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In class on September 22, 2011, we started discussing the topic of youth sports and if they are worth the effort or not. This topic is also viewed in greater detail in Coakley’s text on pages 125-150. In this article, it is explained by ESPN that one of the major soccer club teams from Spain, Real Madrid, has signed a 7 year old (yes I said a 7 year old) to their team. They have signed him to their youth academy for now, in hopes that he will work his way up and become the next soccer super star. The signing of this CHILD relates directly to some of the topics of youth sport that was discussed in class.
First things first, what about the argument of competitive readiness? In class we discussed that children are not ready to “compete” instead of “play,” until they reach the age of 12. Prior to this age, most children don’t have the mental readiness, spatial ability, emotional maturity, or the ability to understand effort vs. ability. Also, the whole playing for “fun” idea is pretty much tossed out the window for this 7 year old. Like Coakley explains on page 29, there is a growing emphasis on the performance ethic, where “fun” is now defined as becoming a better athlete, becoming more competitive, and being promoted into more highly skilled training categories. This is especially true with this child, because he has signed a one year deal where it will increase if he continues to perform on a higher level. Performance ethic is emphasized on a greater scale in private and club programs. You would also wonder if it is all worth it for the 7 year old, because while he gains some strengths by playing at this level, he also loses his child hood. All in all, this article is a good example of the transformation of youth sports from emphasizing “fun” to focusing on “competing” and ultimately trying to become a professional athlete, plus whether or not youth sports are worth the effort in the end. 
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