Give Sport Back To The Kids | Matt Young | TEDxGrandviewHeights

In Give Sport Back To The Kids, Matt Young explains how parents, coaches and administrators have contributed to the 70% attrition rate among the 40 million North American kids who register to play a sport each year. By transforming the joy of playing sport into the chore of working sport, kids have responded to the adult-induced pressures, demands and abuse by dropping out of sport in droves. Many kids have chosen sedentary lifestyles that are negatively affecting their physical, mental and social development.
Matt’s idea-worth-spreading is that we must stop this mass exodus by kids from sports by putting their wants and needs before those of adults.
Matt Young is an athlete development expert and father of two sport-obsessed boys. He has coached multiple sports over 20 years and consulted over 50 organizations from grass roots, to professional and Olympic sport. You can reach Matt at [e-mail] This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@reclaimgreatness3645]

Any body in the sports development can relate to this talking! I wish more coaches can be humble enough to admit, that they are responsible for the massive drop out of children in Sports! When a coach don't give children the same level plain field to participate,it becomes obvious that those that play less will begin to develop low self esteem which makes them pull-out . When children begin to play with fear of been penalised for every error they make in the game,they begin to loss Self-confidence, which is one of most important factor in life.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Agreed. Thank you

[@matthewyoung3585]

Agreed

[@subtosxcifer4688]

Love the way you talk Matt. Big fan🤘🤘😎

[@davidjames3426]

Pleasure watching your talk Coach. You are trully great.

[@curtischristopherson]

An incredible message from someone that knows the landscape better than almost anyone. More coaches need to hear this and more parents need to understand this. Thank you for your dedication to challenging the need for change.

[@corporatesufi1]

Matt has addressed an important problem we are facing in the sporting world. Instead of enhancing self esteem, determination and collaboration we are ending up making children and youth either lose the joy of playing sports or give up sports. Well done!!

[@matthewyoung3585]

Appreciate you Azim!

[@nikitasharma8243]

This video should be shown to every parent putting their child in a sport! Give sport back to the kids! Let the adults play their own games, haha!

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thanks Nikita. YOU are up next!

[@iggs1e33]

Beautifully talked Matt. Sensitive topic.

[@keithnicoll7445]

Thanks Matt, spoken from the heart and full of Truth.

[@adamsbaker5250]

Searching for more videos of yours. best wishes Matt.

[@ShadowMVP]

Sports can make our kids more focused in their life. Glad you raise the topic.

[@ROBERTWILLIAMS-kk9mz]

Your students must be very lucky to have you. You are amazing.

[@deenismiller4691]

Best of luck for the future Matt.

[@harveyrodrigez1570]

Gratitude, Matt🔥

[@fsqcoaching9836]

Such a powerful, practical talk. Simple, actionable, and needed. Very well done Matt - off to share with my network!

[@matthewyoung3585]

Please do share with those who need to hear the message.

[@moffettphyllis8731]

Another wonderful ted talk.

[@kraloflegend3745]

Matt Young, you are a wonderful coach. No doubt about that.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thank you

[@lucinaevans5033]

It was worth watching you Matt, So energetic you are!!!!

[@davidrogers5744]

I'm glad I watched your talk. It's a great one

[@blikzy5922]

I find my motivation of life here. I don't think tedx talk waste any of your time.

[@thebulliedbrain1604]

Excellent talk! All parents, coaches, sport admin need to hear this talk. This talk has the power to save kids and save sports.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thans JF!

[@lucasmacdonald197]

One of the best TEDx Talks I've ever watched. adding to my TEDx Talk playlist.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thank you Lucas

[@ROBERTWILLIAMS-kk9mz]

What a brilliant talk. Thank you Matt for your authenticity and commitment to kids.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thanks Rob!

[@SportoNorth]

So good Matt! And 100% bang on! My son switched to House League for his last two years of youth hockey and it was the most fun he (and I) had ever playing the game. He still plays, now in Men's league.

[@anastasiagerena8407]

It should be in the Millions for sure.

