COVER STORYSOCCER BURNOUT?
The Pulse! No. #49
COVER STORYA massive epidemic of sports burnout is affecting normal, healthy children throughout the United States. As many as 70 percent of all children who participate in youth sports drop out, and many of them are burned out, by the time they are 13.
"It's a huge problem," says Gary Allen, who is director of soccer coaching education for the state of Virginia, "especially in an area like this where there are so many kids playing soccer. Parents put them into highly competitive situations before they really know how to play the game. If they don't enjoy it, they quit."
The burnout/dropout phenomenon is not restricted to soccer nor to a particular area of the country. Coaches and officials in baseball, tennis, golf, foot- ball, swimming, and other sports are lamenting the shrinking pool of talent caused by kids who just don't want to play anymore. The reasons vary from child to child, but the bottom line is that we are driving our children away by the millions from something that is supposed to be fun, rewarding, and long- lasting.
Too Soon Have you heard of wee-ball? It's T-ball for three-year- olds. Parents routinely enroll their children in swimming and gymnastics classes as toddlers. An official of the American Junior Golf Association recalls the parents of an 18-month-old boy calling and asking about golf lessons for their baby. Is pre-natal tennis on the horizon?
Ron Quinn, Ed.D., a member of the United States Youth Soccer Coaching Committee, says that the Olympics might actually hurt youth sports. "The Olympics set us back because we get all of these stories on television about athletes who began training when they were four. The message comes through that children have to start early to be good. But the sooner we start them, the sooner they quit."
Too Much By the time some children reach the age of 12, they have won, lost, traveled, had cheerleaders, worn uniforms, attended banquets, and been awarded more trophies than most adults accumulate in a lifetime. Why keep doing it for another four or five years? "A good experience that goes on too long can cause burnout," explains Virginia psychologist John Heil, D.A. "Parents try too hard to get too much of an edge too soon,"
Too Many Kids crash and burn because of the sheer number of practices and games they are forced to play, regardless of when they start. A travel baseball team in suburban Atlanta plays more than 100 games in a season. An under 12 girls' softball team in California competes in as many as nine games during a single weekend tournament after having played two or three games during the week. "The softball schedules for some girls' teams are crazy," says Maria Mendoza, women's softball coach at Tallahassee Community College in Florida
Wrong Reason "Parents make mistakes by emphasizing performance instead of enjoyment," thinks Heil. "
They get caught up in wins and losses and statistics. I call it a downward spiral of professionalism. These people, especially young coaches who are trying to make a name for themselves, have the idea that more is better. The lesson that the top athletes in the world have learned is that overtraining leads to decrements in performance. They know that the right amount is the best amount."
Early Success In addition to too much, too soon, and playing sports for the wrong reasons, there is a more subtle reason for burnout. Allen observes that there is a second round of fallout among children who were very well developed and very successful as young athletes. "When other athletes start catching up physically at about the ages of thirteen and fourteen, this group is not so successful any- more and it starts start to lose interest."
Heil also cautions parents of early achievers about the burnout risk. "If too much of one's sense of worth gets tied up in a sport, there is not much to fall back on during down times. Developing athletes may just be going through a plateau or setback period while they are waiting for their physical capabilities to boost up again. If they have some other things going on in their lives, they can cope with the adversity."
Allen adds that our system of select, elite and travel teams artificially weeds out those who might be late bloomers. "
We're putting too much emphasis on physically gifted athletes instead of developing all of those who want to participate. It's no wonder that we lose more than half of them by the time they are teenagers." Early specialization Too many parents encourage or even force their children to play just one sport.
There is little or no evidence to support that behavior. Randy Hill, a research assistant for the United States Olympic Committee, says that the one common denominator shared by most elite athletes is multi-sport participation during the developmental years. Cathy Sellers, a USA Track and Field official, encourages athletes not to specialize in a sport until the ages of 12-14. Jim Sheridan, a well-known youth swimming coach in Indiana, requires his elite swimmers to participate in a second sport.
Too Bad The child who has a bad coach or a coach who is consumed with winning at all costs is destined for burnout. Warns Heil, "The child who is a potential star in one sport and has a bad experience in another may get turned off altogether.
The quality of the coach is essential." Warning Signs What are the signs of burnout? "My son just flat out told me that he didn't want to play in a winter lacrosse league," says Jim Berkman, a soccer and lacrosse coach at Salisbury State in Maryland. "He felt pressure to play because I was the coach, so I backed off. Now, he's into lacrosse more than ever before, but it's because he wants to get better. It doesn't have anything to do with me."
