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This is a question that must be asked by all those involved with childhood athletics. When you ask a “child” what they do for social activities, the answer is most often, “I play <insert a single sport>”. The day of kids going outside and playing the sport which is in-season has past. Young children are asked to specialize in a single sport at younger and younger ages. If the coaches only knew what affect this is having on the youth of our nation, maybe the future can be altered.
An athlete can be defined as an individual who is good at sports or shows a physical prowess which is apparent in multiple settings. The children today, though talented in a single sport, are not athletes. They are soccer, basketball, baseball or football players that when directed, can barely squat, lunge or stand on one foot without showing major flaws in movement patterns and balance. They have abandoned the natural changes in seasons for modified indoor versions of the sports, which they have been forced to play for fear of losing skills or spots on their AAU, premier or travel teams. With under informed coaches and politics always being present in childhood sports, the fact is that the diminishment of skill is a myth which has been placed into the minds of coaches and players alike.
Playing a single sport year round places the players at a higher risk for injury because of the repetitive nature of most field, track and court sports. Overuse injuries are usually ones which players attempt to play through and then cannot figure out why they linger around season after season. By allowing the player to utilize off-seasons for strength and conditioning and participation in other sports, these injuries are allowed to heal, and better yet, may never occur in the first place.
Most significantly, playing a single sport year round accelerates the players’ ability to reach his/her maximal potential. This is what the coaches are going for and why the year round participation continues to run rampant in our society. The coaches have better players for the U12, 14 and 16 teams because their kids continue to peak during these years; gaining both notoriety for the program and coach. What the coaches do not realize is that the maximal potential of these athletes is lower, therefore, reached earlier than those who play multiple sports. Research shows that though the athlete who plays multiple sports usually will not reach his/her potential in middle/high school; when they do choose to specialize in one sport (i.e. College) his/her ceiling is significantly higher than the previously mentioned single sport “athlete”. This is the reason so many Division I coaches strive to recruit multi-sport athletes.
Hopefully, this article makes you second guess early specialization of our youth and encourages you to think about the benefits of building Athletes again. Being multi-dimensional allows the youth to experience opportunities that will allow for growth physically, emotionally and socially. Just remember, the kids remember the time spent with their friends far before they remember the tournaments and games.