Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/1398310
www.FredericksburgParent.NET 21 hope starts here. 540.373.3223 WWW.RAPPAHANNOCKAREACSB.ORG WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF HOPE AND HELP. RAPPAHANNOCK AREA COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD Are there guidelines for how much a child should practice and play? NAYS makes the following recommendations: • Ages 6 and younger: Limit practice and games to a maximum of one hour per day, twice weekly. • Ages 7 to 10: Limit time to one hour per day, three times weekly. • Ages 11 and older: Limited to 1.5 hours per day, three times weekly. Learn more at nays.org. Should we specialize in a single sport? Most medical advice encourages parents to delay sports spe- cialization for as long as possible. The risk of overuse injuries, not to mention burnout and performance pressure, outweighs any advantages a young person might have in focusing all their effort on one sport. In fact, versatile, multi-sport athletes tend to be viewed advantageously by recruiters. Why do kids quit sports? NAYS has studied this since the 1980s. The top reason kids quit a sport is because it's just not fun anymore. What makes a sport no longer fun? Time and parent pressures, Engh says, as well as a greater self-awareness. The kid who thought baseball was fun may see top kids on the team excelling and become aware that they are not as good a player. What's a parent to do? You can try taking a break or playing at a less competitive level, but ultimately, Engh says, "there comes a time when you just have to let it go." We have a star athlete. What's the likelihood of an athletic scholarship? The odds are slim—about 2 in 100 athletes—and most aren't a free ride. Check out ScholarshipStats.com for current informa- tion on playing college sports and athletic scholarships based on individual sports, from baseball to water polo. Engh advises parents to wait until high school before deciding their child is surely destined for the pros. It's premature to base a child's talent on play before then (although he admits that recruiters for certain sports consider those early successes). "Keep a clear head and evaluate where they're at in high school when age gaps tend to level out," he says. Should we invest in an agent? That depends on the sport, head coach Dave says. It's alright if you don't want to join a club league, yet it may require you to be a bit more proactive in reaching out to colleges. Finding someone who knows the college recruiting process can be helpful. Engh agrees. "If your child is older than 15 and they're getting letters from colleges," he says, "an agent is probably not a bad idea." What's always a big advantage in a recruiter's eyes? Supportive families, Dave says. "I do think it makes or breaks how you coach, how you play," she says. "I always want my players to play for themselves first, but I also tell them they need to play for those who are supporting them." ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