We see it in gymnasiums and on sand courts across North America and even the rest of the world.  Parents, players, and coaches are working, traveling, training, and practicing more than ever before, and all in an attempt to make it to the next level - or even to the highest level.  But as our world has changed, so too have our motives and goals for youth sports participation.  While there’s nothing overtly wrong with setting lofty (and quietly held) goals, there is something ‘off’ about wanting the athlete or the team to win at all costs or be miserable.  Coaches are benching young players or forbidding certain athletes from doing certain skills; parents are arguing with refs, and are more eager or excited about the game than their children; and even players are viewing themselves as failures when they don’t win the gold or have decent stats in a given game or tourney.  Youth volleyball today is sadly not teaching the values and character traits that it did in previous decades and the cause is simple - it seems we’ve collectively lost the whole POINT of youth sports.
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