The REAL Goal of High School Sports

"Too many kids have been taught that the goal of HS sports is to achieve an ATHLETIC scholarship.  Here is the truth - the goal of HS sports is to learn how to be a better person, better teammate, better communicator, & to enjoy being a teenager ... something you can't get back."

This is a good 'twitter quote' from @bbdoctor1 that helps keep things in perspective.

I was guilty of this as a high school coach.  I sometimes used college scholarships as my main motivator for getting our kids to work hard and I think it created unnecessary anxiety and stress in some of my athletes.  

There is nothing wrong with using scholarships as a motivator - especially if this is what the kids really want.  We have to be open and honest with our athletes about where they are and where they are going.  But I think we have started over-emphasize college scholarahips through sports over what is really important.

Working hard with energy and enthusiasm, holding yourself accountable, being responsible for you performance and your success, being there for other, working together for something bigger than yourself, growth-mindset, and memorable experiences and friendships - those are the real gifts of HS sports.

Brett Ledbetter and What Drives Winning talks all the time about building character which leads to smarter, harder working athletes, which leads to better results.

I would NEVER shoot down a kids dreams to playing in college, or even professionally.  I am a dream chaser and not a dream killer.  But I really feel athletic success is and should be viewed as a by-product of our character and the work that we put in (and our talent), and it should be framed that way, and it should be prioritized appropriately.  

I think it's a healthier approach.