[@parkersomers9151]

Presented wonderfully Matt.

[@subtosxcifer4688]

I'm a great lover of Tedx Talk. Loved it as well

[@lethansscroggins3655]

brilliant speech. It's so motivating

[@courtneyriddle3614]

Absolutely incredible talk! Having had a kid at 13 burn out on a sport he once loved so much, I feel this is in my core. We have carved a new path supporting him to find things he enjoys doing!

[@matthewyoung3585]

New path - great to hear Courtney

[@lethansscroggins3655]

Sport is so essential part of our life. Often we forget about it.

[@paulettemahaney5387]

Sports will keep our kids away from negative things. We should keep that in mind.

[@adamsbaker5250]

Tedx Talk rocks💙❤

[@coressentialsHFX]

Super powerful message- thank you and yes, give it back.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Appreciate that Mark

[@staypostitivefr]

Way to go, Matt -- really well done.

[@goldtree4219]

This is great insight on the role parents/adults play on the development and participation in youth sports. Another thing to note is favoritism. I’ve seen teams lose players and championships over a coach allowing the mayor’s son to play a sport they don’t enjoy. I was the mayor’s son’s friend and I have yet to meet anyone with such high level of anxiety and stress. This was 10 years ago.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Be the change

[@craigpittman9336]

Great talk. It exposes the shortcomings in youth amateur sport and provides powerful steps to help fix the problem.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thanks Craig P. Appreciate you.

[@JackieSimmons-NoDrama]

Well done. Thank you for calling out the industry. The Flintstones called it out decades ago with one the best exchange of all time; "What kids need are the fundamentals" "No, what kids need is the FUN."

[@harveyrodrigez1570]

😍😍 Wonderful topic you raise.

[@theplayhouseafter-school6058]

Fantastic message!

[@parkersomers9151]

Wonderful Matt,

[@lucinaevans5033]

Beautifully said. And such an important topic you raised. Well done. TEDxTalks

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thanks Lucina!

[@jonathanthornton8040]

Matt, you speak so well. Best of luck

[@matthewyoung3585]

Appreciate that Jon.

[@YoInflated]

such an amazing ted talk. Cool guy!

[@joeyc6477]

Tedx Talk rocks.

[@lucinaevans5033]

This is soo cool Matthew. Lovely speech

[@ElaineStarling]

So many profound insights shared in this wonderful talk. I resisted sports as a kid because I didn't like the coaching environment. My parents weren't fans either. Kids are so susceptible to negative feedback. It's imperative that we make experiences about growth and learning as well as achievement.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Big one Elaine. You are right on.

[@americangamer1017]

Very Well Done Steve! Nice to see you.

[@davidrogers5744]

You are so cool and fit. I will be glad to follow you on social media.

[@deenismiller4691]

great talk coach 👏👏

[@my-nf3rj]

Sport is so essential 🔥

[@amosbrown9002]

Loved your talk Matt

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thanks Amos

[@BenLand1]

Awesome talk and glad to know you are in there making change. Methinks some poor 'elite' coaches almost or briefly "made it to the big Game". Now they too quick to declare "elite" skills in kids -- becasue they need to grow their coaching business. Keep on Keeping it FUN!

[@abriaaaaa.]

liked it all the way Matt !!!!!

[@Jack-pd8yj]

This was an awesome presentation!!

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thank you Jack

[@nelsonsoh_]

An important message that needs to be heard by everyone! Thanks for sharing, Matt.

[@owenmcbride7125]

This needs to be heard globally. Amazing message that cannot be ignored!

