Note to Readers: We’re happy to feature our first Guest Post today. It’s written by Traverse City resident Steve Booher, who is one of Jay’s best and oldest friends. Steve, his wife Anna and their two kids moved to Traverse City approximately one year before we did, and we’re very grateful for all they’ve done to help us integrate into the community. We’ve always enjoyed Steve’s quick wit and keen insights and we’re excited about this opportunity to share them with you.
Sometimes I feel like I’m raising cats. My son’s bathroom looks, and smells, like a litter box while my daughter’s bedroom is strewn with odds and ends – it’s like a kitten militia broke into the Dollar Tree on Munson Ave and is using her room as a stash house. Courageous and curious; I’m reminded of the time I found my precocious 2 year old daughter perched on top of the refrigerator, purring with excitement. Pouncing and playful; I picture my son sprawling for a ground ball to his left and then gracefully adjusting his body as he makes the toss to first base.
But I’m not a cat person. Cats, to me, are stuffy noses and itchy eyes; arrogance strutting and preening on four legs.
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It’s that time of year again – spring sports season! Time for kids to pick dandelions, suck down sugary juice boxes, and for parents to lose their sh*t. Seriously, how did we get to this point?
Here in the Midwest we’re only a few short weeks away from soccer fields full of toddlers tripping over too-big-t-shirts while wandering aimlessly about like a scene from The Walking Dead. The baseball diamonds will soon be buzzing with excitement as small children man the infield and construct intricate piles of gravel while waiting not-so-patiently for the “game” to end and snack time to begin. All the while anxious, hopeful and overly-amped-up parents coax and cajole their little ones to “Score!”, “Shoot!”, and “Run!” from the sidelines.
Youth sports is a bubble that is bound to burst. It’s getting ridiculous. A return to sanity would be a positive development for both kids and their parents, but it will require parents – like me – to get a grip.
It’s said that, “If you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m part of the problem, but I’m trying to learn from my past mistakes. The problems rampant in youth sports have been well catalogued. Here’s my attempt to add something to the dialogue.
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