I recognize your good intent and credit you for trying to encourage self improvement.

Looking at the Recruits we do get these days, most folks (myself included) could use some more physical activity time. Also being part of a team develops good habits for the future. I've found that some of the best folks I've worked with played college or High School sports.

I will agree with the camp that says, don't assume being tall means he should play basket ball.

More importantly does being tall help you play dungeons and dragons?

I’m with Gustofer on this one. It’s his choice. I feel for any kid that is made to do extracurricular activities when they don’t want to. Also for any kid that is told not to join after school sports/activities/clubs. Unless the kid takes it upon himself to talk to you about it, I’d keep to myself. Just my 2¢

I would have shared with her that I wasn't just suggesting it because of height. Sports are about teamwork, learning the plays and positions (intellectual), accountability and also being as gracious in a loss as you would be in winning. There are many many more reasons to play other than being the star of the team.

It could and should increase his social skills. I'm a firm believer that social skills will take you as far or even further than education within alot of situations. We all know a really bright person that can't interact with anyone and people are creeped out by. The list goes on and on regarding the benefits of sports.

The military is finding that outside of weight issues alone, they are also getting recruits that fall within the acceptable weight limits but they have nowhere near the muscle mass required to perform physical elements of training. Think skinny jeans.

So yea, stick to board games and band, that is the best idea for young men. (sarcasm)

Well rounded is the key. Brains and brawn. Thinking and doing. Math in your head and the ability to do pull-ups.

Kids are growing up in a completely different environment. When I was a kid the only entertainment was whatever sport was going on in the neighborhood. We didn't have all the electronics kids have today. In high school I ran Track and Cross Country, and played basketball because that's what I grew up doing.

My kids? My oldest played hockey for two years. That's it. My youngest kids go to their room mostly for the entire day. And, there are a lot fewer kids in the neighborhood now. Today kids have the whole world at their fingertips in there.

I was astounded to find out that four kids that I know of got full ride scholarships to good colleges because of their very hard work at sports and diligence in their school work.

There are three more kids here in tiny town that are being groomed by colleges , they are in high school now, two sophomore and a freshman.

They ( the scouts) advise them on athletics, classes to take, their health choices, and which doctors and hospitals to go too.

The single parent family kids benefit greatly.

A best friend just drove 6 hours ,one way to watch his grand kid play soccer.

He estimates that his son spends over $5,000.00 per year in fee's, travel expenses, uniforms and gear.

His son is learning sports skill in soccer, baseball and football, also social skills and fitness knowledge.

Best of all he knows where he is at, who he's with and what he's up to.

The scouts for colleges are also at the games on a regular basis.

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I feel for any kid that is made to do extracurricular activities when they don’t want to.

Environment is very influential, it depends on the kid and the family upbringing, you live in a house where sports, especially contact sports are discouraged then the kids develop that mentality.

In addition some kids just need a push, many are shy of these things, they don't know what they want, getting them to try things is good, and I don't mean moving from Xbox to PS2.

Perhaps you could have a talk with him. Convince him to get into martial arts so he can learn to protect himself. Some people just aren’t into stick and ball. Just how it is. But there is a spiritual side of martial arts, mental, that maybe he could identify with.

It is baffling. As a child who had to raise himself, I was on the court, on the baseball diamond, and I was a three sport player. I gave up football after elementary, focusing on the diamond and the court but we were still outside all the time playing touch football and many times tackle on the grass. Went we weren’t doing that, we were on our BMX/Freestyle bikes, on the ramp, as well as skateboards. When I wasn’t working, I was doing one of the above. Intendo was for at night only. We never sat inside during the day playing video games. That shit was for at night, especially the weekend nights. If the weather was even half way decent, hot, cold, IE not raining, we were outside getting it. These days I don’t see kids outside, at all, anywhere, playing sports. I have a park in my neighborhood that I would have killed for as a child (section 8 kid). We would have been out there with a tennis ball and a bat. I’d be doing my best to impersonate Will the Thrill, or Donnie Baseball as my friend pitched and we’d switch. Make a game like home run derby, and loser buys the slurpees.

These kids have been cuddled and hobbled over too much. A bunch of pussies. They stay indoors all the time, completely lazy, and many of them fat or obese because they refuse to do anything physical. Good to know as an old man, I’ll have little to worry about from the younger gens. May be the first time in history of civilization that a 50, 60 year old man could bust a 20 year olds ass in a fight. And that 50 or 60 year old man may be able to out sprint these little fuckers to boot.

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Originally posted by ensigmatic:

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Originally posted by xd45man:
It is just frustrating to see a missed opportunity.

Maybe it is and maybe it's not. I'm 6'4" tall and for much of my life I had people ask if I'd played basketball.

No, I did not. I had zero athletic ability and even less interest.

I was 6'5" in my freshman year of HS. Went to gym and the Coach asked if I was going out for the team. Said, "Nope, not my thing" He said take a lap. This continued each gym day until I found out you could do your gym credits in ROTC. Went to ROTC and was happy as a pig in mud on the smallbore rifle team.

Tall kid…hmm…has he ever tried golf?
Being tall usually means long limbs which can create a long powerful swing arc.
(Being a golfer it’s one of the things I think of when I see someone tall)
Is there a Top Golf facility anywhere in the area? That is by FAR the most laid back introduction to golf there is.

My great nephew is tall for his age and just got on the HS golf team. Baseball is his first love but his Dad is a golfer so he already has his own clubs, played, etc.
He just isn’t into basketball that much that I have seen. He played in grade school but it’s not his primary thing that I have heard.
It isn’t the only sport by a LONG shot where being tall is an advantage.

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Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Yeah, put me in the “none of your business, not your place” camp. If it were my kid, you and I would have a quiet chat alone instead of you with him. Few things piss me off more than pushy family trying to tell me how to raise my son.

No, man. Pedro and the Florida boys should kidnap the kid and put him through reeducation camp. See, those of us that see little value in sportsing are simply athletically challenged. That means fat and weak. A claim that will surely go untested.