Camps and Schools

Many parents are so obsessed these days with their kids getting ahead in sports and so much else. They often think that if they are going to make it in this world they have to start young to have any chance at all. Many parents even send their kids, often very young kids, to sports camps and schools in hopes of giving them a better chance to make it. It all seems ridiculous to me. Even if such camps and schools could improve a child's play, it's not worth it. Again, what is the child thinking when parents put them into often expensive camps or schools? They likely think that is where they should want to be even though it is in most cases not. So then again, the child gets away from who they are and into the people pleasing mode.
And I'm not necessarily talking about the one day camps at a local college usually put on by the college coach of whatever sport the camp is about, it's the week or more long camps and schools with specialized training I am thinking about. To me it makes no sense, especially for young kids. Let them just go play the sport, including in a pickup game fashion, and get good on their own if they desire. The child has to desire it, or the fanciest, most expensive camp going won't do them any good. Putting kids in all these organized situations takes them away from being who they are and they can grow up confused. Again, kids need to play, camps and schools aren't about play, they are about the parents.