The Sports Xchange

FOXBOTOUGH, Mass. – New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was asked about his view on youth sports in his weekly interview on WEEI Radio in Boston. As one of the greatest athletes in history in any sport, Brady had some interesting thoughts on the pressures that face young athletes today.

“Youth sports, and what I remember from being in youth sports, everything was really localized. There were no travel teams … well, there were a couple, but you really had to be the top, top kids to go on those teams,” Brady reflected.

“My parents always exposed us to different things, different sports. It was basketball when it was basketball season. It was baseball when it was baseball season. I didn’t play football until I was a freshman in high school. A lot of soccer. There were some camps, but I just played in the neighborhood in our street with all the kids we grew up with.

“It’s just different now, and I’m experiencing it with my own kids with all the organized activities that you put them in. I’ve made a comment for a while now: ‘I hope my kids are late bloomers in whatever they do.’ Because they are going to be exposed to so much at such an early time that yeah, you do worry about what their motivation may be. As they get older or if they feel like they’ve been in something for so long and it’s been hyper-intense and hyper-focused for so long, I think that can wear out a young individual, a young teenager.

“It’s just hard, because all the parents are doing it, it seems, and the competition feels like it starts so early for these kids, whether it’s to get into college or getting into the right high school or the right elementary school. I don’t know how it’s taken that turn, but you know, sometimes it’s nice for kids to just be kids.”

–Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks started the first three games in New Orleans before being traded to the Patriots last week in exchange for backup tight end Michael Hoomanawanui.

Now, the veteran will try to learn the New England scheme and carve out a role for himself on defense as soon as possible coming out of the bye week.

“Bunches of fun. Just happy to be here,” Hicks said of his initial feelings of landing in Foxborough. “For me, it’s all about moving forward and getting into my new team and focusing on what I have to do here.

“I definitely want to be as versatile as I have been in the past. Just look forward to playing in this new scheme. I don’t have a hold on it yet, but … It’s a process. I look forward to how they get me involved.”

–Offensive linemen Ryan Wendell found his way to the practice field Oct. 5, New England’s first workout coming out of the bye-week break. The veteran has yet to play this season and he has been absent from the practice field in recent weeks due to an undisclosed illness.

The veteran was clearly happy to be back to work and said he didn’t feel limited “in any way.”

“We all work hard to try to contribute to the team. You can’t do that when you’re not playing, so, it feels good to be out there at practice,” the New England offensive line co-captain said. It feels good to do your job. You don’t want to get paid to do nothing.”