The Roanoker March/April 2022 - 14

The home front
Sporting
Chance
A
written by Christy Rippel
W
hen I was 12, I was cut
from my community's
select softball team, in
suburban Maryland.
When I was seventeen, I
was one of the top recruited softball players in
my state, and earned a full scholarship to play
for the University of Georgia. I tell you that
story for a couple of reasons. First, think about
that. A kid is cut at 12 who earns a full ride at
17. This was in the 1990s. I would argue that
in today's sporting culture, that 12-year-old
gives up the sport, and never throws a softball
again, convinced she lacks talent. She would
miss out on years of fun summer teams and
lifelong friendships.
Second, that scholarship didn't work out. I
was in a situation that didn't fit, and I transferred
to Virginia Tech, where I donned the
orange and maroon and happily played with
no scholarship money. Those shiny scholarships
that are whispered promises by travel coaches
are mostly a mirage. Even in my case, where I
was in the less than one percent (one percent!)
of kids who earn them, it wasn't to be.
I'm on the other side now, in the bleachers,
on the sideline and pool deck watching my four
kids compete in everything from swimming
to soccer, lacrosse and basketball. My oldest is
16 and my youngest is eight, and I've logged
enough hours in the stands and on the field
that I believe I have something to say on the
importance of sports, the role of parents and
those shiny scholarship promises. Mostly, I've
learned by getting it all wrong. But if you want
to start on second base, instead of fumbling
around in the on-deck circle, here's my advice
for parents of young kids as you start in the
sporting game.
SAVE TRAVEL SPORTS FOR MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL.
Yes, you can find travel sports programs
for six-year-olds, and no, you shouldn't do
it. Every parent thinks his or her kid is the
next LeBron James, Alex Morgan or Tiger
Woods. You have a better chance of winning
the lottery or being struck by lightning than
grooming the next super athlete. Allow your
kid to explore as many things as possible in
elementary school. Sign up for flag football, the
neighborhood swim team, t-ball, whatever your
local rec organization provides. Signing up for
travel sports in the first grade is a fear-based
parenting response - you see the neighbor do
it, you fear your kid won't keep up. I say this
because I've done it and wish I'd chosen differently.
Truly exceptional talent will rise to the
top, but only if they aren't burned out on travel
lacrosse by fifth grade.
FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS AND TEAM
VALUES, NOT RESULTS.
Before they've left elementary school, a young
athlete is convinced of his or her prowess, or
lack thereof, often because of feedback from
parents and coaches. Kids develop at different
paces, and puberty is a game changer. Don't
take any of it too seriously so early, and restructure
your car conversations before and after
practices and games. Ask if they had fun. Tell
them something you notice that they did better
than last week, or last year. And hammer home
Is it a pipe dream to believe we can
set a new youth sports culture?
that we play sports to learn how to be a teammate,
to understand what hard work means,
to weather challenges. My two youngest are
swimmers, and no sport is better at championing
individual improvement. Maybe you didn't
win the race, but did you shave a second off
your time? Amazing! Your goal should be to
create a love of movement, because a kid who
loves moving his or her body will be healthier
for life.
BANISH YOUR SCHOLARSHIP DREAMS.
I don't mean squash your kid's scholarship
dreams-if they, independent of you, are working
towards a college scholarship because the
motivation comes from an internal fire that
burns inside them and it's achievable based
on their talent level, wonderful. If you have
employed a private coach and set up a mandatory
practice schedule so you can earn them a
scholarship, not wonderful. Again, the cream
always rises to the top. Truly incredible talent
and the right mix of intangibles will find
the path. If a scholarship is the only worthy
outcome, your family will most likely be disappointed,
and what a shame - there were likely
so many victories along the way.
With a lot of parenting trial and error, I've
learned that when my kids stand on that high
school graduation stage, I want to know I
supported them, without pushing them toward
goals that were really mine. It's spring season,
parents. Let's cut up the oranges and buy the
Gatorade, and cheer them on. Sports really
should be fun. Let's let every young athlete
have the chance to share in it. I
CHRISTY RIPPEL is an award-winning freelance writer, covering lifestyle, design, health and parenting. A VT graduate, she likes to bike and walk local trails. When she and husband Chris
aren't watching the Hokies, they watch their four kids compete in sports. Christy is a Maryland native and lives in Roanoke County.
14 MARCH/APRIL 2022
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