Other parents may not be so lucky. They have to watch out for behavior such as changes in personality, a drop in grades, chronic fatigue, illnesses, injuries, and faked illnesses and injuries. A child who goes that far in order to get some time off from sports is sending a loud and disturbing message.
The Right Thing There are ways to do the kids' sports thing right. Berkman and his wife, Jennifer, have encouraged their two children to play as many different sports as they like. Both ended up playing basketball, lacrosse, soccer, and baseball. Terry and Jeri Kirkpatrick of Ridgefield, Connecticut used the same strategy while supporting, but never pushing anyone sport. Rachel, Sara, and Jeremy are still involved in sports at the high school level, though all started very early. Like the Berkman children they played everything early but eventually specialized, on their own, in one or two primary sports.
The other ways to head off the burnout problem reflect the dangers already mentioned.
Don't rush your children into organized sports before they are ready. Just because a child is physically gifted does not mean he or she is socially or emotionally ready for structured practices and games. Allen thinks that travel teams shouldn't be allowed until the age of 13.
Once they are involved in sports, be prepared to make the hard decisions about practice time and the number of games to be played. Your children don't have to play for every team that asks them to play, and they don't have to make every game, every tournament, every time. Berkman says it's easy to fall into seasons that never end.
Investigate the coach. Find one who has the best long-term interests of your child in mind rather than the one who is out to win as many games or meets as possible.
A Call for Perspective Finally, keep kids' sports in perspective. The Kirkpatricks and Berkmans always demand schoolwork before sports. And they try to make sports fun, not a profession or a mission with the goal of earning a college scholarship or a professional contract.
Concludes Heil,
"It's almost a cliche to talk about fun, but that's what sports should be for children. My impression is that parents should give them proper supervision, then get out of the way. If you let them have fun, they will, and they will have a fresh attitude toward sports for a long time."Here and NowCrossfire WinnersGU11 THUSC Iridium
GU12 Crossfire Premier G96 A
GU13 Crossfire Premier G95 A
GU14 Crossfire Premier G94 A
GU15 Crossfire Premier G93 A
GU16 Bridlemile Daredevils
GU17 Eastside FC 91 Red
GU19 Crossfire Premier G90 A - LombardKCC winnersBOYSU11 Eastside FC Red
U12 Westside United Black
U13 Synergy FC
U14 Eastside FC White
U15 Revolution Black
U16 Blasters
GIRLS
U11 HPFC Red
U12 Synergy McCreery
U13 Cascade FC
U14 River City Rockets
U15 LOSC Hurricanes
U16 Pacific Premier FC Red in OTTOURNAMENT TALKNike Crossfire Challange ( GIRLS) See the recap link below
Cornucopia Cuphttp://washingtonpremiersoccer.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=9368Dana Cuphttp://washingtonpremiersoccer.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=9280Recaps for the weekhttp://washingtonpremiersoccer.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=9377...and never forget; if there is not enough blah blah blah on the games, you only have "you know who" to blame
FutureBeaverton
http://www.westsidemetros.com/home.php?layout=1061Kick in the Grass
http://www.tumwatersoccerclub.org/frameset.phpGood luck and have FUN!
This week we had lots of great entries from all sorts of people, but as always certain nominations when sent from rival parents, coachs, players always stand out in our mind...after much consideration the winner is:
Drumroll...........
#1 AMBER - EMERALD CITY FC WHITE!!! 
this is not an actual shot of Amber, but it seems dang close
:mrgreen:
Now this little superstar don't normally play on this team, but she sure stepped up big for them this weekend! Here is a little bit of the nomination sent in:
Amber saved So Many shots that not "Just Any" keeper could of saved! She had reflexes that most 12 yr olds don't have and on top of that she is more vocal and in charge then anyother Goalie at this age group I have ever seen. She organized the defense and demanded they listen to her!
Great job Superstar! First a GG award on now this...for you the skys the limit! Dragon is very proud of you!
A SHOUTS OUT: To.....
#6 MAIAH - FC CRUSH 94 Though she could not play, she still dressed up and supported her team every game! Who could miss that day-glo orange cast?
See picture below
***
Week of July 3-10#9 LOGAN - WASHINGTON PREMIER FC BLACK 95!!! 
