Best of Times, Worst of Times

Recently went to my ten year old nephew's hockey game. Quite the experience. My nephew is my niece's son. Sat with my niece at the game with a dozen or more parents of the players around us. During the game, nearly all of the parents were yelling at their sons and the other players throughout the game to take various actions during the game. On a breakaway they screamed and were nothing short of hysterical. This is crazy and shows what I have been talking about for a long time. It seems obvious that organized sports are largely about the parents, as their behavior at the game showed.
What motivates them. It probably shows a lack of self worth on their part.
Then after the game, I went with my niece and the other parents to wait for the players to come out of locker room. They won the game and the parents treated them like heroes. I didn't talk to my nephew about the game, I was just interested in how he was doing. These young boys get the message that they will gain the love of their parents if they perform well in sports or other activities. This is why I oppose organized sports for children. They are much happier playing pick up games, and they learn more about competition because they are learning abpou themselves. In organized sports, young people are afraid to make mistakes.
Some good news though. My niece told me that when my nephew had a day off during the week from school, he played all day in the back yard by himself playing all sorts of invented games. He again proved that children have a natural desire to play. SOme parents look at free play as a waste of time. Not only is it not a waste of time, it is so necessary for children.