Emotional Injuries

Abuse in youth sports takes four basic forms: physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Unfortunately, all forms of abuse are common and the damage from the most common form of abuse (emotional abuse) is no less real than the damage resulting from other forms of abuse.

Getting cut from a sports team can be a very tough thing for a child or teen to handle. The practice of cutting athletes from middle or high school teams, while it has existed for at least fifty years, is arguably the most controversial practice in youth sports. While the arguments proponents advance in favor of cutting are well-known, MomsTeam founder Brooke de Lench believes the practice is outmoded and needs to be re-examined in light of twenty-first century realities, at least for teams below high school varsity.

Studies have shown that among the many effects of physical abuse are depression, anxiety, cognitive and learning difficulties, even a lowering of IQ (especially verbal IQ), disordered sleep, flashbacks, loss of empathy, aggressive behavior, chronically high stress levels which can lead to chronic health effects such as high blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and inability to maintain relationships.

Some countries are now beginning to employ protection policies in the context of sports to safeguard children from abuse. In the UK, for example, state funding for sports governing bodies is now linked to a set of 11 national standards for safeguarding children. The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is responsible for supporting and monitoring the implementation of these standards as they are

Several years ago, my triplet sons tried out for the travel soccer club in our town. Two of my sons were wait-listed for no apparent reason, along with over sixty other boys who had previously been in the program.

It is very disappointing not to be chosen for the team for which your child has tried out. Whether your child has been cut from a school, club or league team, it is just plain painful not to be selected...

Does your child's middle school have a no-cut policy or does it limit the number of children who get a chance to participate in interscholastic sports? What are the reasons for cutting kids who want to play sports from teams up to high school sub-varsity? Are there reasons why cutting is a bad idea? The founder of MomsTeam, Brooke de Lench, explains why she fought for a no-cut policy at her sons' middle school.