Hey guys,

I'm not really into sports. I don't know my football or hockey players, I don't play fantasy anything, and football games just mean free food and drink to me. Computers, tech, or music? I'm there.

Given that, I have this feeling that I"m missing out on a lot of guy-comraderie with my lack of knowledge, excitement with sports.

I played soccer growing up, etc, and have a casual interest in ice hockey, but that's about it.

Looking for suggestions on good "starter" material -- for both me and my son -- to join the big sports party we are both missing out on, without getting overwhelmed.


Chris

Sounds like we are fairly similar in terms of the tech and the music. I don't follow college or pro sports. And I feel as if I should have my boy and girl doing sports for a few reasons. I do not want to hold them back from something just because I did not do it, especially if there are long term health benefits from exercising.

Having said that, it seems to me that even youth sports are wound up so tight, in part because the parents are into sports, and there is an extremely competitive nature to them beyond just the game. Which kid will get to play on which club team?

So what starts out as no score soccer in kindergarten becomes pretty cutthroat by high school.

By the time kids are in high school it seems as if they are self separating into those that play and those that watch or are in the band. So I wonder if the pressure I put on myself to have the kids in sports is unwarranted.

In order to simplify our lives we have thought about taking both kids out of sports this fall and spend this crucial time with them (age 7 and 5) hiking or swimming or exploring, time we will never get back, rather than watching them on the field. I know that there are benefits to them playing a team sport, and I respect other parents who do it, but for our family we are thinking about going the other way.

One high school I visited while I was teaching (it was a private school so they could do this) had put most of its athletic money into a fitness center with the idea that we would probably not play sports the rest of our life but would be more apt to swim or run or work out. Another school I visited last year had no football team at all. Needless to say it was not in Texas.

So, my son is taking tennis lessons. Low key, no country club, just the cracked courts next to our elementary school in the city park. We hired a coach to come and work with the second graders and it came out to be fairly cheap. The key here is that a group of parents got together and went outside the athletic establishment.

Our elementary school also has an ultimate frisbee team for third grade and up. I think the lack of any pro or well known college frisbee teams makes this sport a little more inclusive even at the competitive level. We plan on making this sound awesome so that our kids will want to join it.

There is a climbing gym near our house, and kids cannot get enough of it.

And finally, I get my kid to go biking with me while I run. Thinking about doing and extended biking trip with my kids

I don't think a lot of good parents do have time to follow sports. Just watch ESPN sportscenter 15mins a day to get you caught up with sports if you want to josh with the guys for camaraderie.

If you want to get your son involved in any sports you can always have him take lessons. No matter what you do you will bet the idol for your kid and he will look up to you.

I consider myself to be somewhat athletic...clutsy but athletic. I play baseball during the summer and flag football in the fall/winter. I hated playing sports growing up, or hated being forced to play them. I have yet to sign my son up for any organized sports (he's only 5)but have he has been in some clinics. I think having him in the clinics/camps, coupled with plenty of playing catch or kicking the ball around with each other is a great way to start. I think team sports and competitive sports are crucial but not at too young an age or with to much emphasis on winning.

Im reading a great book right now, its kind of outdated, but lots of great articles, and references. Check it out if you can find it...

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