Why Kids Shouldn’t Play One Sport Too Early
This happens to parents all the time. They sign little Everett to kids’ football, and he’s good. Really good. So they sent him to summer soccer camps, to goalkeeper clinics, and every weekend lugged refrigerators and sun loungers with them to his soccer games across the state. They begin to dream of college scholarships and professional contracts, and how he could even become the next Christian Pulisich. It’s good that they discovered his ideal sport at such a young age, right?
Maybe not. Specializing in sports at a young age does not appear to be associated with future success in the sport at the elite level, and may even be harmful, leading to more injuries, according to new research published in the Journal of Orthopedic Sports Medicine . Those 10,000 hours of practice required are not applicable to most sports, with the exception of those in which athletes compete at the youth Olympic level, such as rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating. Children are better off trying different sports and activities, or just running around and playing whatever comes to mind. (Remember when all the neighborhood kids were just knocking on each other’s doors and going to play tokens in the field? Me too, but let’s put it back.)
That’s why.
Overtraining can lead to more injuries
Repeating the same movements over and over, such as a baseball, can put stress on the ligaments, muscles, tendons, and growth plates. According to the available data, children’s bodies are not the same as those of adults, and those who specialize in sports have an additional risk of injury from overuse. For example, a study of 546 adolescent female athletes who played basketball, football, or volleyball found an increased incidence of pain in the front of the knee in those who specialized in certain sports at an early age than in those who were involved in various sports. sports.
Specialization can lead to burnout
Forcing children to be “attached” to one sport causes burnout . This leads to the fact that they quit the sport, and when they quit, they rarely return . About 70 percent of children drop out by age 13 . Too much pressure.
The best athletes in their youth were involved in various sports
In a study of 3,039 high school athletes and above, only 22% of professional athletes said they would like their own child to specialize in one sport during childhood and adolescence. Most professional athletes played two or more sports at a young age, especially in high school – check out the huge list on Wikipedia . Participation in multiple sports strengthens different muscles and can help players become top athletes – all-round athletes. Some college football coaches even say they are looking for athletes in a variety of sports when recruiting .
The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions against specializing in one sport and instead recommends that parents:
- Postpone sports specialization until at least 15-16 years of age.
- Encourage your children to practice different sports.
- Discuss sports goals with your pediatrician to make sure they are relevant and realistic.
- Take a break from sports if they decide to specialize. They should take a break from sports for at least three months a year in one-month increments. Of course, they can be active in other ways as well.
- Take one to two weekends of sports to reduce the chance of injury.