>Removing scoring from sports is not a means of protecting kids from disenfranchisement. I was heavily involved with AYSO, American Youth Soccer Organization, the largest youth sports group in this country, so will reply. (Don't you hate those letters to the editor which begin, "As someone who...."? Subtext: I know more about this than you do). What AYSO teaches is that kids develop at fairly predictable stages, and tailors the program to those stages of development. Younger kids play on smaller fields with simpler rules, because that is what they can process. A U-8 field is exactly one quarter the size of a regulation soccer field. Some penalties are not enforced, namely offside. It's too much for them to keep track of. Sometimes with the younger kids it's a miracle when they keep track of who their teammates are and which way they are going. That's not making fun of them, just recognizing cognitive development. For all we know Einstein may have been slow to tie his shoes.
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>As their minds and bodies grow they move up to bigger fields. That was always a pleasure to observe. Those little kids who bundled up like survivalists on cold days in early spring or late autumn have gone on to play travel team, high school soccer, college soccer. One of them plays soccer for the University of Arkansas. I claim no credit for that, she arrived as an 8 year old already knowing a wealth about soccer from her dad, but it still gives me pleasure. We never know who that 8 year old might turn out to be.
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I agree. I've been coaching little league baseball since my son started T-Ball (he's 13 now). I've been amazed at the development of some of the kids over the years. Some kids that seemed destined for a couch their first couple of years are becoming shining star players. Others head the other way :(

I've never seen any of them get crushed and disenfranchised if they lose a game or don't play well. All that means is there is room for advancement, and we work at it.


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>>>I think it's a swell idea. i assume they will also be giving out varsity letters in all sports to all students and stop doing things like keeping score that might lower the self-esteem of the not-quite-as-winning team.
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>>>I think this will be great preparation for real-life which, as we all know, does nothing to deflate whatever sense of entitlement or inflated self-worth has been pandered in.
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>>Goes along with removing scoring from sports so kids don't feel disenfranchised (I think that was a Tamar ideal IIRC)
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>>>>Make sure they are all in the bottom of the barrel..
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>>>>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2296757/Massachusetts-principal-attack-inviting-students-exclusive-Honors-Night.html#ixzz2O9LyV9Vw
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>>>>Kind of like they do in the army..
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>>>>http://www.75thrangers.com/
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>>>>Aspire to be in the lowest common denominator, or even lower so you can be "special"!
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>>>>Remember, the democrats will see to it that the gub-mint feeds you.