Learning Sports: Playing Up, Playing Down

PLAYER

Pickup games represent what’s best in sports—playing for fun, competing in the purest sense, and sharing a rewarding experience with others. There’s no money, no cheerleaders, and no trophies—none of the external rewards that sometimes accompany organized sports.

When you participate in a pickup game, you choose who you play with.

Other kids can be just like you—the same age, same athletic ability, and same attitude about playing sports. But you can also play with other kids who are either better or worse players than yourself. You can play with younger or older kids. You can play with kids who love sports or those who do so mainly to be part of the group and enjoy sharing the company of others.

Unlike adult-run organized sports, you are in control. And this provides you with the opportunity to tailor the games to exactly what you desire. Besides controlling the type of fun you want, you can also use pickup games as a means to practice skills and improve your game.

It’s essential for you to understand that different types of pickup games provide you with different benefits.

Playing Up

You can pursue competitive play with older, more skilled athletes. This is referred to as Playing Up. This kind of play provides you with an opportunity to test your skills against better players. You can see what works, what doesn’t, and where you need to improve. You can observe how these more experienced kids play and possibly learn new skills. You may even find an older kid who will give you some advice and tips.

You also have a chance to learn different team roles. Against players who are the same age as you, you may be the star scorer. But against older kids, you will likely find yourself playing a more supportive role (playing good defense, passing the ball, or setting screens for the more skilled players). Learning other roles is beneficial. It helps make you a more well-rounded player that coaches will appreciate—an important asset when you reach a level of play where you are no longer the star player.

WARNING: Don’t Play Up with a group of players that have skills far better than yours. If you’re severely overmatched, these types of games won’t help your development (and may hurt your confidence). Much better players will not want to play with you and they’ll let you know it. If you’re unsure whether you’re a fit for a group of players, just hang around to see if you’re asked to play. But be prepared for rejection!

Playing Down

Playing Down is when you play sports with younger or less-skilled players. These may be the kids in your immediate neighborhood who are not especially athletic, but enjoy the communal aspect of playing sports with their friends. You may also find younger kids who love sports, aspire to be more like you, or just want to be included in the neighborhood gang. In either setting, you become one of the better players.

Playing Down is important in two ways:

First, it provides you with a more relaxed, fun environment in which to enjoy playing. There is little pressure on you to perform, and criticism about your play is unlikely. When you’re burned-out from playing competitive organized sports, Playing Down with your friends can also help rekindle your enjoyment for playing sports. If you’ve just finished a long, hard season, take some time to relax. Decompress. Go out and just “shoot around.” Play some catch with a friend. You’ll feel your joy for playing the game quickly return.

Second, Playing Down provides you with an opportunity to develop and try out new skills. You can experiment with different “moves” without any fear of criticism. You can shoot the ball more, receive many more “touches”, and see what it’s like to play the role of the star player. Besides improving your skills, you also gain confidence—an important quality that leads to success in more competitive play. With added confidence that you can do something well, you’re more motivated to practice and continue your development. All of which translates to even greater success against better competition.

Here's a diagram that summarizes the benefits of Playing Up and Playing Down:

If you enjoyed this article,
you may like my book:

The Joy of Youth Sports: Creating the best youth sports experience for your child (Amazon $8.95)

(Kindle Edition $2.99)

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Help Your Child Understand His or Her Gifts

In sports, and especially youth sports, there are different ways for an athlete to enjoy success. As discussed in You're NOT too Small, Heavy, or Slow!, many physical attributes are compensatory--they limit performance in one respect but help in another. For instance, if a child is smaller than other children, he or she is likely quicker. A larger child who is slow typically enjoys a strength or height advantage.

But children often tend to focus on the negative--the differences that make it more difficult for them to fit in. They compare themselves to other children, see their shortcomings, and are disheartened. But you can help.

If your child struggles playing sports, help frame their disappointment in a fuller light. Remind your child that he or she is young, and that changes are on their way. Point out the possible ways in which a limitation can also provide an advantage.

Also help your child recognize all of the gifts they may enjoy. A good friend who coaches youth soccer passed on to me the discussion below that he has had with his daughter (and likewise a couple of the kids on his teams). If your child is struggling in sports, you may want to have a similar talk.

"Kristen, you were born with many gifts ... you're pretty, well mannered, smart, a great dancer, and have lots of friends. Many of these things come to you quite naturally and others required a lot of hard work to obtain - some of these things (dancing) you excelled at because you love it and have worked very hard at it. You do not have a great arm nor are you a natural athlete. If you want to excel in this area you are going to have to realize you need extra work and you're going to have to practice/work four hours (when the other kids have to work two). God gives us lots of gifts. Rarely does anyone get all the gifts. So don't worry that XYZ can throw better than you etc ... we all have different gifts. Focus on what gifts you have and work hard on the areas where you are not gifted."

If you enjoyed this article,
you may like my book:

The Joy of Youth Sports: Creating the best youth sports experience for your child (Amazon $8.95)

(Kindle Edition $2.99)

Read more...

What to Look For in a Youth Sports Camp

I read an article today in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette about a local baseball camp and Jerry Matulevic, the man who runs it. Unlike camps run primarily to make money, this one seems to get it right. The story is heartwarming and well worth reading. Here's the link:

30 years of fond memories from the Jerry Matulevic Championship Baseball Camp

Mr. Matulevic, a former high school baseball coach, knows that kids enjoy a successful experience in youths sports when they're taught the fundamentals in a positive, enthusiastic environment. With a mastery of a sport's fundamental skills, a child gains confidence and self-reliance, gateways to success.

