About Why We Play

The Why We Play Mission

to provide services that help families improve the transfer of important feelings and life lessons between parents and young athletes.

Core Values

The survival of our society requires the transfer of core values from one generation to another. When children stopped working side-by-side with their parents on the farm and in small businesses, a series of teaching moments disappeared. The goal of Why We Play is to help families use technology to rekindle discussions on important topics.

A Why We Play subscription is not a substitute for personal communication. Why We Play is only one of several tools parents can use to communicate with their children. It is our belief that youth sports is an environment where parents have the opportunity to teach important life lessons. We believe that the lessons learned in youth sports help children grow into competent, well-adjusted, and confident adults.

Beginnings

Why We Play started as a book from a father to his soccer-playing children. But a book wasn't enough. People who gained the most from Why We Play used the book as a starting point. They added the missing link - the personal touch. Without personalization, Why We Play wound up as just another book on a bookshelf.

The idea of a subscription service came from the lessons learned from observing how families used the book. A subscription service allows parents time to comment on lessons, to add the important personal touch. Since each lesson is very specific, the smaller lessons can be digested before moving on to the next one. A subscription also opens the communication channel, allowing children to respond - to start a conversation about the topic. Finally, a subscription allows the message to evolve. Parents don't have to agree with every idea presented. In fact, some of the best discussions start with "I don't agree with the author of this one."

Statistics tell the rest of the story. As a society, we are reading fewer books. Women read more than men, which means sporting dads are least likely to read Why We Play. Yet it is often the dads that need to communicate feelings and lessons to their children. While this sets up a more visible disconnect between fathers and daughters, there is still a disconnect between fathers and sons. So while it is true that men (statistically) read fewer books that women, it is also true that men and women are reading more email than every before. Young adults are also reading email. So why not meet in the middle? Give the information to parents. Have the parents personalize the message and send it on.

Fundraisers

The Why We Play Subscription Service is designed to benefit sports organizations. Instead of the normal fundraisers, clubs can now offer a fundraiser that helps the club raise money AND improve the overall youth sports experience.