Tuesday night was the end of softball season for the Gardner's. But for 14 girls and their parents in our softball league, it was just the beginning.

You see, those 14 girls were selected to the All-Star team which will now travel around central Texas in the hopes of advancing further and further in tournament play. They will practice 4 nights a week and play every weekend.

Is it just me or is that a little much to invest in girls 6-8 years old?

During my days coaching high school baseball, I was always touched by the number of kids capable of helping our team who'd long since burned out playing the game. That is why, during my school board tenure, I lobbied hard for some restrictions on playing athletics so much at the expense of families. It always concerned me that basketball tournaments would kick-off the day after Christmas, often prohibiting families from truly enjoying the holiday season.

To be honest, I am as big a supporter of athletics as a teacher for children as anybody. But is there a point when extracurricular activies can be too much?

Yesterday, my MSN home page produced an article by Jeanne Sather called "Activity Overload: Are Kids Doing Too Much?" Give it a read and let me know what you think (jim.gardner@hotmail.com). What does your family do to maintain balance and perspective?