Rod said...
the state champs.
I have a baseball background and some year ago the
powers at the time decided to change age groups to align to the National Champs
(ie to 14, 16,18) - DISASTER !!!! The best thing for local club ball has always
been 13, 15, 17 and well done to whoever it was that changed it back - one of
the reasons baseball numbers are growing again.
To decide on age cutoff
based around the state champs is ludicrous and destined for grass roots disaster
if not done properly.
Why is it that WA is the only state that has a
state champs? Ask any other state and they will argue black-and-blue that we
should not be putting kids as young as 7 through the tryout and rejection
process we do. Frankly I agree.
Tee-ball is for fun, fair play etc etc
etc. Not to tell some kids they are elite and some kids that they don't cut the
mustard. The kids will learn those life lessons when they get old - let kids be
kids, enjoy the game and worry about the sigma of not being picked later on it
life, when they are a little older and wiser.
In my opinion, replace the
state champs with a beefed up lightning carnival - so that any kids can play -
not just the chosen few.
5 comments:
Greg - thank you for pointing out this bloggers comments and I agree with you that it raises some interesting points.
I love the idea of a huge Lightning carnival in place of the state champs. What better way to promote the game then by allowing any player that wants to, to take part and not discriminate based on the opinion of a selection committee at each club that some kids "are not good enough". Regardless of what anyone thinks, when a kid this young tries out for something and is told 'no' no matter how the message is delivered the ultimate message that the kids feel is that an adult is telling them they are not good enough.
Tee-ball is not a high performance sport - it is about the four F's. Let the kids worry about selection to higher honours when they are 12 and playing baseball or softball or cricket or whatever.
Let's include not exclude - we might find more kids stick around.
And whilst I have no knowledge of the baseball experience in terms of age groups , I do see Rod's logic.
Super lightning carnival ? I say YES YES YES
With the year age divisions, say a 10yr old child could be up to 10% younger than a prospective team mate. This is on top of the already differing physical development rates that kids go through.
As with the above comments, it is not fair to tell a kid they are not good enough when its not their fault they have a unlucky birth date, or are physically underdeveloped for their age. That type of negative experience will live with the child for many years to come.
A Super lightening carnival is the way to go!
As a parent, teeball coach and past player, I think children need to be encouraged to achieve in all areas but strongly believe that children also need to learn that they will not be the best at everything they do. We are breeding a generation of young adults who do not know how to lose or fail. I was not chosen to represent my club in the then called 'Interdistricts' competition and honestly it has not scarred me for life! I recognised that there were other players better than me and accepted this and was taught to encourage and support them. The gentleman who said that they can learn this lesson when they are older needs to consider the damage this will do when at 17 the child does not get into his / her preferred UNI course or does not get the job they have gone for if they have not been given the skills to cope with this at a younger age. Also, why should children who are great at something not be encouraged and given the opportunity to shine? I think that more lightening carnivals being run for other players is a great idea but would hate to see "States" discontinued. As parents we need to ensure our children are equipped for life and by encouraging them, loving them and letting them know that it is OK to fail, not making a club's 'states' team will be disappointing but hopefully not be that bad. It is also your right as a parent not to put your child through the process if you are against it or feel your child will not cope with it.
Anon - I am not suggesting we quarantine our kids from such eventualaties until they are adults.
What I am saying is there is a big difference to the coping mechanisms of a 12 yo kid trying out for a baseball or softball state champs team as opposed to a 7 or 8 yo trying out for a tee-ball state champs team.
And whilst I understand your point in regards being parent right to not put our children through the process, you try telling that to my kids when they come to me and tell me that they really want to try out. So do I tell them they cant?
Agree to the last word of this article, every kids are entitled to play not just the talented one or the chosen one.
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