This young super star was selected as the winner for her play in the Dana cup overseas the last week! She has played every minute of every game and she was placed in every position on the field!! Not only has the little superstar been instrumental in many many goals during the Dana cup, but when it came time for the girls to step up for PK's in the final, her name was first on the list for the Coach to call upon! Burying the 1st PK on the way to her teams victory, the coach knew he had made the right choice! Way to go little one, Dragon is very proud of you stepping up to the plate and raising the level of your game in this fantastic overseas tournament! Way to live Heart & Fire girl!!! Other notable nominee's this week that the judges wanted to recognize were:
#00 IVY - NWN RED 94For her outstanding play in goal during the US Club Regionals
#18 JORDAN - WPFC Black 95For her great preformance in the US Club Regionals in goal
#4 DELANNEE - WESTSOUND DREW 93For her always keeping a smile on her face this long weekend at ODP and US Club Regionals
*** I had to include last weeks POTW and shout outs.. They need their time in the Pulse too!Brat Jr's YouTube Videos!!U14 Rockets @ KCC
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney010jt9.flvhttp://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney012do7.flvSynergy Boys @ KCC
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney044ft3.flvhttp://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney053au6.flvCoach Brookes ECFC U13's
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney120lw2.flvU14 Snoho
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney134fr2.flvU14 GRFC
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney170hh1.flvU13 NWN Red
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney224ot8.flvU13 Synergy Morse
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney225ma7.flvU11 GRFC
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crossfiretourney238uw6.flvCRAZY PARENT WATCH:This Auburn team Coach wished this pic was taken 10 years ago
This 'Crazy' Coach got teased for his socks
so he went and changed them :roll: :mrgreen:
I'm betting this guy has all the Luck!
Apple asked me to put in this pic instead
"Shout out to da newbies"Brat Jr see's a few brand new posters since the last Pulse Lets give out a Shout and as always, lets give a warm welcome to all new posters!
This week Brat Jr would like to applaude:
Too Busy For This
#1 Dad
in2soccer
BeepBeep
edawg
NorCoach Welcome aboard! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
"WPS Paparazzi"Looks like shes taking after mom and saying GimmeVino( Water) !
Goooooal for River City
And my favorite subject to photograph
and this young Referee, CLB's DD, got the bejebus scared out of her when she thought she was going to have to be Center her first game out!
She looked good from my vantage point!
"...Out on the Pitch"Snoho vs Sun City
Snoho vs XFire
Eastside vs Synergy
Maiah FC Crush and her day-glo cast
**Please continue to send pix's to the Pulse newsroom! Anything soccer related is welcome!** :mrgreen: "Help! Is there a Doctor in the house?"
Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) and Young Athletes
What are PEDs? Currently there are more than 100 different substances categorized as PEDs including 50 different anabolic androgenic steroids (androstenediol, stanozol, testosterone), 30 types of stimulants including amphetamines and ephedrine; HGH; insulin growth-like factor; diuretics; and erythropoietin. Now drugs for ADHD such as Ritalin are also taking a stranglehold!
Some numbers are staggering.
-15 million Americans use PEDs according to one estimate.
- $1 billion are spent annually on LEGAL use of HGH.
- 2.4 million prescriptions were filled at pharmacies for testosterone
-3 million Americans use anabolic steroids
-750000 children have used steroids and HGH
In the 70s and 80s, East German state sponsored sports programs were implemented and led to a plethora of world records and Olympic Gold medals. But as the years have passed, they have faced increased risks of cancer, gender identity issues and severe musculoskeletal problems.
According to the 2005 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 4% of high school students admitted using illegal steroids, down from 6.1% in 2003. A new survey however has shown the following:
-6% of 12th grade males reported using steroids
-80% of those felt the drugs could help them achieve their athletic dreams
-65% of users would use if it guaranteed they would reach their athletic goals. even if it might harm their health
-57% of users would use it even if it could shorten their lives
-60% believe professional athletes have the right to use steroids, and that using steroids for athletic purposes is LEGAL
-60% said that professionals had influenced their decision to use PEDs
Within the past 2 years, 4 states have established steroid screening programs at the HS level including New Jersey , Illinois, Texas and Florida. In addition several government and nonprofit groups have established educational programs such as ATLAS, me!, and Cheating your health.
So while the steroid epidemic continues, it seems to be heavier in football and wrestling and not soccer. The good news is that in EURO 2008, ALL athletes tested randomly were clean for banned substances. This data was mentioned in passing but is the kind of data our kids need to hear upfront. Of course many would believe that no discussion (like in sex!) leads to less temptation!
