Feature Youth Sites

YOUTH & CLUB SPORTS IN AMERICA

Throughout the country, Youth & Club Sports fill our lives with memorable moments, providing players and families with a true bonding experience. At DigitalSports, we consider Youth and Club Sports to be a vital part of our mission. Whether you are part of a Youth Sports team (non-school sports programs that involve kids prior to High School); or, a Club Sports team (non-school sports at the High School age level), DigitalSports is for you. Club Sports teams that are part of the High School experience (but not sanctioned as a High School Sport) are presented in the DigitalSports High School pages.

For the millions of kids who participate in Youth and Club Sports, DigitalSports provides the opportunity for families, teams, coaches and league administrators to share their achievements, stories and memories. In addition, the same tools, systems and resources that are made available to the High School programs are available for Youth and Club Sports programs.

Starting at Four (4) and Five (5) years of age, parents trust their kids to hundreds of thousands of purpose driven coaches all around the country. We understand the issues parents face when making the decision to involve their child in Youth Sports for the very first time. As a result, DigitalSports is developing a parent education feature, offering forums and research opportunities to deal with the emotional, yet purposeful, world of young kids playing sports.

DigitalSports understands that many of your Youth and Club Sports programs are managed and coached by moms, dads, grandparents and other purpose driven men and women, many of which have their child or children involved in their program. For the most part, these men and women are volunteers who may, or may not, have played the sport they find themselves coaching. In the majority of cases, these men and women have real jobs; and find themselves racing from their office or a road appointment to arrive in time to coach a practice or game (assuming weather has not altered the day!) .

We also understand that far more Youth and Club Sports programs exist today than ever before. Parents everywhere are trying to make decisions that seem to never get easier:

• Should my kid play recreational sports or travel sports?
• If travel is the answer, then… Travel or “Elite”?
• Should the goal of the sports experience include competitiveness or just fun?
• What Camps and Clinics should my child attend? Where are they?
• How many sports should my child play?
• How can I see or prevent “burnout”?
• The list of questions is endless…..

Meanwhile, volunteer coaches are learning a sport, sometimes thrust into coaching duty because more kids and teams exist than coaches. Kids and adults alike are called upon to referee or officiate a Youth or Club Sports game. Inclement weather or poor field conditions lead to cancellations or delays, and moms, dads and volunteers need to be alerted as early as possible so that they can avoid a wasted trip around the beltway. Phone trees get uprooted because the first in line does not answer their phone. Meanwhile, parents are rushing around to get their kids to practice, worrying if they should stay and watch, or avoid “hovering” over their kids.

Around the country, League commissioners and Board members gather late night in small field houses or temporary sheds to discuss vision, policies and issues involving our youth. DigitalSports understands that each and every Youth or Club Sports organization is managed by the local community.

While there are national umbrella organizations providing wonderful benefits, the more difficult decisions are in the hands of the men and women, moms and dads, who live in the communities where their kids play. Local “Policies” regarding the philosophical approach to age groups are evaluated, changed and revisited:

• Every kid getting an “at-bat”
• Rotating kids thru positions
• Equal playing time
• Limited pitch count
• Allow a curve ball?
• Playing weight vs. age
• Draft ?
• Keep score?
• Coach pitch vs. Kid pitch
• Back ground checks on coaches
• The list goes on…

Continued on Page 2...