My daughter's 7th grade bball team

[HawkinGoferLand]

Without the organized sports most kids choose technology and sitting inside. I've noticed the parks seem empty most of the summer. Playgrounds empty as well.

I grew up in 70s as well and if you weren't outside, there wasn't much to do inside. You had 3-4 TV stations with only soap operas all afternoon. We had to make our own fun.

 

[bkim24]

I wish this was still the case, but unfortunately its not. Kids have many more options and the majority of them involve technology.

I have parents ask me all the time to have open gym for kids all summer long. I ask them why? We have great parks and driveways to get better. They don't need the gym.

I get what your saying, but being a coach wouldnt you rather have them in a 'open gym' setting where you have control over 100% of what they do?

 

[GravyJones]

Man, I would have killed for an open gym when I was younger. It's fun to play on the blacktop or concrete, but a gym would have been so much better.

 

[sodakhawkeye]

I get what your saying, but being a coach wouldnt you rather have them in a 'open gym' setting where you have control over 100% of what they do?

It depends, I'm talking about 4-8 graders here and no I would much rather them them playing pick up games in the driveway.

At the high school level probably. I grew up in Hull, IA and we played a ton down at the park. We had some great games and tons of fun. Public and private school kids with a few out of towners to boot. I'm sure there are many towns in the country that have the same stories. I don't see that in the town I am in now. Parks are empty.

Now, kids don't show up for open gyms. I have to make it a "camp" and charge daddy and mommy a few bucks to get kids in the door.

 

[Hillcrest1981]

My best friend and I used to play football down the street at Fat Pat's house when we were in about 3rd and 4th grade. Fat Pat was in 6th Grade and then Junior High. My friend and I always played against each other and Fat Pat was usually the QB. We kept track of all the wins and losses and even had playoffs. It was always in the fall, when football games on TV would motivate us to run out the front door and down the street.

The sideline near the house was lined with juniper bushes and Fat Pat had a habit of pushing you into the Junipers if you gambled and tried to run down that sideline. I remember walking home all scratched up and going over in my mind all the great plays I had made that day.

We also played basketball in Fat Pat's driveway and of course had to shovel it off at times. I can still remember how the ball feels dribbling and shooting it with heavy gloves on. Then in the summer we would play tennis at the court nearby and then began wiffle ball games in the tennis court. You had a single if you hit it over the tennis net and it wasn't fielded cleanly. A double to the grass next to the court (left field). A triple was up against the back fence and a home run was over the fence which had been raised by the old man next door that didn't want kids chasing tennis and whiffle balls on his lawn.

My kids always want me to go out and play with them which is fine but as they are getting older they have begun to bump volleyballs in the driveway and shoot baskets. I agree with the earlier post that it could be that we were bored around the house. Now don't get me started on games we would play in the house when the weather kept us in.

 

[bkim24]

It depends, I'm talking about 4-8 graders here and no I would much rather them them playing pick up games in the driveway.

At the high school level probably. I grew up in Hull, IA and we played a ton down at the park. We had some great games and tons of fun. Public and private school kids with a few out of towners to boot. I'm sure there are many towns in the country that have the same stories. I don't see that in the town I am in now. Parks are empty.

Now, kids don't show up for open gyms. I have to make it a "camp" and charge daddy and mommy a few bucks to get kids in the door.

Sorry, I thought we were talking high school kids. Open gyms for 4th graders is stupid

 

[NewMexHawk]

I have a retired friend that when their girls were playing high school BB, his wife would get so irate at the refs that she sometimes got kicked out of the game...yes kicked out of a high school bb game.

Dale refused to sit with her after the first occurrence. He would go sit with friends and they would listen to his wife rant and rave...

 

[Hillcrest1981]

Getting thrown out of the gym is hilarious! I don't know if this is a small town but if they didn't know you before, everyone knows you, your wife and your kids now.

My daughter's game was snowed out yesterday. Last game tomorrow depending on snow. It will be fun to see if "that mom" has cooled down from last week. I am definitely sitting behind her so I don't have to turn around when she starts. Lol!

 

[StatelineHawk]

I have really enjoyed this thread. I can relate to just about everthing that has been said. I coached lower lever Bball and varsity. I have reffed all levels though now I am sticking to lower level due to knee replacement. I know somtimes as a coach I was sometimes a little over the top though I usually got myself under control. My kids graduated 8 and 11 years ago and I really do not miss all the drama involved with HS athletics. I'll umpire softball and have some idiot coach or fan question every call I make. Sometimes I think about just saying the heck with it.