in a little town in the middle of Miami (Miami Springs), I was able to have at least a bit of a small town childhood in a big city.

 

It was fun: I remember doing things that I simply don't see anymore: waltz around the neighborhood palying 'hide and seek', going to whoever happened to have the slip and slide up that weekend, riding bike with 10 other kids my age, or close down our own street to play street hockey (this really became popular when we all got roller-blades.) Othertimes we'd all just go fishing by the canals.

 

But today, driving by my same neighborhood, while I do see more kids, I don't see them doing the same things my generation did. They're all either inside or walking to go inside someone else's house. Hell, even Trick O' Treaters have declined in my area, even though we have more younger kids than before.

 

I find it sad.