Youth Sports should be rooted in the fun

By Kacee Hoffer

Nationals, D1 or Bust, travel team, out of state competitions; we put so much stress on kids to perform at such a young age that we forget what youth sports is all about: fun.

I was by no means the best athlete, or diver, or honestly nor did I have the best attitude towards my performances. I believe I worked hard and aimed for high goals. Twelve years dedicated to the sport of diving and still I never made a national meet, I didn’t even have a reverse dive until two years into my diving career. But I can say everything that diving gave me that makes me a better coach. It gave me my work ethic, my determination, how I approach challenges and how I am able to see the progress.

I am not saying the things we do we shouldn’t aim to do our best. I am saying we limit ourselves, our athletes and our sport when we only look at the elite level. I am a coach who is just as thrilled to cheer on my national qualifiers as I am the diver who got his first front flip after struggling to get it for a year. Each diver has their own level of accomplishments and we as coaches and parents should celebrate each milestone.

Every kid has a different story and different journey. Us as coaches aim to bring out the best in them. That starts with creating an environment rooted in fun and enjoyment for the sport. That fun is killed when we focus solely on performance and what level they can achieve. The goal of youth sports is the development of their character.