What To Do When Young Athletes Fail To Make The Team
Intro
Athletics has become a big business both internationally and even more so right here at home in the USA. We are the only country that intertwines school with athletics, while the rest of the world separates academics from athletics through private sports clubs that host junior, semi-pro and professional sports programs.
Does failing to make the team have your young athlete confused?
America’s combining of academics and athletics adds to additional levels of confusion for parents who generally prioritize academics over athletics (we will talk about why this is incorrect shortly); and choose a school based on its academic offerings rather than its athletic opportunities.
However, the two sides rarely mix where the best academic option is also the best athletic opportunity. When these two worlds collide, without proper alignment, the results can be devastating and leave parents delusional.
Wouldn’t it be nice to drop your child off at the best academic institution everyday, then, later that evening, whip them over (or better yet, have them take public transportation) to a top sports institution that is directly aligned with your child’s sport of choice?
Well, all you have to do is move to Europe or Australia to find this situation. Here in the States our schools are muddled in confusion, often resulting in mediocre offerings for both academics and athletics. Many inexperienced school teachers lack the proper credentials and training to teach at a high level, and are even less prepared when it comes to coaching. This is because teachers should be focused on teaching and coaches focused on coaching. College professors do not coach, and college coaches do not teach. It is no wonder they are world-class at what they do.
Why Parents Should Prioritize Academics over Athletics
Parents incorrectly prioritize academics over athletics failing to assume education is only found in the classroom. However, education is based on experience and as such experiential learning.
Athletics is an essential component to a well-rounded education
Most students are not engaged by science, math, english and reading. These general topics do not elicit any emotions, reactions or motivations out of most teens. Instead, athletics invokes emotions, effort, energy, and engagement, each and every time a young athlete takes the court. As a result, learning and therefore education is enhanced.
Not to mention the fact that academics are required for participation in athletics. This enhances academic engagement because the student has a reason or purpose for prevailing in the classroom.
Furthermore, academic options are unlimited. Every school can get access to any book, curriculum or learning methodology that is being taught anywhere in the world. Students' access to this content is rarely restricted. In contrast, athletic opportunities everywhere are limited; based on the limited number of playing spots in each sport. Each high school has one starting Quarterback, one starting Point Guard, and one starting Pitcher (or maybe a couple, but you get the point).
Parents should not hesitate to prioritize athletics when making a decision on their child’s education because athletics is an integral component to a comprehensive education. I’ve witnessed many young athletes, who after playing and training for a sport for years, fail to make their school team and fall into substance abuse and/or other less savory pursuits. This phenomenon occurs when students lose touch with their identity and engagement once connection with their athletic pursuits has been taken away.
Yet, I have never witnessed the same effect caused by an academic pursuit.
My Story
My family moved to Tulsa when I was in the fourth grade. My parents identified the best academic school closest to our home. This school was not only well known in the area, but also nationwide; boasting one of the winningest High School Football programs in the nation.
My Parents decision to prioritize athletic opportunities gave me a critical advantage
These factors made this particular school a haven for parents all across the city. As a result, hundreds of young athletes, attending the school, compete for just dozens of athletic opportunities. Although I found myself in this negative ratio, I was able to become one of the starters on the middle school basketball team. Despite this accomplishment, with so many students on the team, we all received small amounts of playing time.
This dynamic began to stunt my development as I was receiving half the opportunities what young athletes in a normal setting would receive. Not only that, but my priorities were misaligned with that of the school’s athletic program. You see, I was completely engaged and enthusiastic about the sport of basketball. Most of my teammates were football players moonlighting in winter basketball to stay in shape.
The program wasn’t designed for those young athletes who desired a deep dive in their basketball education. Instead it was a watered down offering similar to that of a recreational team.
My parents eventually made the decision to move me to another school district; one that was more aligned with my athletic pursuits. However, many of my friends and their families questioned my parent’s logic. Heck, even I questioned their logic. I had spent years forming bonds and making friends. However, my Dad saw that my educational engagement was highly intertwined with my athletic success.
After transferring, it became immediately clear that we made the right decision. First, I was in a school that prioritized my basketball success. The coaches held me accountable and also provided me with access to lots of opportunities to develop as a player and person. And this was not only about playing time; it was about more opportunities and options to develop at something that motivated me.
The results were astounding. Literally overnight, I became activated and engaged in ways I never knew. I was enhanced athletically, academically, and socially. I could see the fruit of my efforts and was loving it. This newfound energy and engagement around my purpose allowed me to become the all-time leading scorer in my school’s history, later having my jersey retired. The key was not selecting a school because of its overall options, but rather its specific opportunity.
