Last week, our local county recreation department opened team registration for kids winter basketball, which is like a national holiday for overly-invested sports-parents.I coach second graders and wanted to create playing opportunities for as many of them as I could, so I expanded the roster from one team of 12 to two teams open to 20 kids. I reached out a fellow dad about possibly combining his team with mine. As it turns out, he was disbanding his rec team and taking his son to a private league -- a choice he has every right to make, of course. He wasnt the first kid to leave our school league, and as a firm believer in rec leagues, it saddens me that he probably wont be the last.Ive been thinking about a comment made at an Aspen Institute Project Play panel I hosted on revitalizing in-town sports leagues. Ryan Eckel, vice president of branding for Dicks Sporting Goods, told the audience the name rec league is undercutting the mission of the local organizations who run them.That point resonated with me, so I followed up with Eckel for some clarification:The word recreation implies fun, which is what these leagues should be, because thats what will keep kids wanting to participate.?But it also implies a lack of seriousness, which I think undersells all the very serious benefits of this type of sport participation.In a culture when parents are constantly being reminded of how competitive it is to get into -- and expensive to attend -- college, and the options are elite or travel and recreation, its easy to see why parents would choose the elite option. But the parents who pull their kids out of the in-town leagues in favor of the elite programs are the ones who can afford to do so, and this pulls dollars out of the in-town leagues and reduces their relevance.Between playing, parenting and coaching, Id say I have accumulated about eight years worth of time in the rec league. I know first-hand the benefits of a well-rounded sports experience that includes fun and skill, but the larger effect these local leagues have on kids throughout the region -- including introducing them to organized sports in the first place -- cant be denied.Is the answer as simple as re-marketing rec leagues as something more compelling or exciting, like elite or travel? On the one hand, we want to encourage a return to in-town leagues; on the other hand, we dont want to intimidate or put off families who arent looking for an intense experience.Eckel made a rebranding suggestion that made sense to me: calling it a developmental league, which puts youth sports in their proper perspective while still providing the cachet of progress toward a bigger goal -- after all, it works for the NBA and USA Basketball.Obviously, more compelling marketing isnt enough. Local county-funded recreation organizations could call it the Best Way For Your 8-Year-Old To Get Accepted Into College League and it would still require improved infrastructure, investment and parents willingness to be involved.For now, the colloquialism I typically use that makes the most sense to me is friends team, because in the end, that is the thing about the experience that the kids themselves notice and appreciate most. Discount Jordan Shoes Wholesale . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Cheap Jordan Retro 4 Mens . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. http://www.wholesalejordan11.com/ . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. Cheap Jordan 6 Mens . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Buy Air Jordans Wholesale . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. ' ' '