The article and testaments from former camp attendees all suggest that Mr. Matulevic is the real deal—an authentic teacher who wants only to see his students become better baseball players and people. If you're considering sending your child off to camp this summer, try to find a camp that embodies the same principles as Jerry's. Forget the star players, T-shirts, and extras. Find a camp that focuses on teaching, rather than simply playing games.

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Avoid Taking Credit for Your Players' Success

There are games in which coaching makes a real difference. Besides providing leadership and strategic direction, a coach sometimes makes crucial tactical decisions during the game. Diagramming an excellent play during a timeout may even result in a memorable, last-second victory when your players execute the plan to perfection.

But despite your contribution, it’s usually a mistake for you to take any direct credit for your team’s success. Your players will begin to question your motivation and integrity—especially if you preach a team-first philosophy.

I made this blunder once in a middle school basketball tournament game. With a couple of seconds remaining on the clock, down by one point, I called a timeout. We were directly under the opponent’s basket so I called our “Box” out-of-bounds play. Normally, the two forwards located on the blocks screen for the guards positioned at the foul line. The guards then dive towards the basket looking to receive the inbounds pass.

The other team had seen this simple play a number of times. To possibly catch our opponent off-guard, I told my best forward on the ball side to take two steps toward the guard at the foul line, and then sharply reverse direction and cut back toward the ball.

Andrew perfectly executed the play, received the ball and scored a layup as the buzzer sounded. My players ran over to the bench, screaming, yelling, and jumping on each other in celebration. I congratulated Andrew and then, in an instant of self indulgence, said, “I’m going to take some credit for that win!”

I recall Andrew smiling at me, but there was also a curious, questioning look on his face. Andrew was a great, warm-hearted kid who, in his modesty, let my imperfect moment pass without comment.

Let the glory go to your players and quietly enjoy the personal satisfaction of knowing that you made an excellent game-time decision.

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Helping Your School-Age Child Succeed at Team Sports

A couple of months ago, I posted an article on How Parents Can Help a Child Become a Team Player.

Much of its content came from the ideas I originally provided to Robin Stevenson, Senior Editor for the Canadian Family magazine. You can check out her article (including my quotes) at:

Helping Your School-Age Child Succeed at Team Sports
.
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Choosing the Best Youth Sports Program for Your Child

Ideally your child plays for a coach who is an excellent instructor—one who recognizes teaching opportunities and communicates lessons in a positive, uplifting manner. But in addition to a good coach, participating in a youth sports program or league that fits your child’s needs is essential to fully develop his or her skills and enjoyment of the sports experience. Choose the wrong program and you risk damaging your child's desire to play sports.

Just as a coach should find a team role in which a young player can succeed, you must locate the youth sports program that best suits your child’s age, interests, and level of play. Only by providing your child with a progression of playing opportunities that match these factors, will you provide him or her with the best sports experience.

For the youngest children playing organized sports for the first time (ages five through eight), the emphasis is primarily on fun and basic skill instruction. Fun at this level is running around with a minimum of structure and rules. Within a couple of years, your child can more fully participate in the adult version of the game and begin to learn additional individual skills and team concepts. Competition is also introduced at this level. Youth sports programs that are developmental in nature and participation-based are essential to children in both of these age groups. You should make sure that your child’s youth sports leagues emphasize these principles.

As your child ages and his or her skills develop, you may see your child excel in one or more sports. You will then face the decision of placing your child in a more advanced, competitive league. Possibly your child will have the chance to play with older children. An opportunity for your child to begin specializing in a sport may also appear. In these decisions, carefully weigh the pros and cons. For a child that truly enjoys their sport and exhibits a competitive nature, playing at higher levels with better players will usually improve their level of play. But advance your child too quickly and you risk your child’s confidence and enjoyment of the experience.

Specializing too early presents the risks of injury, burnout, and loss of crossover benefits from other sports. Several studies (most recently a 2011 study conducted by Loyola University Medical Center) have found a higher incident of injury associated with early specialization. For children who have not yet reached puberty, specialization in a single sport is also risky because physical maturation (changes in body type) may limit their ability to succeed in that sport. A young girl who grows to be six feet tall is unlikely to find success as a gymnast.

Try to balance your child’s development against these risks and select youth sports programs that you feel best match your child’s particular personality and ability. The right youth sports program should challenge your child, but also enable them to enjoy the entire experience.

Should your child participate in select travel teams, you should still look for a program that provides good instruction. A league that is comprised mostly of competitive games, but little practice time, will not provide the opportunities for a coach to teach and develop his or her players.

Also remember that competitive, talented athletes often still enjoy leagues which emphasize participation. These leagues can provide a chance to play with friends in a more relaxed environment. They also offer better athletes the opportunity to develop and exercise leadership skills. As a parent interested in your child’s happiness, you could do a lot worse than placing your child in a participation-based instructional league.

And finally, provide your child with opportunities to play pickup games with other kids. This unstructured, self-directed form of play complements organized sports and affords your child with other essential benefits. [See The Role of Organized Sports in Your Child's Life for an in-depth discussion of the importance of self-directed sports play.]


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