IMO, education about PEDs should be mandatory and something that HS coaches AND Club coaches should discuss once players have gotten to the U14 and older groups!! Sticking our heads in the sand and hoping there is not an issue is not going to help the situation!!
*Send all medical questions for "the doctor" to the Pulse email address*WPS FAMILY CIRCLE FOUNDATION!!! 
As stated in the CP forum, WPFC Coach Jimmy McAllister was taken to the hospital last Thursday evening.
We here at WPS wish him a speedy recovery and that he's back with his teams soon.
Kaylie Caputo who had to come home from Denmark due to a broken ankle.
Get better soon Superstar!
WPFC Academy player, Luke Beardemphl, was newly diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma Stage IIB.
Prayers and good thoughts for this young man as he fights this.
TALES IN BLACK & YELLOW PART 19!!!The Road to Delaware #19Pit Stop: Boise ID
I missed you last week as I thought the Pulse would be taking a hiatus. To my surprise an issue was printed and I was embarrassed to not have made a contribution. Since we last spoke I enjoyed a hot weekend at the Diadora Cup at Starfire (9 games) along with a 3rd-4th place match in the Washington Inter Liga playoffs.
With the Director’s Cup fast approaching I decided to venture down to Boise, ID for the US Club Regional. There I found out that I was not the only Washingtonian in town. I must have been the last one to get on the freeway on July 4th as I hardly saw anyone on the interstate. When I arrived at my hotel and then later at the tournament headquarters’ all I saw were familiar faces in the crowd. I saw, X-Fire, Washington Premier, NWN, Evergreen, Shadow and Reign logos all over the lobby as I arrived for the referee meeting. As I walked into the meeting I was happy to see some of my referee friends from back home who also made the trip. While they were there to ref a few games as their children, brother or sisters were playing (the assignor is good about making sure that there were no time conflicts for watching desired games) I was the only knucklehead crazy enough to drive 500+ miles just to satisfy my drug habit.
The cool thing about the trip was the positive feed back I received on the efforts of Washington referees from the referee assignor. Mr. Padley was happy and hoped that all will return next years with more referees tagging along. In the 11 games I refereed 10 teams were from Washington. While I was not on the field working I made an effort to walk around and take in a minute or two to watch as many games as I could that involved Washington teams. I was proud of the effort, passion, and dedication and desired displayed by player, coaches and fans from around our state.
The Director’s Cup is just around the corner. All of my travel plans are set. I received my flight information by email last Thursday. I received my hotel assignment on Monday. Today I found received information on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Now the big question is will I have to wear my “Dress Blues” on the flight across the country. Hopefully that decision will be made real soon.
In the mean time this weekend will have me in Longview on Saturday for the College Rules Clinic/Fitness test. Hopefully I will receive high scores on the fitness test so I can climb the ladder and step up work Division 1 games this fall. Sunday I’ll be at 60acres for a couple of Crossfire Challenge games. If I get the right response from and email sent this morning I might be able to stake step number two in my effort to upgrade to Grade 5 on Sunday evening.
Ray Moffatte, Jr.
Redkard………
"COACHS CORNER!"As a parent of a competitive soccer player in MI, I’m faced with a dilemma concerning the character of the team’s head coach. I have noticed the head coach is not 100% truthful with the girls, has players on the roster who are on the team for political reasons and not the quality of their game, and openly dislikes parents who question how the team is managed off the field.
Why stay? The team plays in the area’s best youth soccer club; the head coach has an impressive, decade-long track record, and has placed many girls in successful college programs. Plus, I have seen improvement in my daughter’s abilities on the field and she truly enjoys playing with teammates she is close to. When I research alternative clubs in the area, I hear many pros and cons that lead me to believe youth soccer utopia at the highly competitive level doesn’t exist. These are many issues on many of the teams.
My question – should I take the good with the bad while I continue to look for a suitable alternative? My gut tells me to get off this team as soon as a better situation becomes available, but I’d like to know how common is this dilemma?
This is actually pretty common. Almost every club you are at has a lot of politics going on and especially if they are the best in the area. At first glance you had me concerned about the things you said in the first paragraph about not being truthful to the girls. I personally have no problem with him not letting parents question is coaching though.
However, There are a few things I always ask a player when deciding if they are in a good spot for themselves
1. Are they having fun: sounds like it
2. Do they like her teammates? you said she did
3. Does she like her coach? I'm not sure from what you put
4. Is she developing? you said she is
Based on that assuming she likes her coach that could be a good fit for her.
