Thirty-something speaks
Youth sports are ruining the seasons
Mike Maddock

Somebody somewhere once said, "It's good to see the seasons change!" That's exactly how it used to be when I was growing up…at least in sports. The Southern seasons don't change much just from warm to hot to melt- your- eyebrows hot. Sure, there's an occasional brief splash of winter, but generally, Southerners judge seasonal change by what sport is on television, not by the color of the leaves.

Unlike the real calendar where the New Year starts in January in the dead of winter, Southern seasons begin in the fall with the start of football. Basketball brings forth winter, and baseball kicks off spring and continues through summer until football season starts again.

That's how it used to be…plain and simple.

I'm afraid that's all changing now, and it's because of youth sports. Youth sports aren't seasonal anymore outside of high school. Baseball and basketball leagues play year round. Football games are still only played in the fall, but it takes a 365- day commitment to prepare for those ten to 12 games.

Soccer hasn't quite captured the adoration of the American television audience, but try finding a parking spot on a Saturday morning at the Columbia United soccer fields off Polo road. After 30 minutes or so of searching, it's apparent more than half of the pre- pubescent population of Columbia is running up and down those fields.

Soccer, like baseball, is a year- round sport, and both have traveling teams with names like academy, club, and elite.

When I was little, the only traveling I did was on a basketball court. I wore a baseball glove for three months total, and soccer was just for those kids too scared to play football…like me. I actually did play football for two years, but my stellar career came to an end in the third grade. That's about the same time everyone started getting bigger than I was.

But I digress.

I loved to play every sport as a kid, but the only way someone could have convinced me to play anything year- round would be to guarantee me the best post- game snack imaginable. The small Coke and tiny bag of Cheezits would have to have been replaced by a Big Gulp Mountain Dew and pint of Baskin Robbins chocolate chip ice cream. Cash would have been nice too.

Kids are becoming too specialized too young, but it's a sign of the times. The University of Kentucky head basketball coach just offered an eighth grader a scholarship. I don't think that middle schooler drew that much attention that quick by playing T- ball.

It's no wonder parents are getting a little crazy. Youth sports used to be for fun and trips to the concession area. Now scholarships may be on the line.

My eight- year- old daughter is trying out for a soccer team. My five- year- old son is being asked to give up the tee and hit a coach's pitch. They don't know that might be a little too much to ask of them, but I do.

So what am I doing? I'm driving my daughter to tryouts and pitching to my son between games. Don't judge me, that Kentucky coach may just be watching.