Youth Sports Issues and Solutions Post #2

I have been trying to decide what bothers me most about this picture. I took the picture at the end of the IHSA Sectional Championship baseball game last spring (May 2014) and I had been meaning to write a post on it. My presentation on youth sports issues has now gotten me to pull it out. Because to me this is an issue. This was a picture of part of a youth travel team that was waiting to take the next field once the game was done.

I guess what probably bothers me most about the picture is the bags. The bags are huge in comparison to the players. I was too slow with my camera to take a picture of the whole team that walked past me. But trust me, they all had the same bag. And none of them could be older than eleven.

You can see the size of the bag by looking at the boy who has it standing up. The bag is almost up to his arm pit.

So that begs the question, what is in that bag? I assume each of them has their own bat -- possibly 2 or 3? -- likely a glove, maybe some extra attire in case the weather turns.

This team looked really really good. In fact they looked better than many high school teams I have seen. But their look raised some questions for me.
1) does all the equipment take away from what is age appropriate for youth baseball?
2) could the cost of participating exclude some who cannot afford to participate at this level?
But mostly does all the gear and equipment send the wrong message to a child that might not be helpful at their age.
A message that I am an elite or I am more special than others. And in the long run a message that I don't have to earn my way.

I am all for building kids up, but when you are an 11 year old baseball player shouldn't the message be different. Shouldn't the message be more like what I saw the actor Jeremy Piven say about the lessons he learned on the way to ultimate success as an actor.

"I've always been an underdog. I've had to walk into rooms and change minds and perceptions. I've done that my entire life. And I welcome it. That's the way to go. That's the journey you are looking for. You're looking to grind it out and get better. Because if you're handed things, you're gonna take it for granted, and that's not the long game. When you've put the work in and overcome all that life is throwing you, it's just all sweeter. And it helps you to evolve as a human being."

The journey is always as important as the destination. If your journey starts with the best gear, the best uniform, the best look. are you going to eventually take for granted what is really important. It is always what is beneath the uniform. Inside the heart. If we can figure out how to teach kids that, we have won the long game.