For a long time, i have maintained - and still do - that in the world that is is sports, if the want and desire is there, two sports/a multi-sport athlete is better than just focusing on one.
Yet...for all these years, i have also maintained that Illinois is falling behind in football because we don't have spring football.
Can I really have it both ways? Well - not in any meaningful way.
I think IL has is right. After thinking about this, I'm glad we don't - a change of position on my end. While I am not against some sort of spring football exercises - organized and coached - I think offering much more forces kids to choose (or it horrible cases get told by their parents) for no real reason at all.
Now, more than ever, if a kid really wants to improve his football skills in the spring, those opportunities are there. Camps, private teams, private coaches. Yet, school sanctioned, time consuming spring football, makes kids and families ask the question...if i don't participate, what does that do to my chances of playing/starting next season?
I think participation in team-oriented extracurricular activities is crucial in child development - be it a football team or chess club. I don't like the idea of policy that forces kids to choose, when they should not have to. If you want to play spring football, that option is there - but it should be the family's, not the schools.
Yet...for all these years, i have also maintained that Illinois is falling behind in football because we don't have spring football.
Can I really have it both ways? Well - not in any meaningful way.
I think IL has is right. After thinking about this, I'm glad we don't - a change of position on my end. While I am not against some sort of spring football exercises - organized and coached - I think offering much more forces kids to choose (or it horrible cases get told by their parents) for no real reason at all.
Now, more than ever, if a kid really wants to improve his football skills in the spring, those opportunities are there. Camps, private teams, private coaches. Yet, school sanctioned, time consuming spring football, makes kids and families ask the question...if i don't participate, what does that do to my chances of playing/starting next season?
I think participation in team-oriented extracurricular activities is crucial in child development - be it a football team or chess club. I don't like the idea of policy that forces kids to choose, when they should not have to. If you want to play spring football, that option is there - but it should be the family's, not the schools.
