Something to Think About

The Sports and Fitness Industry Association says that 70 percent of kids leave organized sports by age 13. This is really sad, considering the hours of training and playing they’ve done up until that point. With most kids playing for an average of 7 years before quitting, surely their sport has become a big enough part of their life for them to want it to remain? Apparently not, which leads one to wonder what’s killing the urge to play.

recent study by Yellowbrick, a mental-health organization whose mission is to help young adults gain independence, suggests that pressure is creating unrealistic expectations for kids and turning them away from what should be good, healthy entertainment and socializing. A shocking 76 percent of the 1,000 American youth surveyed said they were disciplined for poor performance, and that they were pressured to perform well. Coaches were the worst source of pressure, at 42 percent, followed by friends and parents (both 27 percent).

Read the rest of  The study here