How Your Kid's Stats Stack Up: League Benchmarks Explained
Your kid scored 2 goals last night. Is that good? You don't know unless you know the league average. Here's how to benchmark performance.
Why Benchmarks Matter
Context changes everything. 2 goals is elite in one league, average in another. 0.8 PPG in a defensive league is all-star. 0.8 PPG in a high-scoring league is below average.
Benchmarking lets you answer: "Is my kid performing at, above, or below where kids his age typically perform?" That's the real question.
How to Get Benchmarks
Ask the coach
"What's the average PPG for a player in this division?" Most coaches know. They've coached long enough to have intuition.
Look at the league website
Some leagues publish stat sheets. If they do, calculate the average points per game across all players. That's your benchmark.
Track other teams
Watch a few games, estimate stats on other rosters. You'll get a feel for what's average, above, or below.
What "Above Average" Looks Like
If the league average is 0.6 PPG and your kid is at 1.2 PPG, they're elite for their division. If the average is 1.5 and your kid is at 1.2, they're solid but not outstanding.
Hockey benchmark: 0.7 PPG = above average in most youth leagues
Basketball benchmark: 8+ PPG = above average in competitive travel leagues
Soccer benchmark: 0.5 goals + 0.3 assists = good contributing player
These vary wildly by league. Don't trust numbers without context from your league.
The Real Use Case
You're not using this to brag. You're using it to understand: Is my kid tracking where they should be? Are they holding their own? Are they outperforming expectations?
A kid at 50% above league average has a story worth keeping. A kid exactly at league average is solid. A kid below average knows what to work on.
Track your kid's season. Know your league benchmarks. Understand the context.
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Sam Menard
Founder & Product Strategist
Digital health executive who's scaled products across 90+ markets. Girls hockey coach, girldad, and founder of Pull My Card. Built because sports parents deserve a way to celebrate every season.
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