Got Game?
Posted: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 11:30 AM by Barbara Raab
By Mika Brzezinski, NBC News correspondent
They are called sports performance training centers. Some say they will become as mainstream and as necessary as the SAT prep course.
Uh oh. Another thing for us parents to wonder whether we should be doing for our kids!
At the centers, parents pay a fee for their kids to hone their skills at tennis, soccer, field hockey... you name it. The trainers are former professional athletes who help young athletes improve their game.
Now, before you roll your eyes and think "what next?," I must say, my oldest child (she's 11) would love these centers. She loves tennis and loves the thought of "training" like a professional athlete.
And that's what the kids at these centers do. Like little ants, children as young as nine years old run drills, jump up and down, and build muscles I am sure I did not have at that age.
The centers are cool places. too. Lots of action, and trainers who not only know their stuff, but build confidence and a team atmosphere.
At a time when obesity is a national crisis, and physical education programs are being cut back, you might wonder what could be wrong with the rapid growth of "sports performance training" for kids.
One question is, how far do we push our kids to be competitive? Do they really know what they want to be doing at 11 years old? Some experts say we are starting them too young, risking injury, and not allowing children to be children. Allow them to be kids? With free time? What a concept!
One mom we spoke to admits if her son gets that college scholarship, it will all be worth it - and her son is only 12!
And what about the notion of a level playing field in the school environment; do these centers further separate the "haves" from the "have-nots"?
Today's parenting is a tricky balance. And this new trend adds a whole new dimension to the competition of raising kids.
Watch exclusive Web video: Are we pushing our kids too far?
