Unorganized Sports

Have we lost the ability to allow our kids the  opportunity for unorganized play? Have we lost the mindset that allows us to feel confident that unorganized sports is even viable, safe, politically correct?

Do we even remember what it was like to play sandlot baseball, pond hockey, pickup basketball, or many of other supervision free games activities where the kids made the rules and picked the teams? In a time where kids wanted to play a game because it was fun, no thoughts about what the parents wanted, as long as we didn't stay out too late, break a bone, or lose anymore teeth. Somehow we survived being a kid at the local outdoor rink with only an old jersey, knit hat, mittens, a pair of old skates, stick, and puck. Where have those days gone? No inviting college scouts to a game, no scoreboard,  parents yelling, no tournament travel out of town or association fees.

One of the reasons my teams did well was because many of the players not only played multiple sports, but they also played unorganized pickup games. We push a lot of small game ideas on players these days, but some of the pickup games tend to go rather long without too many complaints. There's something to be said for endurance when kids play pickup games. It's too bad there aren't more open rinks, and sandlot ball fields for kids to be kids, not regimented prospects waiting for superstardom or parent's egos to muddy the waters of playing for love of the game.