[@matthewyoung3585]

YOU are living this pal. Keep on keeping on

[@changeandperformanceinstitute]

Sometimes my parents were motivated for me to win then I was, it was fun, we won a bit, but even today I miss some of those people, they made life better for us a group :)

[@blazeproductions1959]

Matters a lot mate 💙

[@NeroV3]

Best of luck for the future. TEDxTalks

[@SpeakingSuccessfully]

A powerful message that needs to heard by parents and sports officials everywhere. No kid should have their love for a sport stifled by a parent or squashed by a coach. Thank you Matt for telling it like it is.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Really appreciate your guidance in crafting this message Dorothea

[@donaldmondragon9412]

Matt, your words ring true. I've seen kids burned out or disillusioned about a sport they once loved. The joy is gone. It's been sucked out of them by parents who push them and live vicariously through them. By overbearing coaches who belittle, demoralize, and use punitive tacatics. The toxic environment that a few parents, in collusion with certain coaches create, is saddening. I grew up participating in sports because I wanted to and I chose to specialize in wrestling. Well, truth be told, it chose me. It became my passion. I didn't have parents who pushed me. I had coaches who had high standards and expected all of their wrestlers to train and to compete at the best of their abilities. Practices were hard, very hard, but we were never abused. If a parent was inappropriate, that was nipped in the bud quickly, either by another parent, a school administrator, or the coach. I agree we need to rein in expectations and allow our kids to be kids. Thanks for sharing this important message, my friend. It will help many.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Appreciate you sharing your example mate.

[@kxbyy2514]

Go ahead Matt.

[@andreaswenzel211]

Bravo Matt! Auch wir in Europa haben diesbezüglich Nachholbedarf, da auch unsere Sportstrukturen die meisten Kinder im Alter zwischen 12-16 Jahren verlieren.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Appreciate ALL the work you're doing to bring this to your country Andy.

[@rikophetveld364]

This is soooo good

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thank you Rik

[@trentondean3437]

Great talk. Not too sure if l would use the ACF as a great example of how to restructure a sporing organization for the benefit of everyone.

[@Alinda1308]

Another problem in the sports is favoritism, I have seen it happen so many times, and the sad thing is that kids are able to understand when someone does that

[@matthewyoung3585]

Agree

[@sharonmariecastaneda3741]

Thank you for this speech ❤️

[@matthewyoung3585]

Most welcome Sharon

[@sunnystepgaming2697]

Raise your hand if you are from Sports Background.

[@Nevisse]

Sports is as important as the study. I think.

[@rogerkillen2207]

I had no idea that this was happening to kids. Thank you Matt for making me aware. Your descriptions of the problem and solution were powerful.

[@chrisaustin9949]

I've seen this kind of things a million times. I remember a show covering Little League in a small city. They had to pick about 8 teams. The coaches got together and held a fantasy type draft. Each coach was given so many credits and they bid on one child at a time. They were not thinking of a game for kids, they were thinking of a game for themselves.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thank YOU for your continued leadership & mentorship Roger

[@sukhino4475]

I am a committee member, the playground is Residents Association But the games people play are same.manipulate to prioritize your way

[@BM-wf9uf]

God damn this was a good talk!

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thank you

[@matthewyoung3585]

Thank you

[@davidfalkner6282]

The problem with this solution is the parents buying into the current structure.

[@snoxcz1776]

I dropped out of tennis at age of 10 because I was angry at my coach. He reached out many times, tried to get me back, but he did me wrong and I was really stubborn kid. After that I was so ashamed for years, that I avoided the courts just so the coach doesnt see me. I felt like a failure. After all these years now in this video I understood, that it was not my fault. Bittersweet feeling, I am 30yo now and still love tennis and regret that I stopped :( I will make sure this will not happen to my son

[@aaronberns8485]

Nothing has changed about youth sports. He said everything that we already knew for so long. This "America Number One" mentality that I like to call for parents and coaches never works in America. It's time to change the culture.

[@SFVlogs2.0]

Nice 👍🙂

[@mrmozgamerztechs1697]

I’m from a sports background.

[@ronniemolivas5908]

I don't know where you live all my parks are empty from kids I have seen more kid on drugs as a parent with little income and want my kids to succeed not to many colleges except a child with just a good grade they need something to offer as a coach for 20 years and a father of 2 athletes you should relate as a parent I beleive we do our best and if sports is the worst thing then we have a much bigger problem

[@SFVlogs2.0]

Wow

[@eunicejahn6270]

So, so sadly true! Kids need movement and the chance to grow in a safe, non-competitive environment.

