It occurred to me we don’t rag on The Federalist nearly as often as we should.  Lets fix that.

This is my review of Pipeworks Napkin Math Stout with Peaches:

I am going to begin this by saying that I am fully aware of the obvious negative return on investment club sports will eventually bring.  Nobody is more fully aware of this fact than I am, a person that is driving a 12 year old Chrysler product that just paid for a transmission rebuild.  Even though you have autism and will do so anyways, you do not need to smugly explain this to me as I am living the sunk cost fallacy lifestyle, bruh.  (TW:  The Federalist)

Realistically, the chances of a male high school soccer player making a college team is 8 percent. Making a Division I team? 0.9 percent. Making a professional soccer roster? Less than 7 ten-thousands of a percent, or 1,344:1 in simpler terms. Playing club sports increases those odds a bit — but at a high price.

There are some real downsides to long-term participation in club sports.

The investment of time and money is significant, often thousands of dollars per year, especially if the team travels. I loved spending time in the car with my son going to practices and games for many years, but there are opportunity costs. Paying club fees means fewer funds for other important things, and that time spent on the road means less time as a family.

The quality of coaching varies in most clubs, and coaches for high-level teams tend to produce more skills growth in their players. But too many coaches are not invested in players’ personal development, identity, and mental health. Younger athletes need a mentor and lots of encouragement, although there comes a time especially as later teens when they need someone to challenge them. Thankfully, both as a parent and as a soccer referee, I have seen some great exceptions to the rule — coaches who clearly care about growing their players as people — but they are rare exceptions.

Fundamentally, club sports are businesses similar to pyramid schemes.

Again, I accept failure is the most likely scenario.  I know this because this is UFC fighter, Michael Chandler, showing off part of his workout. My PR for deadlift is 425, so theoretically I know I can do this—one or two reps of course and I’ll be hating life for the next few hours.  Alternatively, while I can bench press 225, I am not going anywhere near an NFL combine.  I am not there, and neither is my wife, therefore my kids most likely will not be either.

Forgive me for using Big Mike’s “Let’s Move” graphic.

There are however benefits to participating in youth sports.  Ranging from the obvious health and psychological benefits associated with simple activity playing outside.   Other benefits include socialization (the good kind), cognitive/academic performance, college admissions, even increased productivity as an adult at work.

For my family, because of the expense each year we ask, “do you still want to play” before we sign up.  We also stipulate that if you are going to play, you have to play hard.  This year my youngest tried out for a club team that plays within a Cal Ripken league.  He was a bit of a standout with the neighborhood little league.  After watching the kids at the tryout I told him if he gets on the team he won’t be asked to lead off like he did at the little league and he’s going to be in the outfield unless he puts in the work.

For him to succeed in something even this trivial, puts his mind in a place valuable enough that I can accept driving a 12 year old Chrysler product with the clear coat visibly bubbling for a few more years.

 

For as cold and calculating the brewing process necessarily needs to be, something here doesn’t add up.  Peaches are a good thing.  I like peaches, my kids like peaches.  I have a dark corner in my kitchen I leave a bowl of peaches to ripen up during the summer when they’re in season.  Stout is a good thing, and you are well aware of my fondness for it.  Putting them both in the lineup is a bad idea.  While I can appreciate an attempt at something different, somebody in the production process needed to step in and put a stop to this nonsense. Pipeworks Napkin Math Stout with Peaches: 2.2/5