For the last six seasons of fall and spring sports the boys have done baseball. I was all set to sign them up for baseball again when they ran into one of their previous coaches and asked to be on his team, but then I decided to switch it up. Too much of sports is specialized these days. Kids start playing one sport and just keep playing that sport. They never experience anything else but that sport and if they end up either not developing physically for that sport or don’t enjoy it there isn’t anything else for them. There is also the fact that different sports use different muscles and allow the body to develop different skills and to learn more rules and thought patterns.
At the boys first every soccer practice all these factors were in play as they were thrown into a scrimmage in a sport they had never played with the thought patterns of baseball players. Baseball is about taking your turn and waiting for your spot in the line-up or for the ball to come to you. After being told for six seasons to not chase after the ball it was time to chase after the ball, and they didn’t understand.
The boys also had the issue of facing children whose parents hadn’t done baseball for the last six seasons and had instead done soccer. In other words the boys were not prepared, and neither was I. Before leaving the house my wife questioned me if we should have gotten them cleats and brought the right socks before practice to which I said, “It’s the first practice. It will be a laid back introduction.” Nope. It was neither laid back nor an introduction. All the other kids showed up in full gear and ready to go. One of the kids even flopped like a Man U player when Windsor accidentally ran into him.
There is also the fact that we haven’t watched any soccer with the boys. I have failed to get them to watch most any sport as they would much rather watch one of their YouTube shows or the Minecraft movie for the seven thousandth time. The coach was also working a lot on off ball movement which some professionals struggle with so I’m not sure how six year-olds will do with it.
Still, it will be good for them. Jumping in now is better than later when they will be even further behind and less understanding of the rules. They have also asked to do basketball in the winter which I am even more afraid of. We also still need to get them swim lessons and all that. In essence I have failed as a parent and they will let me know it.
David Huzzard Writes 