70% of kids quit organized sports by the age of 13.

Seven out of ten kids. Gone. Before high school. Before the game even has a chance to teach them what it's really about.

The number one reason? It stopped being fun.

But here's what nobody talks about. Fun doesn't mean easy. Fun doesn't mean no pressure. Fun doesn't mean everybody gets a trophy.

Fun means they feel capable. They feel challenged. They feel like they belong. And most importantly, they feel like the game is theirs, not yours.

The good news? You have more influence over that than you think.

The bad news? You might be getting in your own way.

Here's how you keep them in it.

You can't want it more than they do. But you can create the conditions for them to want it themselves.

Keep it competitive. Let them fail. Let them figure things out. Cheer for the effort, not just the outcome. And when they climb in that car after a tough game, put your coaching hat in the back seat and just be their parent.

That's how you keep them in the game.

That's how you keep them in it for the right reasons.

And that might be the most important thing you do for them. Not just as a baseball player. But as a person.

Help me keep more kids in the game. If you found this helpful, please forward it to another parent or coach.

Thanks for being here. See you next week Inside the Dugout.

-Coach Steve-

Steve Holmes
Founder, Inside the Dugout
2006 MLB Draft | All-American | Youth Coach | Dad