Overplayed: A Parent's Guide to Sanity in the World of Youth Sports

As seen in Focus on the Family magazine.

Should I sign up our seven-year-old son for the travel team? What should we do about our daughter's Sunday morning games? Am I the only one longing for a sane balance between children's sports, family time, and church commitments?

David King and Margot Starbuck offer good news for Christian parents stressed out by these questions and stretched thin by the demands of competitive youth sports. Join King, athletic director at a Christian university, and Starbuck, an award-winning author and speaker, as they investigate seven myths about what's best for young athletes. Discover with them what it means to not be conformed to the patterns of the youth sports world. Listen in as they talk to other parents, pastors, and coaches about the peril and promise of children's sports. Learn practical ways to set boundaries and help kids gain healthy identities as beloved children of God--both on and off the field, and whether they win or lose.

Equips parents with concrete tips such as:

• Eight questions to discuss on the way home from the game
• Five ways to ruin your child's sports experience
• Dinnertime conversation starters about your family's values
• The one question you can't not ask your child about youth sports

Key Features:

• Challenges seven common myths about youth sports
• Offers wisdom for families on decisions such as choosing leagues and how many seasons to play
• Author Q&As address parents' common concerns about youth sports
• Bonus tips and resources for parents, coaches, and pastors

Free downloadable study guide available here.

David King is director of athletics and associate director of development at Eastern Mennonite University and has coached at the high school and college levels. He is president of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the Shenandoah Valley Athletic Club, and he is licensed for ministry specifically for itinerant speaking on faith and athletics.

Margot Starbuck is the author of five books, including the award-winning Girl in the Orange Dress, and is a regular contributor to Today's Christian Woman and an editorial advisor for Gifted for Leadership. A graduate of Westmont College and Princeton Seminary, Starbuck is the mother of three children and lives in Durham, North Carolina.