[classicman]

My kids are older now, but I remember when they were young and were involved in competitive team sports. They played in both rec and travel sports when they earned it. Sometimes they didn't.

The recreational sports like the YMCA had already been converted to the everyone is a winner mentality. That was ok though, cuz those leagues were for anyone to join, learn and participate in a sport for the first time or many times.

However, the teams where the play is competitive and the players have to earn the privilege of playing were still pretty sound. Unfortunately this mentality had begun to permeate the league, at least here locally. I recall a team meeting where a couple parents were upset that their child was not getting as much time nor playing the position they wanted them to as much as a couple other players. They actually wanted each kid to play every position and play equal amounts of time each game. In a rec league thats fine, but not in a travel environment.

Their kids were not very good and played in EVERY GAME no matter what the score. If we were ahead more, they played more. If not, then not as much. We fielded a pretty good team and most all the boys ended up as friends - right through high school.

After the games we tried to do something as a group regardless of winning or losing. Pizza, ice cream... As a group we would review the game - the good the bad & the ugly. Then we were done with it. The kids enjoyed it and were well aware of the scores whether they won or lost. They also knew that there was a bigger picture - the playoffs and bragging rights. The short term goals and long term goals were intertwined. I think that is a great life lesson.

These kids knew when they got their asses handed to them that they typically were beaten by a better team and looked forward to trying again next time. Rivalries were created between teams and bonds were built between players. It was good for all of them.