The lowdown on team sports ? ? Maryland Family Magazine ...

Reece Robert, 4, of Laurel, Jadon English, 5, of Columbia, and Alan Lopes, 5, of Columbia, play in a flag football game with i9 Sports. 2009 file photo/Go Takayama

When she tried soccer for the first time with a recreation league, Jennifer McKenna?s daughter only went to one practice.

The coach was abrupt. And the kids spent half of their first session doing drills, without actually playing with the ball. And at 3 years old, the whole draw for the Columbia girl was to kick the soccer ball.

Now 6, McKenna?s daughter tried the sport again this year with a private youth sports league called i9. ?It?s exactly what she needed,? McKenna says. ?They have so much fun.?

The kids get lots of playing time (using the soccer ball) and her daughter has quickly made friends.

Whether your child is interested in playing a team sport for the first time or you?re looking for something different, there are options out there from highly competitive sports teams to those that are all about fun.

Families shouldn?t feel constrained by their addresses, says Mary Stoelting, chief of recreation services with Baltimore County?s Department of Recreation and Parks, which has 47 community-based recreation councils coordinating the activities of hundreds of volunteer-run sports organizations.

Howard County?s Department of Recreation and Parks offers everything from archery to wrestling, says Allan Harden, the department?s superintendent of sports and adventure.

?I personally encourage parents to expose their kids to different kinds of sports,? he said. ?A lot of the skills are transferable.?

Ben Oshinsky gets ready to send the ball upfield during a Soccer Association of Columbia game. Photo by Brian Krista

And not all teams are for super athletes.

?There?s a level for everyone ? whether you want to play Division 1 in college or you want to learn to kick the ball,? says Craig Blackburn, president of the Soccer Association of Columbia, one of the largest youth sport organizations in the area with more than 5,000 players.

But it still can be tricky to find just the right fit that keeps kids playing throughout the year and challenged but not overwhelmed.

?It can be frustrating as a parent,? says Linda Moscato Gessner, co-commissioner with Kelly Post Girls Lacrosse, based in Towson. ?It?s a lot of piece-mealing.?

Girls scramble for the ball during the 9-10 girls matchup between Pikesville and Kelly Post. Photo by James W. Prichard

Most ? but not all ? leagues and organizations have websites. And you?ll have to master the lingo, because not all clinics, leagues, and travel teams are created equal. A ?clinic? run by one organization may be for new, young players. In other organizations, it may be an intensive session for refining skills of existing players. (One term that is universal is ?U,? which means under. So, you might see U8, meaning the team?s players are 8 years old and under. If it?s U10, it?s 10-year-olds and under, and so forth.)

But the level of competition and rules can vary, even by age. On some teams your child will earn a trophy no matter what. On others, only the winning players do. In some leagues, requests to play with neighborhood pals are honored. In others, officials make efforts to ?level out? teams with players of all skills.

There are other regional differences, too.

?Certain organizations have a reputation for more vocal parents,? says John Harberern, a coach who has a son on the 9U travel baseball team with the Elkridge Youth Organization and a son on the rookie machine-pitch baseball team.

That?s, of course, putting it nicely.

While you may not know if you?ve got the ideal match for your child until they start, parents can usually get a sense about a league by talking with other parents and coaches.

?All of these leagues are pay to play,? says Dan Maloney, a Columbia father of two who is an i9 flag football, basketball and soccer coach. ?Parents shouldn?t be shy about interviewing coaches.?

Although you may not find out who the coach is until just before practices begin, parents should still find out about the coach?s experience, goals for the team, and policy for addressing parent concerns, says Maloney.

And don?t forget how much you as a parent shape your children?s sports experiences, Maloney and other coaches say.

?A lot of it is based on the drive home. If it?s: ?You were so great. That was so much fun. Did you see that play?? the kid?s going to think of it as positive.? Maloney says. ?If it?s 30 minutes of ?Your coach is a moron. I can?t believe that ref,? the kid is going to be asking, ?Why am I doing this???

Katelynn Markman, 6, of Columbia, runs the ball down court during a game against other 5-6-year-olds in the i9 winter basketball league. Photo by Nate Pesce

Here?s a run-down on the different options out there:

CLINIC

What is it? Introduction to the sport with emphasis on basics, or a brief training session to learn new skills.

