The New York Times just published a revealing article about Norway’s approach to youth sports that provides a painful juxtaposition to the often-times toxic “youth sport industrial complex” that currently has gone off the rails in the U.S.

The article offers some valuable insights into how youth sports can be returned to its original health and value for America’s children. Some of the positive practices that Norway engages in include:

1. Low cost.
2. No travel teams until the teenage years.
3. No national championships before age 13.
4. The creation of a Children’s Rights in Sports manifesto that guides youth sports programming.
5. Giving children a leading voice in their sports participation.
6. Avoiding early talent identification as being ineffective.

Adopting the Norwegian approach would return some sanity to a youth-sports system that has run amok. But, being the cynic that I can be, I don’t see this change happening at any large level. Ultimately, it’s up to the parents to maintain perspective about their children’s sports participation and guide their young athletes in a slow, steady, and healthy process of development to become the best and healthiest athletes they can be.