Published: June 23, 2009 12:02 am      

MARK MAYNARD: Pace just isn't the same

Last week’s column about playing sandlot baseball stirred some memories and drew interesting responses.

Everyone agreed that today’s young players aren’t allowed to be kids because of the time commitment involved in organized sports at every level, from youth league to high school.

For those who aren’t playing at all, the reasons are because of the improvements in technology, from computer gadgetry, to text messaging, to hundreds of channels to choose from on television. And, oh yes, air conditioning.

Back in my day, we were fascinated by “Pong” but not to the point where we’d spend hours on end playing it. The Internet was a science fiction dream and we had three channels — only two that really came in with much clarity — to watch. Cell phones and text messaging? Didn’t exist. And it was just as hot inside as it was outside, so you might as well get out of the house and play.

While today’s youth use their thumbs to text message in lightning-like fashion, we used ours to hitch a ride to Central Park. You wouldn’t dare do that today, but it wasn’t the same risk back in the 1970s.

If AAU basketball existed, we didn’t know about it. Our AAU was playing basketball at either Southside or Dreamland. Your team stayed up until you lost and then you went back to swimming (I did a lot of swimming). Most of the swimming nowadays occurs in somebody’s back yard, if you can squeeze it into the busy schedules.

Herb Conley, who coached Ashland football from 1968-76, stopped by the office last week and we talked about the plight of today’s young athlete. He’s of the opinion that the demand on their time is too much and that it leads to burnout on the high school level.

No matter what sport a young athlete chooses to play in high school, he’d better be ready to devote the summer to honing those skills. There are

7-on-7 passing leagues and weightlifting for football, scrimmage games, AAU tournaments and camp for basketball and 50-game schedules for the summer baseball and softball player. That’s not to mention the many tournaments for the soccer, tennis, golf and volleyball player.

It’s no wonder we don’t have three-sport athletes anymore. I’m not sure

how anybody has time for more than one sport.

For the high school coach in football or basketball especially, the summer has become important developmental time. And if you’re not working your players, then you’re behind. Who could blame players from sitting at home in the air conditioning to play video games during what little free time is available?

The players know if they’re not participating in these summer activities that they’re position may be at stake in the fall or winter. So the option of not participating really isn’t an option at all.

The dead period for high school athletes in Kentucky begins June 25 and lasts until July 9. During that time coaches are not allowed to have contact with players. Of course, coaches encourage their athletes to attend individual camps during that time.

Family time? Well, maybe you can squeeze in a couple of days.

During the high school year, the seasons overlap so much it becomes difficult to be a multiple-sports star unless you’re from a small school, which seems to be able to work it out. After all, there are only so many athletes to go around.

Football practice starts about five weeks before the first game, which this year is Aug. 21. Teams that choose to play on that date, which is considered Week Zero, are allowed only one preseason scrimmage.

Most of those teams will be playing two games before Labor Day. Teams have 11 weeks to get in 10 games before a five-game playoff season begins. That puts football ending in December — and basketball season is already under way.

Unless the football playoff system is changed, where less teams are participating in the postseason, the August start is a necessity.

The first day of contact practice can come no earlier than seven days before classes officially start. Of course, school starts incredibly early these days — some before the calendar turns to August.

Conley said the youth league coaches should take a look at their motivation, too. Are they in it to develop players or to win championships? He said it’s more important that every kid play than to have a team go undefeated.

How many youth league coaches subscribe to that theory do you know?

In building a successful high school program, Conley said, it’s important that coaches on the junior high and even elementary level teach fundamentals, terminology and the system that the high school coach uses. He also said every player in the program needs time on the field. Many times, he said, that doesn’t happen because of a coach’s desire to win at all costs. Those who don’t play are discouraged and find something else to occupy their time. The numbers keep dwindling.

Traveling baseball teams from ages 8 on up have become popular as well. They can have a schedule of 40 to 50 games in the summer. AAU basketball is much the same for the young athlete who prefers that sport. In both cases, it’s an over-saturation that could lead to burnout by the time they’re in high school. There are so many games they don’t have time, or the desire, to play even more games on their own time.

That’s too bad. Because that time on the sandlot is where friendships are fostered and sportsmanship practiced. It’s where the pressures of the game are relieved and a place where everybody took their swings from the very least of us to the very best of us.

Times have changed and I suppose we have to change with them. Life just seemed a lot easier, and the high school athletes just as good if not better, when we weren’t so organized.

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.