I thought i was the only one that think adults ruin sports for kids that happened to me with soccer, when i joined a team i used to hate the yelling couch i just wanna play not being a profesional.

[@matthewyoung3585]

It's not just you - unfortunately

[@thisisepic3052]

2:24 I felt that…. way too hard :(

[@AliAhmed-gq9zv]

Do any one thought about what TEDx..mean..???

[@rogerkillen2207]

TED is an acronym for Technology, Entertainment and Design. The little x means that the event is organized under a license granted by TED but independently of TED. I hope that that helps.

[@submaryne3518]

when

[@Steven-tg8nt]

This is soccer

[@PlasticEARTH]

It's 4:40 AM in India,

[@deepanshuprajapati9389]

The English only talk about humanity However there is a big difference between their saying and doing.

[@danfromqueens659]

Interesting that this came up right after the Olympic figure skating fiasco

[@kenm6652]

He’s been working on and advocating about this for quite some time now

[@frambach03]

I don’t necessarily disagree and I have seen first hand the evolution in my profession. I am part of the problem perhaps and am reflecting. He is wearing a Nike shirt, which seems a bit ironic.

[@ShahrezadNorMohammadiy9116]

TEDx | Thanks for your role and # women do hold high positions√ -- BLESSED 🌏FRIDAY! -- That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free ★ ★ to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind and the heart and the soul. This tolerance │ is essential for religion to thrive, but it's being challenged in many different ways. Among some Muslims, there's a disturbing tendency to measure one's own faith by the rejection of somebody else's faith. Freedom of religion│ is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it√. So no matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who would hold power: we must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; we must place the interests of our people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make TRUE DEMOCRACY√. Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you. GOOD HEALTH ALWAYS EVERYONE !!!. # I Thank you. ### .

[@wendyg8536]

I was speaking to a solo mum this week whose son has been accepted into the top sports team of his school, .. but now that is taken away from him by govt promoted school mandates, because she wisely refused to allow him jabbed. His father passed away during lockdown. The social implications of this is huge, especially in our country where we are world leaders in this such sport....children are now risking their health getting themselves vaxt behind their parents backs.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Exactly!

[@AliAhmed-gq9zv]

Tolke evil's Defense x God...this is what it is.

[@debrabarnhardt1103]

Sports, like everything else in the USA are about money. Everything else is window dressing.

[@matthewyoung3585]

Sad reality

[@LWRei]

A lil upset he didn’t mention trans kids in sports about them being themselves and being inclusive just child athletes on performance, value, and familial upbringing of expectations. I did Girls Track and Volleyball. And the girls and the coaches knew I was trans and been in transition for a long time, but the moment some parents found out acted like I had an advantage when I didn’t o had a female frame and female musclessmass not male at all bc I’m intersex. And I had gotten expelled from my high school and then kicked outta my moms house at 14 bc she had the expectations of me graduating and not dropping out or being expelled since I’d always been a failure at life-will probably continue to be a failure at life, but oh well. I just know I hat most cisgender people.

[@garcipat]

Sorry to say this, but this is a cultural problem. Dont see this here in my country. Not everybody parents are that fanatics.

[@RugbyGuide]

And it's sometimes just a handful of high profile sports, too. But North American culture also steers a lot of kids towards those sports.

[@ShahrezadNorMohammadiy9116]

TEDx | Thanks for your role and # women do hold high positions√ -- BLESSED 🌏FRIDAY! -- That is the spirit we need today. People in every country should be free ★ ★ to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind and the heart and the soul. This tolerance │ is essential for religion to thrive, but it's being challenged in many different ways. Among some Muslims, there's a disturbing tendency to measure one's own faith by the rejection of somebody else's faith. Freedom of religion│ is central to the ability of peoples to live together. We must always examine the ways in which we protect it√. So no matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who would hold power: we must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; we must place the interests of our people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make TRUE DEMOCRACY√. Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you. GOOD HEALTH ALWAYS EVERYONE !!!. # I Thank you. ### .