Who is it for? Often clinics are geared toward the younger players. Occasionally, clinics are offered as intense sessions for more advanced, older players. Baseball players, for example, might attend a pitching clinic.

Time commitments: Most are weekly practice and/or scrimmage sessions.

Cost: $50-$100. An 8-week basketball clinic offered through Howard County Recreation and Parks costs $62.

Pros: The coach is going to spend a chunk of time teaching a skill and leading drills. The players may then break into groups to play each other or play another team practicing nearby.

Cons: Parents may wish these learning opportunities were available for older kids who may not have shown an interest in a particular sport at a younger age, or perhaps are trying something new.

RECREATION LEAGUE

What is it? These teams, often a hybrid of community sports organizations and local county recreation departments, make up the bulk of youth sports. Administrators and coaches are volunteers (often parents of players). And there is a range in the level of competition. Some teams play other teams within the organization. Others will travel to compete against teams in other communities.

Who is it for? Everyone.

Time commitments: Generally 2 to 4 hours a week: weekly games and weekly practices.

Cost: $75-$200. $150 for one season on U7 to U19 team with Soccer Association of Columbia. *

Pros: At the younger ages, especially, games will generally be geared to having each player touch the ball. Everyone will play a half in soccer, for example. But some teams (and coaches) are better at this than others. A few actually keep a log of who played and for how long to ensure fairness. ?We?re trying to create a love of the sport,? says Joy Lewandowski, co-commissioner of Kelly Post Girls Lacrosse. ?It?s learning basics.?

Cons: Some teams are laid-back. Others are more intense. Some feel like a clique. Some are friendly. How complaints and team selection are handled will vary by organization. Depending on how players are selected, some games can be very lopsided with one team dominating another.

PRIVATE COMPANIES

What is it? Similar to recreation leagues, but teams are managed by paid professionals. Coaches are still volunteers.

Who is it for? Everyone.

Time commitments: Weekly, usually on weekends. This may be a little friendlier to families with two parents working fulltime, because there typically aren?t evening practices. Practice and games are often held together.

Cost: $100-$200. $129 for flag football (including uniform T-shirt) with i9 sports *

Pros: Designed to be less competitive with emphasis on character-building.
?Our motto is to teach life skills through sports,? says Abhay Chaudhari, i9 sports program director in Howard and northwestern Anne Arundel counties. ?There?s less stress, less pressure. We want the kids to have fun.?

Cons: Weekly games may not provide enough physical activity for players whose only exercise is sports. Skilled players may not feel challenged.

CLUB SPORTS- TRAVEL

What is it? Select teams that play generally against teams in other areas, and in tournaments.

Who is it for? Skilled, competitive players who try out for the team.

Time commitments: Ranges, but it?s typical to play several games weekly, and to have one or more nights of practice. It?s fairly common to travel an hour or more to a game. Tournaments may require hotel stays.

Cost: Several hundred dollars to $1,000, plus travel costs. $450 for Legends Lacrosse Club in Baltimore County.

Pros: This is serious play for the serious athlete. College recruiters may even scout out tournaments.

Cons: A player who makes the travel team in one organization might not in another. So, players may want to try out for more than one travel team.
Some organizations have fundraising drives to defray some of the cost, but travel requires more gas, some hotel stays, and additional meal expenses. However, scholarships may be offered to families with financial need.

Keep in mind: Practice for the travel team may begin several months before the season begins, says Harberern, whose son?s travel baseball team began practicing in January. Other teams require year-round practice and conditioning.

* What no one tells you:
One parent generally takes up a collection near the end of the season ($5 to $20 per family) to buy the volunteer coaches and assistants an appreciation gift, often a certificate for dinner out. Kids may also autograph a frame or card for coaches.

Discounts are offered for those who register early. Like summer camps, preschools and other organized activities, teams are formed months before the season begins. Some organizations offer discounts to families with more than one player.

A uniform T-shirt and possibly shorts and socks are generally included in the registration fee, but padding, shoes and other equipment is generally not.

Source: http://www.marylandfamilymagazine.com/2012/03/07/the-lowdown-on-team-sports/

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