Kids Need Rec Sports To Make a Comeback

—Klaus Vedfelt—Getty Images My daughter loves to play soccer. But by the time she was 10 years old, her co-ed rec team was disbanded, even though the players were steadily improving. The reason: it would be a fool’s errand to try out for soccer at most San Francisco high schools without first playing years of club ball.

She quit playing basketball to join a competitive club soccer team that pushed skills and conditioning clinics on off-days, and futsal practices and games during the off-season. If my kid had done all that, she wouldn’t have been able to play in the flag football league she loves. As it was, she rarely had time to kick a ball around at the park for fun.

When she did, there was no one to play with, because their club had something scheduled. The message was clear: If my daughter wants a future in soccer, she must give up other sports and free play . She’s 11.

When I kvetched on the sideline of her school team’s match, saying she was contemplating quitting club, a teammate’s mother gasped, “She’s too good for rec! ” In today’s America, rec teams often aren’t considered a viable option for kids. That must change, since research says they’re ideal for the vast majority of kids.