(WWJ) – This week WWJ and Audacy news stations across the country are doing a deep dive on youth sports, highlighting everything from the mental health benefits to the potential harm if kids “specialize” too soon.
Here in Michigan, an estimated 250,000 kids play high school sports every year, according to the MHSAA. And that doesn’t even include the thousands more who play club sports or on travel teams.
That means there’s thousands of parents attending games across the state to watch their kids play every week. On a new Daily J, WWJ’s Zach Clark learns that kids and experts agree that sports are fun and beneficial to their development.
But they also agree that poor parental behavior can wipe away all of that positivity.
Dr. Eric Herman, a psychologist at Children’s Hospital in Detroit, says from team building and learning how to win and lose respectfully, “there’s so much good about sports.”
That is, “if the adults can keep those things in mind rather than their own child’s individual performance or winning and losing,” according to Herman.
He says certain behavior from parents can not only suck the fun out of sports for kids, it can damage their children. It's also contributing to a shortage of referees, umpires and other officials across many youth sports.
Grace, a volleyball player at Lakeshore High School in Macomb County, told her coach – WWJ’s Taylor Dietz – poor behavior in youth sports can have a negative impact on athletes and their experience, whether it comes from parents, players, coaches or officials.
“I think everyone’s just trying to play their best game and do what they want to do and they love to play the sport. So I don’t think it’s worth getting down on someone for just trying to do something,” she said.
More coverage on youth sports can be found on the Audacy website and the free Audacy app. Tune in to WWJ Thursday at 7 p.m. for a special hour-long program on youth sports.
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