I always hear about youth programs that develop kids for "tomorrow". i.e. "we develop our kids for the high school program", "we develop our kids for the next level". And while it is important to keep "tomorrow" in mind, does your program develop kids for "today"? Because, let's face it, kids are really only concerned with "today", not "tomorrow". They're motivated by events "today", not "tomorrow".
If we are always developing our kids in youth sports for "tomorrow", who is working with our kids for "today"? If you are only developing athletes for "tomorrow", what about those kids who have no intention to play sports "tomorrow"? If you primarily consider your youth program as a developmental program for the high school level, then what happens to those kids who have no intention of playing at the high school level?
Let's spend more time developing our kids for today...tomorrow will come in due time.
Keep smiling!
Mark
