In an era when university teams are recruiting middle school-aged kids and teenagers are capturing Olympic gold medals, many parents who are looking to get a leg up on the competition are streamlining their children’s athletic pursuits by putting them in one sport year-round.
There are many who argue that to be successful, kids must pick a single sport at an early age and stick to it. However, there are a number of problems with sport specialization that far outweigh the potential benefits.
One of the major issues is the increased likelihood of injuries. A study done by Loyola University found that out of 1,200 youth athletes, those who specialized were about 70 per cent more likely to be injured than children who played multiple sports. The increased probability of injury is mainly caused by the constant strain being put on the same muscle groups used in a particular sport.
Another drawback with sport specialization is that it leads to young athletes being pushed too hard and having to decide too early in life what sport they will pursue. The tunnel vision that such children are forced to develop can cause many to grow tired or frustrated with a sport they once loved.
Constant practices, games and training create a hectic or overwhelming schedule for many children.
There is also the possibility that athletic development can be stunted by only playing one sport. In fact, participating in multiple sports can develop a diversity of skills that are transferrable between sports.
Anticipation, muscle memory and flexibility, playmaking strategies, spatial orientation — all of these can be improved by borrowing from different sports.
You want your youngster to be the next Henry Burris?
Instead of placing him in costly private quarterback clinics, why not sign him up for the local baseball team?
The practice he gets making off-balance throws from third base to first will come in handy when he’s being chased out of the pocket by a defensive lineman and he doesn’t have time to set his feet.
It’s not only physical techniques that can be refined by playing different sports.
Multi-sport kids can experience many different challenges and adverse situations that help them grow.
Sports can have a tremendous impact on a child’s life that reaches far beyond the rink or field. Playing sports can advance skills such as teamwork, leadership and dedication.
There is a certain amount of pressure that parents feel as they look around and see sport-specific training facilities and leagues being offered year-round.
But if they need convincing that this may not be the best approach for their child’s development, then look no further than the greatest hockey player to ever lace up a pair of skates.
Wayne Gretzky is a staunch supporter of letting kids play a variety of sports, having credited his baseball and lacrosse experience for improving his hockey skills.
Gretzky has said that by the time hockey season ended in the spring, he was ready for a change to the summer sports. And by the time September rolled around, he was keen to get back to the rink. His enthusiasm for sport never waned.
Gretzky is no outlier. As a 2013 survey for the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine found, 88 per cent of college athletes surveyed participated in more than one sport as a child.
Whatever your goals are for your child, the best recipe for success is a healthy dose of variety.