Why kids lose interest in sports and what officials can do about it

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Is it fun for kids to play sports anymore? If you haven't been to a youth sports event in a while, take the time to check it out. More often than in decades past, young players -sometimes as young as 6 years old– are playing competitively.

There are many factors that cause kids to lose interest in sports today. Arguably, the more competitive things are at a young age, the less fun it is to play. Plus, there are many other "fun" things for kids to do, like playing video games and watching MTV. When those activities turn destructive, like vandalism or even alcohol or drug abuse, consider if a positive sports experience enhanced by positive people could have impacted a wayward child.

Thankfully, many youth sports situations positively impact kids. Under the right conditions, sports play a vital role in kids accepting responsibility, developing self-esteem and learning team concepts -all tools vital later in life.

As officials, we play a significant role in developing youth through sports. The way we handle situations and people in youth games has an impact on whether a kid's athletic participation is positive or negative. Officials can be a part of the solution.

Speaking at the National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics Judith Harris, director of athletics for the West Seneca (N.Y.) Education Center listed reasons kids lose interest in sports. Portions of her list appear in bold type below. Following each item is how officials can deal with the situation (information supplied by Referee) and help improve the welfare of young children.

1. Poorly trained coaches and supervisors/organizers. Host informational meetings for coaches, parents and others, regarding rules and sports philosophy. The more they know about the game and how it should be played, the fewer problems exist.

2. Over-emphasis on winning in overly competitive programs. There are few worse things than a win-at-all costs coach in youth sports. Gently remind those coaches they're out there for the kids (even if they're not). If problems continue, file reports to the proper personnel. If that doesn't lead to action, assess the entire league. Is it a league-wide problem? Can it be fixed? Consider officiating in a different league that provides a more positive atmosphere.

3. Mismatches between children's expectations and reality. Too much pressure on kids equals less fun. Keep fairly light-hearted at times. Humor at the right time can ease tension.

4. Poor examples of parents, coaches, administrators and organizers. Ensure league rules are established that effectively deal with unruly parents and coaches. If coaches, parents and others screaming at the officials, how can a 10-year-old be expected to show respect? In one youth baseball league, the parents were so ridiculous that organizers removed the scoreboard and simply let the kids play for two hours, no matter how many or few innings were played. No winner, no loser; just kids having fun.

5. Difference between youth-sport coaching and non-youth-sport coaching (attempting to coach youth sports in a similar fashion as the pro or college sports). That goes for officials, too. There's a difference between youth officiating and non-youth officiating. Think about the manner in which you address kids and the way you handle yourself during games. As an official, you can set an example of how to remain calm and how to effectively communicate with people. If you're a screamer, you have the same impact on the kid as the loudmouth coach.

6. Parents attempting to live vicariously through the efforts of their children. Encourage parents at opportune times to get more involved in the process. Being a part of a child's athletic participation means more than dropping the child off and picking him or her up three hours later. As officials, we should constantly search for new officiating recruits. Encourage parents to give officiating a try. At best, the adult will like it and make a positive contribution. Or the adult will try it, quit, but have a new-found respect for the officials. A better atmosphere results, meaning a better experience for all involved.