Attention Span of Your Players: Is There a Problem or Not?

Comment by Mike Greene on February 5, 2012 at 5:41pm

Coach, you have hit the nail on the head with this question. I have adjusted practices accordingly with a lot more short drill periods rather than longer sessions. The attention span just isn't there anymore. I don't think it is ADD or ADHD, I just think it is the way these kids were brought up. The current generation has never experienced having to use their imaginations to have fun or play. They have never had to go outside and pick up a stick or piece of wood an pretend it is a rifle or sword or fishing pole. They have grown up indoors in front of the TV or computer watching cartoons, videos and playing video games. These media types are designed for short spurts not long activity. Here is a prime example from one of the greatest showman on earth, Vince McMahon. Whether you are a fan of wrestling or have never watched, he is a genius when it comes to television and drawing ratings. I read an article on marketing with quotes from him a while back. He said that in the glory days of "pro wrestling" matches could go 30 minutes and longer. Today's matches are set to go no more than 7-10 minutes because the audience they are after will not watch longer than 10 minutes for a single match.

Back to your question, attention spans have diminished to the point that the longest drill we do is about 15 minutes. I do have more players than ever on medication for ADD or ADHD, but in all honesty I don't think it helps. I have spoken to mental health experts and they share my beliefs for the most part. There are obviously other factors like cell phones, FaceBook, Twitter, etc. that keep them constantly in touch so they don't ever have to wait for communication but one of the biggest thing every mental health professional that I have spoken to says is "this is a generation raised in front of a TV or computer."

I would definitely tune in to hear from another pro on how to best approach these kids.

Comment by Mike Castleman on February 6, 2012 at 4:26pm

This question is devoid of any consideration of age and development years differentiation.

I would submit that for the under 12 year old set...nothing has changed.  There have been dandelion pickers and distracted kids since the first ball was thrown.  Kids by physiogical definition have very short attention spans which make more signifcant cognitive connection as they age.  If it is your experience that short drills are working better than longer sessions...it's because they do.

For the older set i'm a bit more sanguine and believe that the attention span issue that exists is cultural/sociatal in its nature.  Standards are lower...adults have a hard time connecting with kids (i.e. Players) as an authority figure.  How many 30 somethings are emotionally afraid to expect or require that a person under age 18 refer to them as "Mr." or "Mrs" so and so...?  What are our standards? It used to be that if you weren't there to be your best then you weren't asked to return.  We have a society that is culturaly pre-dispositioned to prolong childhood  not into the early to mid 20's (with some suggesting it's even longer relationally).

 

This is not a mental or medical health issue...i tend to lay this at the feet of "adults" and not kids...while it becomes the "kid's" issue because they are untimately unchallend and ill equipped and ultimately responsible for themselves, it starts with the adult's who seem unwilling to lead and train kid's properly.

 

my two cents...

Comment by Richard Lovell on February 6, 2012 at 4:34pm

Let me play devil's advocate a bit here.  First, I would disagree somewhat with Mike Greene.  I think most of the kids playing baseball today do play outside and use their imagination.  I know everything my three boys and a lot of their friends they play sports with pick up a rock or stick or anything for that matter and it becomes a gin or grenade and begin playing war.  Usually, the kids that only play video games (and I think there are fewer than what the media report), don't sign up for outdoor sports such as baseball, football, etc.  Secondly, I believe when I was growing up (born in 1961), we had just as many kids that were ADD/ADHD as we do today. We just didn't have the expertise to diagnose it...it was treated as "boys will be boys" and "boys are just active".  Do we possibly over diagnose, sure.  Just as anything in our country...look for a reason or excuse to justify or vilify.  As far as medication not working, I disagree.  And believe me, I was not an original proponent of medication.  My nephew was diagnosed and looking back, absolutely he was and I learned a lot from my older sister about ADHD with my nephew.  Oh, and he is currently a grad student in advanced physics.  By the time those kids get to practice the medication has pretty much worn off, unless they are given an additional dose to get them through practice.  Let's also understand that the medication does not necessarily "drug" them up or make them more docile, or a cure-all answer to everything, etc.  It helps them focus and allows their brains to process the information in a more organized manner.  I say these things from practical experience...I have one son with "impulse control" issues which we worked with for years and now at 14 y/o, he is a star athlete at his school in multiple sports and recently inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.  My middle and youngest sons are ADD/ADHD. Both boys are on medication and report that the medication allows them to focus more in class and they both excel in sports and the middle son  is an accomplished reader in his school, top student in his class/school and the current school spelling bee champion.  The youngest is your typical, average student with a bigger than life personality and young wrestler.  When my middle son told me after being on his medication for a few weeks that he felt happy, I was sold.  He had never said that before and often talked about how unhappy he was.  His happiness derived from being able to focus in class as opposed to "feeling happy" from  the drug.  Yes, it is challenging for them, and other young kids, to focus on a sport that is definitely difficult to learn to play.  Unlike other sports, soccer in particular, where you can stay moving with smaller group games that teach younger players ball handling and control, baseball is a tough sport to teach because of the inherent difficulties of the sport itself.  That being said, my middle son is an accomplished player and plays on his Majors Little League team as well as a competitive baseball travel team.  I think the proper medication and dosage, along with our understanding of the medications use and limitations, have had enormous benefits and greatly helped him and his little brother excel in school and sport.

To the point of shorter drills because of shorter attention spans, he alt/education professionals and good coaches have long recognized that any person, young or old, tend to learn things better in shorter, more intense instruction periods.  Again, speaking form experience (4 year Army Instructor), the military learned that taking material for schools and putting into shorter, more intense modules, retention was better and kept the trainees engaged and focused.  

Obviously, this is always challenged by individual stories, but I think overall kids are kids are kids and we have learned more since the mid 60's, 70's, 80.s etc, in how to instruct kids in school and sport.  Unfortunatel

Comment by Richard Lovell on February 7, 2012 at 1:37am

Well said, Mike.  

Comment by Dion Chamar Owens on February 7, 2012 at 2:47pm

My take. If player don't have the patience to get through a 9 inning game, then they will suffer from some kind of  ADD. But if they know how to calculate and think their way through a game, then they will be in perfect mental health.  

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