Dave Bastien remembers a time when baseball was the ‘in? thing for youngsters during the summer.
‘I think when I was a kid, baseball was king,? said Bastien, now the third-base coach for the Nichols Electric 11-12 year old team in Brandon Township Recreation’s summer baseball leagues. ‘If you weren’t at the park by 8 in the morning, you got on a bench and waited.?
These days, it’s tough to find kids engaged in pickup baseball games at the local fields. ‘Today, you drive by the fields and they’re empty,? Bastien said.
Nonetheless, Brandon Township Recreation’s baseball program is still going strong in terms of participation. A look at this year’s rosters indicates almost 600 youngsters are taking part in leagues this year.
On a nationwide scale, though, baseball participation seems to be on the wane.
According to a study by the National Sporting Goods Association, baseball participation in the U.S. has decreased by approximately two million during that time span, from 16,682,000 in 1993 to 14,632,000 in 2003, a 12.3 percent drop.
Conversely, soccer participation has improved to the point where it is approaching baseball in terms of number of people participating. Statistics show soccer participation has increased 7.9 percent, from 10,273,000 in 1993 to 11,085,000 in 2003.
The same study shows increases for ‘extreme? sports, such as in-line skating, skateboarding, and snowboarding.
An article in the April 13 edition of Forbes magazine further illustrates soccer’s growth and baseball’s decline.
According to SGMA International (an organization which represents manufacturers of sporting goods equipment), almost 18 million people played soccer in 2002, up 15 percent from 15 years ago.
During that time period, baseball participation declined 31 percent to 10 million people.
While Bastien acknowledges there are more sports for youngsters today, he said there’s another reason baseball participation is declining.
‘There’s too much interest in computers and video games, things in which kids don’t get any exercise,? he said. ‘There are too many outside interests.?
Melissa Nichols, whose husband, Rich, is one of the coaches on the Nichols Electric team, also has a son, Curtis, 11, on the team. She echoes Bastian’s sentiments.
‘I think baseball was definitely more popular when I was growing up,? she said, ‘You don’t see that as much any more.?
Kathy Miller, who, like Nichols, has a husband (Chris) coaching the team, has two sons, Cody and Ryan, on the team. She said soccer and other sports are now competing with baseball for kids? attention.
Just the same, Bastian said the boys on the Nichols Electric team have worked hard this year, despite the inclement weather that has been prevalent this summer.
‘It’s been a rough season ? a lot of games were affected,? he said. ‘Overall, the kids have done a good job.?