Years later, it was my younger brother Juwan’s time to attend high school. Although my parents still resided in the school district I had graduated from, the athletic opportunities there were restricted for Juwan. My parents again chose an academic institution based on the best athletic opportunity.
Juwan ended up leading his team to multiple State Championships, was named Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year, and averaged over 25 points and 10 rebounds as a Senior, going on to play at the University of Georgia and the German Pro League.
Because we were engaged by our educational environment, we were not only successful athletically, but academically as well. I completed high school with a 4.5 gpa, finishing 3rd in my high school class. I went on to graduate college with Cum Laude distinction and later earned my law degree with honors. So much for an inner city education!
Juwan was also adept academically, graduating high school with a 3.9 gpa. While at UGA, he actually earned his undergraduate degree, two masters degrees and was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He has since returned to UGA to begin law school.
My point of this story is that parents cannot be afraid to prioritize engagement when it comes to education. When young athletes are enlivened by their environment it makes everything better. As a Freshman at the University of Tulsa, our Head Coach Bill Self left to take the Illinois job. The new Coach, Buzz Peterson, had not recruited me and did not necessarily align with my playing style. Although I averaged 10 minutes per game, I was a shell of my former self and lacked any semblance of my former confidence.
My struggles athletically lead me to struggle academically for the first time in my career. Fast-forward a year, Buzz had moved on to Tennessee and my confidence returned, as did my academic excellence. Engagement is THE key for many young athletes.
Top Reasons Why Young Athletes Don’t Make High School Teams
Now that your young athlete has been told he or she did not make the team, you may be wondering why? How could this possibly happen? We didn’t see this coming?
Know that there are three main reasons young athletes get cut from teams. First, is a lack of mental preparation. We all know solid academic students who come up short when it comes to test-taking. This occurs because your training lacks accountability and application.
The second major reason for young athletes failing to make the cut is lack of skill set. Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail. For young athletes grades 8 and above, they need to be doing 2-3 nights of Skill work, and 2-3 nights of Shooting work, minimum.
Additionally, their regimen should include 3-5 days of Structured Play and lastly, at least 2-3 days per week their workouts should include Strength & Conditioning, Speed & Agility, and Stretching & Recovery.
Whew! That’s a lot I know. But that is the regimen of every high school team in the country. If your young athlete was on the team, this is what would be expected of them. If you haven’t been preparing at this level, unfortunately you may have been preparing to fail.
To start putting together a comprehensive Performance Plan, download our JP3 Performance Plan here.
The last and most prevalent major reason young athletes do not make the team is lack of opportunity. Honestly, young athletes who possess 5+ years of participating in competitive athletics possess the skills to make a high school team.
However, when schools have an exorbitant numbers of students, the odds of making the cut become unrealistically skewed.
Any time you have 50+ students competing for 15-20 positions, young athletes are placed in an unrealistic position. Most jobs do not have near those numbers of applicants and most colleges don't boast those type of competitive ratios when it comes to who gets in.
Perhaps you made the choice or where to send your young athlete to school based on proximity to home, academic rigor, or social groups. At any rate, your young athlete has grown to become a serious young athlete and we must prioritize their identity and engagement.
What’s most interesting is that we don’t balk at choosing schools for musical pursuits, artistic pursuits, or even for the sake of friendships. However, when it comes to athletics, it is somehow not ok to choose a school because of its athletic offerings? This is largely because athletics is viewed as a fleeting pursuit. ‘You can’t play ball forever!’ People say. True, but the lessons learned (hard work, perseverance, team dynamics, self-awareness) are the soft-skills that provide more success than most academic pursuits.
What To Do Now
To immediately get your young athlete on the right track, the first thing you must do is develop a comprehensive Performance Plan today. This will ensure your young athlete has the right mind set, skill set and environment to experience success when the opportunity presents itself.
Your young athlete’s Performance Plan will assess and alter their mindset, skill set and environment. In the event, you ultimately decide that the environment is not right and it’s time for a change, first identify some schools you feel might be a better fit. Reach out to those schools and initiate conversations with those Coaches. When you find the right fit you will know.
Secondly, be sure to consult your state’s governing body for high school sports. Most have limitations on transfers that have key exceptions to the rule. Typically, students may not maintain two houses in separate districts and may not become eligible after certain periods in the season. Make sure you know the rules before you choose your school.
