This article is a must-read for any parent struggling to maintain control over the runaway train known as youth sports in their family’s lives.

This is a topic that is near and dear to me because it is something that my wife and I are facing with our two daughters who are now 9 and 7.

Like so many parents, we want to our children to participate in youth sports to gain its many benefits including physical health, teamwork, and life skills. At the same time, we also want to make family time and downtime priorities in our family.

As we have researched different sports opportunities for our girls in our local community, it is clear that, unless you are willing to board that runaway train, there are few alternatives.

Plus, if our girls decide to have aspirations for playing a sport in high school or beyond, they must make an almost full-time commitment now or they will fall behind and never be able to catch up.

How is it that children are forced at a young age to make a massive commitment and specialize in a sport if they ever want to have hopes of being able to participate and be competitive when they become teenagers.

Does anyone think that this situation is unhealthy for both children and families?

Does anyone else think that this situation is insane?!?!