Youth Sports: Friend or Foe of the Faith?
I enjoy sports. I enjoyed playing sports. I enjoy watching and coaching sports. Sports taught me so many lessons about life that could not be learned in a classroom. I look back with gratitude for the priceless instruction I received from sports.
Now, as a parent, I love seeing my kids light up on the field. The sweat, the effort, the teamwork—it’s all part of helping them grow. I get why we sign up. But there’s another side to this coin: the endless pull to join in yet another league, travel team, and tournament. Lately, I have found myself pausing to wonder: what’s the end game here?”
Life’s Endgame
I’m not the first person to ask this question. Over two thousand years ago, the author of the wisdom book, Ecclesiastes, wrestled with the same thing. He experimented with living for short-term gains like work, pleasure, and success but ultimately concluded that these pursuits were like chasing the wind. After much soul searching, he reached this conclusion:
"Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
In other words, life is best lived when God is the endgame.
Applied to sports, Ecclesiastes urges parents to play the long game. In 20 years, what will matter more—how many goals your child scored, which travel team they made, or whether they treasure Christ? What’s the endgame toward which you're parenting?
What’s the Big Deal?
You might say, “The window to play sports is small, so I want my child to make the most of it.” I get it—and in a way, Ecclesiastes would agree. Life is short. Enjoy the gifts God gives—including sports. But not at the expense of your soul.
Ecclesiastes reminds us: eternity is long. So, we’d better prepare for it. The wisdom here is this: don’t make foundational what was meant to be extracurricular. Today’s culture often flips that script—treating sports as essential and faith as optional.
As a pastor, I’ve seen a growing trend—parents who rationalize putting sports ahead of faith with this line: “Faith will always be there, but sports won’t.” Here’s my response: If faith is on the bench now, don’t expect it to be in the game later. Parents, we must make sure faith doesn’t ride the bench. It must take the field in the game of life—now.
How to Keep Faith Central
Here are a few practical ways to make sure faith is playing an active role in your family’s life.
2. Examine your schedule.
Like a ship, every person and family have a limit to the load they can carry. If your home feels constantly overloaded, then you may want to clear the deck! No one will do this for you. No one will make you less busy. Stop complaining how busy you are start doing something about it. Check out this resource to lighten your load.
3. Learn to say “no.”
No team or tournament schedule should run your child’s life. You are the parent. Set boundaries. Stick to them. Say no.
Personal note: I recently said “no” to a summer basketball league because my family needed a break after a hectic season. It wasn’t easy—but it was right.
4. Guard weekly worship.
Make weekly worship a family priority. Missing occasionally isn’t a problem. But if sports consistently bump worship off the calendar, it’s time to re-evaluate.
5. Prioritize youth group.
Give your kids a team of teens who love and serve Jesus. Youth group isn’t just fun—it’s formation.
6. Reframe “FOMO”
Yes, I want my kids to have fun and make memories—including through sports. But I also don’t want them to miss out on moments that shape their souls. Wise parents don’t just create fun memories—they create faith-forming ones that matter forever.
Parents, life is short—and so is our window to guide and influence our children. Don’t just aim to raise athletes. Aim to raise disciples. When it comes to parenting and sports, choose wisely—and focus on the right endgame.
Further Reading
In the Arena: The Promise of Sports for Christian Discipleship by David E. Prince
Overplayed: A Parent’s Guide to Sanity in the World of Youth Sports by David King and Margot Starbuck
Now, as a parent, I love seeing my kids light up on the field. The sweat, the effort, the teamwork—it’s all part of helping them grow. I get why we sign up. But there’s another side to this coin: the endless pull to join in yet another league, travel team, and tournament. Lately, I have found myself pausing to wonder: what’s the end game here?”
Life’s Endgame
I’m not the first person to ask this question. Over two thousand years ago, the author of the wisdom book, Ecclesiastes, wrestled with the same thing. He experimented with living for short-term gains like work, pleasure, and success but ultimately concluded that these pursuits were like chasing the wind. After much soul searching, he reached this conclusion:
"Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
In other words, life is best lived when God is the endgame.
Applied to sports, Ecclesiastes urges parents to play the long game. In 20 years, what will matter more—how many goals your child scored, which travel team they made, or whether they treasure Christ? What’s the endgame toward which you're parenting?
What’s the Big Deal?
You might say, “The window to play sports is small, so I want my child to make the most of it.” I get it—and in a way, Ecclesiastes would agree. Life is short. Enjoy the gifts God gives—including sports. But not at the expense of your soul.
Ecclesiastes reminds us: eternity is long. So, we’d better prepare for it. The wisdom here is this: don’t make foundational what was meant to be extracurricular. Today’s culture often flips that script—treating sports as essential and faith as optional.
As a pastor, I’ve seen a growing trend—parents who rationalize putting sports ahead of faith with this line: “Faith will always be there, but sports won’t.” Here’s my response: If faith is on the bench now, don’t expect it to be in the game later. Parents, we must make sure faith doesn’t ride the bench. It must take the field in the game of life—now.
How to Keep Faith Central
Here are a few practical ways to make sure faith is playing an active role in your family’s life.
- See the Big Picture
2. Examine your schedule.
Like a ship, every person and family have a limit to the load they can carry. If your home feels constantly overloaded, then you may want to clear the deck! No one will do this for you. No one will make you less busy. Stop complaining how busy you are start doing something about it. Check out this resource to lighten your load.
3. Learn to say “no.”
No team or tournament schedule should run your child’s life. You are the parent. Set boundaries. Stick to them. Say no.
Personal note: I recently said “no” to a summer basketball league because my family needed a break after a hectic season. It wasn’t easy—but it was right.
4. Guard weekly worship.
Make weekly worship a family priority. Missing occasionally isn’t a problem. But if sports consistently bump worship off the calendar, it’s time to re-evaluate.
5. Prioritize youth group.
Give your kids a team of teens who love and serve Jesus. Youth group isn’t just fun—it’s formation.
6. Reframe “FOMO”
Yes, I want my kids to have fun and make memories—including through sports. But I also don’t want them to miss out on moments that shape their souls. Wise parents don’t just create fun memories—they create faith-forming ones that matter forever.
Parents, life is short—and so is our window to guide and influence our children. Don’t just aim to raise athletes. Aim to raise disciples. When it comes to parenting and sports, choose wisely—and focus on the right endgame.
Further Reading
In the Arena: The Promise of Sports for Christian Discipleship by David E. Prince
Overplayed: A Parent’s Guide to Sanity in the World of Youth Sports by David King and Margot Starbuck
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2 Comments
Straight-forward and practical. A hurried childhood isn’t necessarily the best childhood. David Elkind, a well-known 20th/21st century developmental psychologist would agree with your points. I would add his book “The Hurried Child” as a complimentary resource. Sports teach fantastic life lessons as long as everyone keeps things in perspective!
I think I came across some of his material when doing some research. Thank you for the recommendation!