Why I am against Pee Wee Football

Okay, this afternoon I took my 3 year old son to the park in our neighborhood. There on the field was a U9-11 junior Pee Wee Football team having practice and my son wanted to go and watch.

Immediately when we walked up the hill and looked through the fence this is what we heard from a volunteer (dad) coach:

• "PAY ATTENTION! The reason that you lost last week is becuase you all cannot run these plays right. Therefore we are going to run some full field sprints and for each one of you who do not make it you will run them again!"


• We are going to learn to tack today gentlemen...we obviously can't hit
  

Are you kidding me? This about tells it all for our development of American youth football. Running kids under the age 11 for repeat sprints of over 80 yards for punishment is ridiculous! Not only is it the WRONG WAY to physically condition this age group, but using running as a punishment is STONE AGE MENTALITY!

C'mon folks... this organization (at least locally) needs to get their act in gear and educate these live-in-the-past dads who are going to drive kids away from playing the sport!

Why in the world would I want to play football for a coach that does nothing but yell at me and make me run everytime that I cannot do something right? How about a 'teach me don't threaten me' mentality? That would at least raise the coaching bar of these wanna-be coaches.

Better yet, how about when the coach lines me up against another player for no other purpose than to tackle (CRUSH) me at his own leisure and gives me no other instruction but to just run straight when he blows the whistle. What's the fun in that? Or am I missing something?

Yes football is a contact sport and requires a unique mentality to truly be successful. However, treating a ten year old kid as if he was a miniature pro athlete is absurd.

Actually I am not sure what is worse, the coach or the parent who does not know any better, sits on the sidelines, and says nothing but an occasional 'keep trying honey'.

My 3 year old sums it up best when he said after only 10 seconds of watching that practice:

"Daddy, why would I want to play that game? What's fun about that?"