Just Let The Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Child's Fun and Success in Youth Sports [Paperback]

Bob Bigelow (Author), Tom Moroney (Author), Linda Hall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2001

"Bob's message is a must for all parents and coaches. He challenges adults to understand their effect on youngsters, and that kids' needs have to be met first."

Bob Trupin, Westport, CT

This is not just another book touting improved sportsmanship and better coaching to remedy the violence in youth sports today. Just Let the Kids Play is the first book to identify the youth sports systems as the cause of the problem, and offers practical ways to rebuild them so they better serve the physical and emotional needs of children.

First-round NBA draft pick, part-time NBA scout and youth coach Bob Bigelow joins journalists Tom Moroney and Linda Hall to put youth sports under harsh review. They explain the controversial belief that elite traveling teams at young ages should be abolished and replaced with equal playing time, team parity and shortened seasons, among others. Focusing on soccer, basketball, baseball and hockey, they highlight ten programs nationwide where these principles are working, and offer ways to integrate them into existing programs without sacrificing a child's chances for success.

Soccer moms and hockey dads will discover that it really is possible to sleep in on Saturdays without sacrificing their child's future!

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The authors, who all have children of their own who have played youth sports, contend that children should compete in these programs to have fun and learn the basics of sports activities. However, as former NBA player Bigelow, journalist Tom Moroney, and writer and editor Linda Hall show, children often have difficulties enjoying themselves because organized sports programs emphasize winning at all costs. Many parents also apply a great deal of pressure on their own children to perform at a thletic levels beyond their abilities. The authors argue that both the parents and organizations that sponsor sports programs need to change their philosophy to allow children to enjoy themselves while participating in games. This unique book suggests ways to organize athletic programs to emphasize play rather than competition, stressing that younger children should become involved to have a good time. Only when they become older should they participate in more competitive programs. With practical tips on restructuring the sports programs themselves, this book will be invaluable for parents in preparing their children for organized sports. Recommended for all public libraries. Patrick Mahoney, Off Campus Lib. Services, Central Michigan Univ., Mount Pleasant
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Bob Bigelow is a first-round draft pick and former NBA player with the Kansas City Kings, San Diego Clippers and the Boston Celtics. Named one of the 50 best basketball players in the country in high school, he played college ball for Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly and has given more than 400 talks nationwide.

Award-winning journalist Tom Moroney is a TV commentator for WGBH-TV (Boston); co-host of a radio show on WRKO (Boston); and a columnist for the Metrowest Daily News (Framingham, MA).

Linda Hall is a former editor at the Providence (R.I.) Journal and a writer whose work has appeared in the Boston Globe.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: HCI (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558749276
• ISBN-13: 978-1558749276
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Propaganda Junk" response., June 7, 2004

By 

James Warren Fisher (Florence, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just Let The Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Child's Fun and Success in Youth Sports (Paperback)

To the "Propaganda Junk" author: You are exactly the type of parent/coach this book was written for. If you don't "get it" then you are a part of the problem.

I have been a recreational and club soccer team coach for 12 years. I have a son playing for a college team on full scholarship. I have a 10 year old who is develping into quite a player as well. By all measures, both my boys are great players. They learned about the game from me under the same types of good attitude and common-sense philosophies discussed in this book.

Sure, kids should be exposed to competition at early ages. The earlier, the better, in my opinion! But they should be exposed to the KID version of competition (fun) as opposed ot the adult version ("win at any cost"). Why some people don't get this is just mind boggling.

There are very sound physiological and psychological reasons behind placing fun over competition at early ages. Most of the reasons have to do with the onset of puberty when that competitive spirt really comes alive in these young people. Until this happens, it's should be just for fun with the intent of keeping them involved with sports for the long term. Burning them out on a sport by age 12 is self-defeating, really sad and should be considered child abuse in my humble opinion.

This book gives some very handy suggestions on how to deal with obnoxious parents and overbearing coaches. It's also causes you to reflect on what you are taeching your own kids. No, it's not a prize winning book. It probably won't do a whole lot of good because the author is preaching to the chior. The people that most need to read it would never read such a book. But it did me some good and I'll pass it's suggestions along whenever I get a chance.

Perhaps it could have been written and organized a little better but it's still a good value and well worth reading.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must read" for parents and coaches of young children!, May 13, 2002

By 

Tim "ando22" (Hampton, NH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just Let The Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Child's Fun and Success in Youth Sports (Paperback)

This is a well thought out book, loaded with insightful comments and solutions regarding the problems with youth sports today. I have coached youth sports for 9 years, and since day one, I have been very discouraged with the "system". This book puts sports in it's proper perspective - it's not at all about "winning". I would encourage anyone who is even remotely involved with youth sports to read this book - it will wake you up and give you lots of food for thought!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read This Parents and Coaches!!!, September 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Just Let The Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Child's Fun and Success in Youth Sports (Paperback)

This is hands-down the best book I've read about ensuring your child gets the most out of youth sports. Parents spend a lot of time and money to have their kids participate in sports--this book will make sure that the sports are helping the kids, not hurting them. Many weekends I've watched well-intentioned, normally mild-mannered adults become raving lunatics as soon as the ball is in play and they watch their kids' play. This book gives parents and coaches practical ways to prevent this kind of behavior from happening. Whether your child is a star player on a well-run team, or a bench-warmer on a poorly run team, this book will show you what you can do in big and small ways to improve what your child gets out of sports. The columns by Tom Moroney are hilarious, mostly because they're true--you will recognize yourself or someone you know in this book. It's informative and very entertaining reading!!!