[dawgbyte02]

When my own said that being in a state championship tournament was just another game I started thinking. You play 35 games high school, 40 games summer ball and another 20 games fall ball, it becomes just another game. Every coach, parent, college scout, Ad, etc is measuring W/L,stats,etc. Nobody is thinking that the player is just going through the routine. We have abandoned league play for travel ball. We have abandoned the multitude for the few in search of misguided glory. In high school we have demanded year around dedication to a particular sport. All others need not apply. When a high school championship game is just another game, the sport has become a JOB with no pay and few benefits for the player. Nobody is interested in developing long term standards, only short term results. A coach has tremendous influence on kids. But nobody talks about the coach that went 15-20 but had 5 seniors that all went on to higher learning. Sports are an extra-curricular activity that is part of the overall development of the individual. We all like to win but the best win is smart, productive young folks that feel a part of the community. Use the influence to strenghten your community for the future. Involve as many as possible. Encourage and invest in a strong little league. It benefits all in the long run. I know this is way off topic but I felt it needed saying somewhere.