Over the years and just recently in fact, I've written about the importance of perspective when it comes to youth sports. Despite our desires, one must recognize just how unlikely it is, that any one of us is raising a professional athlete.  Don't get me wrong, the last thing I want is to shoot down anyone's dream --this is about understanding reality and the difficult journey that lies ahead. I suspect this is one reason having fun tops the list of advice to youngsters from both collegiate and professional athletes alike.

The NCAA publishes some statistics that speaks to this:2/16/2007

Estimated Probability of Competing in Athletics Beyond the High School Interscholastic Level

Men's Basketball

• Less than one in 35, or approximately 3.0 percent, of high school senior boys playing interscholastic basketball will go on to play men's basketball at a NCAA member institution.
• Less than one in 75, or approximately 1.2 percent, of NCAA male senior basketball players will get drafted by a National Basketball Association (NBA) team.
• Approximately three in 10,000, or approximately 0.03 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic basketball will eventually be drafted by an NBA team.

Women's Basketball

• About 3.3 percent, or approximately three in 100, of high school senior girls interscholastic basketball players will go on to play women's basketball at a NCAA member institution.
• About one in 100, or approximately 1.0 percent, of NCAA female senior basketball players will get drafted by a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team.
• Approximately one in 5,000, or approximately 0.02 percent of high school senior girls playing interscholastic basketball will eventually be drafted by a WNBA team.

Football

• About 5.7 percent, or approximately one in 17, of all high school senior boys playing interscholastic football will go on to play football at a NCAA member institution.
• About 1.8 percent, or approximately one in 50, of NCAA senior football players will get drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team.
• Approximately eight in 10,000, or approximately 0.08 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic football will eventually be drafted by an NFL team.

Baseball

• Approximately three in 50, or about 6.1 percent, of high school senior boys interscholastic baseball players will go on to play men's baseball at a NCAA member institution.
• Less than ten in 100, or about 9.4 percent, of NCAA senior male baseball players will get drafted by a Major League Baseball (MLB) team.
• Approximately one in 200, or approximately 0.45 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic baseball will eventually be drafted by an MLB team.

Men's Ice Hockey

• Approximately 11 in 100, or about 11 percent, of high school senior boys interscholastic ice hockey players will go on to play men's ice hockey at a NCAA member institution.
• Less than 1 in 27, or about 3.7 percent, of NCAA senior male ice hockey players will get drafted by a National Hockey League (NHL) team.
• Less than one in 300, or approximately 0.32 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic ice hockey will eventually be drafted by an NHL team.

Men's Soccer

• Less than three in 50, or about 5.5 percent, of high school senior boys interscholastic soccer players will go on to play men's soccer at a NCAA member institution.
• Less than one in 50, or about 1.7 percent, of NCAA senior male soccer players will be drafted by a Major League Soccer (MLS) team.
• Approximately one in 1,250, or approximately 0.07 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic soccer will eventually be drafted by an MLS team.