Are We Developing Athletes — Or Just Trying to Win?

Walk through any youth complex on a Saturday and you'll hear it: scores, standings, medals, rankings. Winning matters — it teaches kids to compete and to handle pressure. But at the youth level, the scoreboard can quietly become the only thing that matters.

Age when many kids are already told they're "behind"

11

Age when most athletes actually peak physically

16+

Early growth spurt can decide a whole youth season

1

Early wins can hide long-term gaps

The biggest, fastest kid at 12 often wins because of timing, not training. If we build everything around that kid's advantage, we can skip the mechanics, footwork, and habits they'll need when everyone else catches up.

“The goal isn't to win the 12-and-under. The goal is to still love the sport — and still be improving — at 18.”

What development actually looks like

Winning and development aren't enemies. The best programs do both. But when they conflict, youth sports should lean toward the athlete the child will become — not the trophy they can win this weekend.