http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=3790359&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos1

The link above is a story about Elena Delle Donne, a supremely talented and hard working basketball player who just walked away from a scholarship at UConn because she was burned out and lost passion for the game.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who is an excellent coach, doesn’t understand how someone who is that good at something could just walk away from it.

Parent. Coach. Can You?

Can you understand that most kids, even the “most talented” like to play when it’s FUN.

Is it fun to win? Absolutely!

Should winning define who a 10 year old, 14 year old, or even 18 year old really is?

Is it reasonable to expect a 13 year old to tell her coach she is “burned out” or “tired of playing” when so much expectation is thrust upon her?

I’ll tell you this - kids who play the same sport for 12 months out of the year from a very early age are LIKELY to get tired of it. Even if they are good at it.

There needs to be balance.

Parents and coaches need to take charge and MAKE SURE our kids or the athletes we are responsible for have time off - time to be kids. Even if they don’t “want to”.

Elena Delle Donne makes headlines because she is a high profile athlete at a high profile school.

How many kids do we come in contact with feel the same way?