This may not be precisely on swimming, but I feel an overwhelming need to vent. This is my reaction to an essay by Josh Levin arguing that the Little League World Series needs to "do something" about early maturing 12-yr olds who dominate the competion. Hope it's food for thought for those of us involved in helping with age group swimmers:
Mr. Levin,
You are on the right track when you argue that oversized 12 year olds dominating the Little League World Series is a problem. However, I think you have missed the more significant point by attributing the problem to the kids. I coach summer league age group swimming. As you rightly note, comical differences in growth development are part of youth sports. But, it is also not fair to a legit 12 yr old to tell him he is too big or too good to play with kids his age; he should go let the 14 yr olds do to him what he would do to kids his own age if we let him. His age is his age. It may not accurately reflect who grew up faster, but it is a more objective yardstick than anything else we might use to let younger kids compete against someone "their own size."
No sir, the problem is all of we adults paying too much attention to athletic achievements of 12 yr olds. 19 yr old high school graduates have a difficult time dealing with all attention of Div I college athletics. What in the world are we doing covering 35 Little League games, NATIONALLY (!!!) on ESPN?!! (For the love of Pete, you did not even get national coverage of all the games of the first round of MLB playoffs a couple of years ago!)
The problem is not overdeveloped 12-yr olds dominating; the problem is our message to the kids that it means so much more than it actually does. Coverage in the local paper is fine, maybe even regional TV coverage in the areas of the teams as they get close to the championship. But, this disgusting hyping of a child's game is BAD for the kids that play in the Little League World Series, BAD for the "grown-ups" caught up in it, and WORST of all for the kids who are expected to carry their teams to the championship.
The subtitle for ESPN's coverage is a perfect microcosm "See the big leaguers of tomorrow." BULL CRAP!!! Not every major league player was a dominant Little Leaguer (or even played in the Little League World Series), and not every dominant Little Leaguer will make it to the Bigs. It is pure BULL CRAP, yet for corporate profit interests, we are shoving it down the throats of 8-12 yr olds who do not know any better. Sad and disgusting. ESPN should be ashamed of themselves.
Matt
Parents
Former Member
Even in our own sport there is a lot of pressure at a young age particularly for the girls. As stated before, they can make nationals times anywhere from 12 to 15 years old. When I swam age group years ago both the parents and the girls themselves put pressure on making the olympic team at 15 or 16 years old. In those days, college swimming for women was just starting to equal men's programs, so many girl swimmers quit before they finished high school. And many teams had few top girls or young woman past 20 years old and many of them on the olympic team were between 15 to 17 years old. So, this gave extra pressure to succed at a younger age than even the girl or women swimmers today.
Even in our own sport there is a lot of pressure at a young age particularly for the girls. As stated before, they can make nationals times anywhere from 12 to 15 years old. When I swam age group years ago both the parents and the girls themselves put pressure on making the olympic team at 15 or 16 years old. In those days, college swimming for women was just starting to equal men's programs, so many girl swimmers quit before they finished high school. And many teams had few top girls or young woman past 20 years old and many of them on the olympic team were between 15 to 17 years old. So, this gave extra pressure to succed at a younger age than even the girl or women swimmers today.
