[Vinny P.]

Not only all those points that people brought up, but you also have to consider the success of other sports. The reason why kids are not playing LL as much as they used to, is simply because football and soccer (AYSO, and Pop Warner) have gained tremendously in popularity. Which is actually a GOOD thing. Baseball, afterall, is only 1 sport, just 1 extra-curricular activity. Not to mention other non-sports-related activities kids participate on a mass level these days as well.

One of the biggest factors for the popularity of Pop Warner, high school, and other youth football among kids (and their parents!) is increased safety. The helmets and pads are constantly improving, reducing the potential for injury tremendously. Again, a net positive here.

Plus, these days, there is such a push for kids to be doing multiple sports and activities, and the push for increased education, and time spent on schoolwork/homework.

I remember a thread a while back, where people were lamenting the "old days" where kids would be out in the streets, and parks, playing pickup games of football, baseball, basketball, street hockey, tag, and so forth. I think the paragraph above this one is the biggest reason why kids are not playing pick-up games anymore. That, and combined with video games, and reality TV. Hell, I have a little 6 year old neice and nephew who are twins. My sister just signed them up to play soccer for the first time this year. The very first team they played against was full of a bunch of 8 year-olds. My neice was pushed, and my nephew was tripped, and the refs did nothing, while the other side cheered both times. I heard the father of one of the kids say "That's my boy!!!" after he tripped up my nephew.

Parents are living vicariously through their children, and pushing them to do things they otherwise wouldn't do. This isn't just sport, either. I have a good friend who happens to be a girl, while growing up. Her parents pushed and pushed her daughter to constantly take violin lessons. She is NOT a natural violin player. She's good, but only because her mother started having her take lessons starting at the age of four. But she is by no means, 20 years later, a professional violin player. a couple of hours a day, for 20 years was wasted on giving her these lesson, simply because her mother failed out of Juliard, and regrets it to this day.

I mean, I have no problem with introducing kids to different games and activities. But they should, by no means, be pushed into doing it if they really do not want to.