Conventional wisdom holds that youth sports are a positive experience
for our children. Unfortunately, 70% of kids drop out of organized
athletics by the age of 13. Most of these children quit because our
youth sports culture has taken the 'play' out of 'play ball.' A shift in
values, the rise of expensive youth sports models, and the myth of
abundant athletic scholarships has led parents and coaches to focus on
wins instead of enjoyment, and trophies at the expense of development.
As a result, every day increasing numbers of children quit playing
sports that are no longer enjoyable. Conventional wisdom is wrong.
In Changing the Game, John O'Sullivan draws upon three decades of high
level playing and coaching experience to take us behind the scenes of
competitive youth sports, and demonstrates how they have changed from
being a fun pastime to an ultra competitive, adult centered enterprise
that is failing our children. He then teaches parents that the secret to
raising happy, high performing children begins by helping them attain a
positive mindset, and an enjoyable youth sports environment. By
following seven actionable principles of high performance, parents can
give their children a competitive edge, while at the same time making
youth sports a positive experience for their family, their community,
and their country.
"The romance is gone, the fun has disappeared, and children no longer
simply 'play' sports," says O'Sullivan. Changing the Game is a call to
action to reverse this trend. It will change how you think about youth
sports. It will teach you the secrets of high performance. It will help
your children to perform better. And it will put the "play" back in
"play ball" for all of our young athletes. Are you ready to take action?
Are you ready to change the game?