"VIEW FROM BEHIND THE WHISTLE""Questions for the Ref"What makes a good Referee?My first reaction to this question was to answer with a laundry list of qualities a good referee should have along with a list of competencies. However, last week I had the opportunity to hear Thomas Bobadilla (former FIFA list referee) speak about this subject.
Thomas explained how he could make even your grandmother into a good referee with this simple instruction:
Whenever two players come together and one falls down (or says "ouch"), just whistle and point to the left. If she has the players' acceptance and trust, that's all she needs to know to get through a game: two players come together, one falls down -- whistle and point to the left!
The key to being successful on the field with players and coaches as a referee is getting them to accept you and trust that you can manage their match.
Acceptance means getting and maintaining their respect. This starts from the moment the referee arrives on the field (early and prepared) and continues through professional, respectful, firm, but humble interactions.
Trust to manage their match means the ability to earn trust by demonstrating you care about the players and their game. The referee's actions must be consistent with the spirit of the game:
- Safety: able to empathize with players and works his/her butt off to be in position to see what needs to be seen and keep play safe.
- Equality: demonstrates integrity in decisions. One doesn't have to agree with the referee's decisions to recognize that this referee makes decisions with integrity (may have seen it wrong, but calls it how he/she saw it)!
- Enjoyment: demonstrates he/she enjoys their game and works towards their enjoyment of their game (the game is about the players!).
Achieving the above is a perpetual work in progress for every referee. The perfect game has never been called and likely never will. We accept that we will each achieve different levels of proficiency for different levels of play. But we all measure our success by how quickly we are forgotten after the game ends.
OTHER NEWS AND GOSSIP AND TIDBITS:"RUMOR MILL"There is a 75 yr old coach out there with plenty of heart and fire!
"Dear Eggy"Will resume with our resident Canadian, Wolverine, at a later date
So send in your Dear Wolverine questions Ya Rubes! :mrgreen:
"SIDELINE SNIPPETS"When was the last time NWN Red beat Lombard or O'Neil? Time to drop the "Big " and just call them "Red."
"For the Good of the Game"Can a soccer ball change the World? http://potw.news.yahoo.com/s/potw/58554/can-a-soccer-ball-change-the-wo "THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO MMMMMMMMMMMMMM"?Why is it that people are judged by the teams their dk's play for?
Just because Little Sally Ann or Billy Joe plays for XYZ team, doesn't make them, or their parents, any different than the rest of us.
Will they have to live with the stigma all their soccer career?
I should hope that they meet the people first and judge them after that.
To judge them beforehand makes you look like a fool!
"Good Food.... FAST"As busy soccer parents, meals on the road are usually heavy with calories and grease. How do we avoid driving through fast food drive through windows every time your kids have practice? Quick meal ideas, favorite recipes, snacks for match day, eating before and during tournaments, etc.
Here is one to start us out on eating healthier on practice nights
Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
2 cup medium egg noodles
1 package frozen broccoli
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup slivered almonds, buttered
Paprika
Cook noodles and broccoli as directed on packages (separately), drain.
Melt butter in saucepan and blend in flour, salt, mustard, pepper and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and add cheese, stirring until melted.
Arrange noodles, broccoli and chicken in a casserole dish and pour cheese sauce over all. Sprinkle buttered almonds on top and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbling hot.
SERVES 6
Ready in: 40 minutes
Quick, Easy -N- Fast Chicken Taco Salad Recipe
1 1/2 lbs. cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 large bunches green onions
1 C. dairy sour cream
1 C. chunky picante salsa
8 C. tortilla chips
Cut chicken into 1/2 - to 3/4 -inch pieces. Thinly slice green onions.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together sour cream and salsa until well blended. Add chicken and 1 cup green onions. Toss to mix.
Make a bed of chips on salad plates, then spoon salad in center. Sprinkle remaining green onions on top.
Makes 6 servings.
"Dragon Coachs Interviews!"Dragon still looking for more interviews (always), send in your information or suggestions to the Pulse! :mrgreen:
If you are a coach, DOC, trainer, or have anything to do with soccer, contact the editor for your chance to do an interview and once again the end of another great effort by all on the Pulse staff! Thank you for all your help in getting the Pulse out! :mrgreen:
NEXT WEEK...DRAGON RETURNS!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted: If you would like to donate to WPS click below to go to the front page and click on the Donate button:
http://washingtonpremiersoccer.com/Thats it for this weeks Issue of the Pulse, hope you enjoy it...and as always never forget to...
Play with Heart & Fire, Heart & Fire Always!
