I will say something else good about soccer. Even though most of the kids, who play it at the YMCA or other non-competitive local soccer leagues for young kids will never go on to be high school or college stars, it is great exercise for them. Yeah, sometimes they run off the field chasing butterflies, and sometimes run the wrong way and score a goal for the other team, but they are RUNNING...! After coaching both tee-ball and soccer for young kids at the YMCA, I think soccer is a far better sport for them.
This may get me in trouble, but I think tee-ball is a complete waste of time for everybody. That would include kids, parents, umpires, and coaches. Baseball requires acquired skills that very few little kids have, and cannot acquire until they are older.
Yeah, I know someone will come up with an exception, but I've been there, and I know that most little kids, five and under, can't play baseball. I might add that subjecting them to the sport of baseball, before they are ready for it, might make them not want to ever play it again. However, little kids know how to kick things, and it's much easier for them to make contact with a soccer ball, than it is for them to catch a baseball. I will also add that tee-ball involves a lot of just standing around, while the worst soccer player on a YMCA soccer team runs his/her ass off not only in the game, but it practice as well.
YODA, have I redeemed myself...?
p.s. Hitting a baseball off of a tee teaches little kids little or nothing about the game of baseball.
p.p.s. I didn't learn how to play baseball until the summer before I was going into the 4th grade. It was in the sandlot with my buddies. We didn't have any coaches, umpires, or anything else besides gloves, a bat or two, and a couple baseballs that still hadn't had too much of their stitching unraveled. Most of us went on to become Little League All Stars. Sadly, none of us ever made it to the big leagues.