Check out this brief video clip of the talented football prodigy Demias Jimerson. A little league football rule has been instituted to prevent him from scoring more than 3 TDs in a game due to his total dominance.
To me, this is an example of the “wussification of America” (an expression coined I believe by Brother Steve’s colleague Matt Labash – who wrote a hilarious article a few years ago on this very subject). KIDS NEED TO FAIL. It is important for a child’s development to win AND to lose. I hated losing when I was a kid but losing helped teach me how to win. When I was facing a known dominant player in youth sports, I was inspired to try harder and to push myself to do more to help my team. This is how I got better.
This kind of rule will likely have the opposite effect from what is intended. Instead of the kids leaving the field with their self-esteem 100% intact (as the rule makers hope), the kids on the opposing teams will miss out on the chance to challenge themselves against the best while entering the game feeling lame because the rules had to be changed due to their anticipated suckiness.