Soccer - "The Un- American Activity"

The reason most kids quit sports by 13 isn't always because they had a bad experience. Before high school, it's normal for kids to try different activities, see what they like and what they don't like. Once they get to junior high or high school, they have a good idea of what those likes and dislikes are. Maybe sports aren't for them, but art, drama or music is. Nothing wrong with that.
Of course, as has already been mentioned, there are other factors such as work and the opposite sex.
Even if a kid isn't cut out to be a varsity athlete (or even a JV athlete) he or she should still find some sort of physical activity to enjoy so he or she can stay healthy, however.

 

I found some info on the web, take it for what it's worth.

The male participation in high school sports has stayed the same in 30 years, increasing approximately 2%.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0779930.html



The population has increased almost 50%.

http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/census.html

 

I would think you have account for certain geographical differences...in highly affluent communities, you have more 'elite' leagues (aka, 'try out' for the privilege of paying a couple grand to participate), more private lessons, more parents willing and able to run kids around to three different sports, leagues, etc.  Other communities you may just have house leagues, less pressure, less 'status' involved....maybe more fun.

 

Well, if we took away all the Gords & Dougs, there'd be 3 men left in the country.

 

At the rink where I work I see a lot of kids involved with expensive, one-on-one instruction, skating with parachutes, stickhandling around pylons etc. during the day - in other words when they should probably be in school.

At the end of the school year last week our rinks were flooded with kids starting summer hockey schools. How many of these kids will burn out and get sick of hockey because of the incessant year-round training? Plenty, including many with real talent.

How in the world did Canada produce outstanding players not too many years ago who didn't play the game 12 months a year? Back then guys who might have played baseball or lacrosse or spent their time swimming or riding their bike or hanging out with friends. Not skating with a fucking parachute iun the middle of July while some slimy hockey-school operator with questionable credentials as an instructor rips mom and dad off for big bucks...

 

I've watched enough youth hockey to be dangerous and I think those camps / clinics/ ect have in general made the sport a lot faster at a younger age. There are a lot more kids flying around the ice.

In the US - If a kids want to have a chance to play D- 1 hockey its pretty much a necessity that they do that stuff.

 

Interesting...just read a story in the local weekly paper about how so many kids are being pulled out of school for private lessons, practice time, etc, and whether the schools can do anything about it.

Quote from one psycho mom, paraphrasing: 'I called the teacher and said, 'He will have his homework done, and he will get all A's, and if you can't handle that, you will have a real problem with me!'

 

Good point, Boom. A lot of these summer camps have dry-land components so those faster, younger kids are also getting bulked up. Can be a recipe for disaster at a young age.

And you're right, plenty of US kids flock here for those camps.

 

Yeah I don't know how they make all that work either. And it's not just hockey at our place. There is a weekly figure skating class on Fridays from noon - 2 p.m. with plenty of little girls who look like they should be in grade 2 or something.

 

http://www.bluestreakst.com/about.aspx

Above is link to example of one of youth training centers -

12 session program for hockey is about $900. Besides ice time they even put the kids on high speed synthetic ice thread mill.

For kids who want to play hockey that is what you are up against. Just hitting sticks and picks for an hour on sunday won't cut it any more unless kid is second coming of Bobby Orr.

 

So by age 6 or 8 or 10, the kid is exclusively dedicated to hockey or some other sport. No time to learn an instrument. No time to develop an interest in the arts, or physics, or engineering, or films, or anything that could make one well-rounded.

Then the ones that don't burn out eventually run out of talent and become .... low-level coaches and personal tutors !

 

For most sports that has pretty much become true. Hockey even more so because of the skating element.

One of few sports left where a kid can show up in 9th grade a have a chance at playing is football. the work they have done in other sports will help them.