It was just one game into our spring season when my son’s team was offered an opportunity to scrimmage for 10 minutes during halftime of a local high school game.

It is a great opportunity for some exposure for our league as well as a chance to support the local high school team where most of these kids might end up playing. The boys will have a great time playing on a turf field under the lights in front of a decent crowd.

However, it is also another last-minute commitment in the middle of what is already a very busy spring sports schedule for our family. 

RELATED CONTENT: 4 traits to look for in your child’s football coach

RELATED CONTENT: Remember to keep youth sports fun

My wife and I are all for supporting any team-related activity, but for this one, we decided to make the decision for our son and decline the invitation.

Going to the high school game would have meant our family would miss a social opportunity we had already committed to attend. The social activity wasn’t a 50th birthday, golden anniversary or a wedding. It was simply a deck gathering with friends to celebrate the arrival of warm weather. 

RELATED CONTENT: How one boy’s flag football experience grew his self-esteem

Are you the parent of a youth, middle school or high school football player who’s looking for more tips or resources? Check out our Parent Guide, Parents 101 course, nutritious recipes and more.

If the activity with the team had been a rescheduled game or a newly added “real one,” we would have made every effort for our son to attend. This high school halftime event was a bonus-type opportunity that wasn’t required. It didn’t have an impact on the final standings. Therefore, we put our family’s social life before our son’s athletic one.

We don’t put our social lives before our kids’ schedules very often, whether it’s related to sports or not. We did this time. And we were all happy about the decision, including the player, himself.

 Jon Buzby has been involved in and writing about youth sports for the past 30 years, originally as a coach and board member with his now-adult son and most recently "just as a dad" with his 8- and 10-year-old sons. Jon is an award-winning writer and his latest book, “Coaching Kids Made Easier,” is available on Amazon. Send comments or future blog topics you'd like to see to JonBuzby@hotmail.com and follow him @YouthSportsBuzz on Twitter.