Youth Sports Becoming More... "Complex"

-

Rochester, New York is jumping on the bandwagon. Sandusky, Ohio refuses to be left out. Rantoul, Illinois is making its own big statement. What do these communities have in common? They have all joined the growing trend across the U.S. of creating multimillion-dollar youth sports complexes that will serve expansive communities, attract major travel tournaments and teams, and bring in loads of cash for area businesses. It's official. Sandlot ball has gone Big Business.

That won't be a revelation to any parent whose children have participated in youth sports at any level, especially the travel team level. Costs of equipment, trainers, team "tuitions" and travel expenses can easily reach well into the thousands each year for each child. These mega youth sports complexes are just the latest craze in this crazy, commercialized world of youth sports.

We've come a long way since Joe Tomlin found an empty lot in Philadelphia to begin his Pop Warner youth football program in 1929, in order to keep young boys from vandalizing local businesses. And what would Carl Stotz think of today's youth sports industry? It's a far cry from the humble origins of his first Little League games created in 1938 on sandlot baseball fields around Williamsport, PA.

The City of Rochester spent $2.1 million (through a mix of public and private funding) on their indoor sports complex that will house multi-purpose courts and turf fields, a weight room, locker rooms. Their mayor welcomed the 2020 development project by saying that Rochester youth sports teams would now have "access to the same year-round training opportunities, scrimmages, practice sessions," and sports medicine professionals as their suburban counterparts. (Oh goody. More "year-round training" for kids; precisely what the experts warn against.)

The folks in Rantoul, Illinois have a bigger vision than that. They are about to break ground on a $20 million sports complex aimed to attract people from all over the Midwest. Their plan calls for a 60-plus acre facility that will include eight multi-sport turf fields and eight turf baseball and softball diamonds. Rantoul officials believe the complex can attract massive youth sports tournaments and thereby drive economic development in the area, including restaurants, hotels and retail. Their mayor said he believed this complex "is the economic engine that can take Rantoul into the future." Wow. Who knew how much was riding on our little pee wee athletes' shoulders?

Sandusky, Ohio is going even further. In January they will open their new $32 million indoor Cedar Point Sports Center with enough room for 10 full-sized basketball courts, or 20 volleyball courts. It will complement their outdoor Sports Force Parks located next door, which opened in 2017 and houses 10 multi-sport turf fields. And to local officials, it fits nicely with their famous Cedar Point Amusement Park, especially as they aim to attract more visitors - and business - to the area during the colder off-season months. They seem poised to be correct. In February the new indoor facility will host its first volleyball tournament, with 130 teams participating. That should give local restaurants, hotels and gas stations a nice head start for the year.

According to Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, youth sports complexes are being developed at a rapid pace, with over $550 million invested in such projects just in the last three years. Apparently our kids' sports are not only driving us crazy, they are also driving the economies of local communities all over the U.S. So get ready to hit the road, with even more tournament destinations at your disposal. And don't complain. After all, you did sign your kid up for a travel team.

Interested in youth sports? Get ready to laugh out loud, learn about the "8 Fun-Sucking Sins of Youth Sports," and maybe see a little bit of yourself in the new book, "Daddy Ball - Sucking the Fun Out of Youth Sports, One Kid at a Time." Click here: https://www.amazon.com/Daddy-Ball-Sucking-Youth-Sports/dp/1707919291/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JZEYOMI3XTAD&keywords=daddy+ball+by+doug+rogers&qid=1579130716&sprefix=daddy+ball+by%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-1

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Doug_Rogers/553534

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease

-
Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019: Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children As public conversations around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increase, children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear. CDC has created guidance to help adults have conversations with children about COVID-19 and ways they can avoid getting and spreading the disease. General principles for talking to children Remain calm and reassuring. Remember that children will react to both what you say and how you say it. They will pick up cues from the conversations you have with them and with others. Make yourself available to listen and to talk. Make time to talk. Be sure children know they can come to
Read more

The ten rules for children to be educated about.

-
  The ten rules for children to be educated about. 1. Showing Respect The topic of respect is a vast one; however, it is one of the most important things that children will learn in their young life. As a parent, it is essential that you explain and also show your children what it means to show respect, and how they will know when they are being respected themselves. Respect is an umbrella term that includes many things, including manners, kindness, and politeness. Of course, it is also essential that children understand that everyone deserves to be respected, no matter where they are from or how they look. 2. Authenticity Honesty is the best policy, especially when it comes to a parent and their child. Honesty can be a wonderful and valuable thing if it is genuinely practiced and never taken advantage of. Parents should remember that they, too, need to practice honesty with their children, so that they might encourage them to find value in telling the truth. Additionally, encouraging
Read more

Parents Keep Going You're Doing Just Fine!

-
Life would be awesome if it was filled with people who only cheered us on and supported us and our efforts. Unfortunately, though, life isn't always so kind. Sadly, there are just as many, and maybe even more, hecklers and critics as there are cheerleaders out there when it comes to appraising our parenting skills. Parenting can be tough. Today's social media affects our parenting prowess. It influences the way people see us, as well as how we see them. Studies have shown that Facebook has increased a thing called 'social comparison.' This is not always good since social comparison sometimes increases our apprehension about ourselves and may lead to feelings that our lives lack something. On Facebook, it looks like most people out there are having more fun than we are. However, the truth is that we don't see the whole picture of their lives on Facebook. We only see the photos and posts that they want us to see... And guess which ones they want us to see? You're
Read more

15 Things Kids Want from Their Parents

-
  15 Things Kids Want from Their Parents Although they might seem like it, children aren't too complicated. There are very few things that they request of us in their first years; however, these requests are essential in helping them grow up to be kind, respectful additions to society. As parents, there are 15 main things that children will want from you as much as possible. If you can do your best to provide these things to the best of your ability, your child's future will be brighter than ever. Here are the top 15 things kids want from their parents: 1. A Good Goodnight Going to bed is so much better when parents spend some quality time with their children. Take time out of your day to tuck them in, sing them a song, or read them a bedtime story. If you don't have any books, you might consider making up a story yourself, or telling them about your childhood. Children are very receptive to parents who use their imaginations, too! 2. Affection Showing affection is one of t
Read more

The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short!

-
I know just about every parent I meet is tired. I also know that my oldest daughter just turned 19 years old, and I'm wondering where the years went. And you're probably experiencing the same thing, aren't you? My daughter is now taller than me, so is her younger 16-year-old brother. They are visual reminders every day on how tall my children are getting and how short the years are. So, what makes the days so long for us parents? Well, right from the start, our newborn babies wake up every three hours crying because they want to eat, and then need a diaper change. This pattern of behavior is really hard on us new parents. We are always tired. Parenting is a 24-hour job. I have a daughter that is 19 years old, and I can honestly say that I've had 19 years of disrupted sleep. It's a never-ending job of supervising and worrying about my kids. The years are short because of the naturally high level of activity that comes with being a parent. When we are swamped, which w
Read more