Adults think they can fool kids (and their parents) but they can’t.
“There has forever been an unwritten rule at my gym that no person leaves without being fist bumped or dapped up.
I try to take it a step further and tell each person how much I care about them.
This is no longer and unwritten rule.
It’s in stone.
This stuff matters.”
-Ray Zingler on X
Do you know what telling and showing a kid you care about them does for them mentally?
It can change the trajectory of their life.
Sure, one “good job” followed up with a fist bump may not set their world on fire, but consistently giving kids affirmation and encouragement helps our youth at scale like nothing, and I mean nothing else on this earth can compete with.
“I believe in you buddy, you can do this” can literally change the entire game for kids. But for some reason many adults have trouble with this.
Sure, they’ll say the politically correct things at the parent meetings and at the end of year banquet, but they aren’t living the code in their day to day lives, which is why we are seeing an epic downfall of our youth sport model and participation.
It’s not trust, love, and development that is guiding adults in our youth sports landscape anymore. It’s greed, power, and politics.
When you do things for the right reasons, people know.
When you do things for the wrong reasons, people know.
However, the sad reality is that in today’s landscape, there is far more bad than good, which limits a lot of options, despite the perception of abundance.
This leaves our kids with having to either play in spite of the current dynamic or walk away entirely.
I share the number all the time and will do so again now.
70% are walking away from sports by age 13.
If the system wasn’t entirely broken would we see this never before seen mass exodus from youth sport?
Hell no.
But what an opportunity for people who truly want to make a difference, to immerse themselves in the mix.
There has never been another time in human history where our kids deeply needed big picture minded adults who give a shit about them than right now. I mean truly, truly give a shit about them.
I’m not talking about the fake say what ya need to say PC nonsense to look the part to ensure the checks clear.
I’m talking the real stuff.
Make sure they know you care.
If you’re unsure, they probably don’t.
And if they don’t, you’re contributing to the problem.
Solve problems or get out of the way.
