A Boycott on Youth Sports? Why?!

Not long ago a group of parents in the suburbs of Minneapolis/St. Paul took on one of the most powerful institutions in America: youth sports. These Minnesota-nice folk did the unheard of--they launched a boycott of youth sports on Sundays.

Is this really a problem?

The parents were fed up with the brutal schedules many teams demanded of their children. They were appalled when kids were benched or ostracized for missing Thanksgiving tourneys or New Years Day practices. They were worried about the increase in overuse injuries student athletes were suffering. They felt compromised when coaches pressured them to chose Sunday sports over faith services. Some of the parents were coaches and former athletes who were disheartened that many kids are so burnt out from youth sports, that the majority drop out before they even make it to high school. It challenged their sensibilities that some coaches' decisions seemed indisputable.

What to do?

Other parents urged them to do something. Still other parents who had already complained to sports leaders offered cautious support - they knew how intractable the problem was. Grandparents hoped this meant that they'd be able to see their grandkids somewhere other than the sports field. Educators, pediatricians and mental health providers weighed in on the importance of rest and balance for kids' healthy development. And some brave youth sports leaders - against tremendous pressure to conform to a culture that demands more and more involvement - admitted their own concerns that team schedules are out of hand.

An edgy solution

In June 2006 Taking Back Sunday was launched. Feathers were ruffled. Some sports leaders were upset with Balance4Success' use of a boycott to get attention. Some blamed competitive parents for pushing coaches to groom their kids for greatness - and college scholarships. But very few parents complained. Many took action. Some said they'd pull their kids from Sunday sports, others said they were rethinking what and how many teams their kids should play on. Against the coach's protests, middle-school hockey moms united to pull their boys from a Friday night practice to attend their first school dance. A group of high school seniors boycotted their award-winning danceline to protest their coach's punishing practice schedule.

The New York Times showed up as did the Today Show, PBS, Fox News, Minnesota Public Radio, KFAN - in fact all local and many national media covered Taking Back Sunday. Authors of four books profiled the parent's innovative solutions to a complex problem.

An important mission for tomorrow's leaders

While the parents' tactics were dramatic, their mission is simple and reasonable: to support kids in replacing hyper-busyness with balance. These parents, the leaders of Balance4Success, advocate for parents, kids and all who care about kids - including many coaches - who are alarmed about youth sports' monopolization of family's lives. They know there are other important problems in our world. And they fully support the best intentions of youth sports and the many people who devote endless hours to kids' athletic development. But they know that today's youth athletes are tomorrow's leaders. And to be prepared to lead our world, they need lessons on balance, restraint, discernment, self-direction, resourcefulness, self-care, the value of family time, rest and organic play - and many other life skills best learned off the field, given the time. And, maybe more important, that underscheduled children get a chance to access the benefits of youth sports that are monopolized by cultural over-investments in the achievements of privileged kids.

An important conversation has begun, but there is more work to be done. Join Taking Back Sunday. Talk to other parents about what Balance4Success is up to. And come see what we're up to now.