Full Sport
Should Children Specialize in One Sport?
Back when we were growing up it seemed there was only a small array of sports from which kids could choose to play. Nowadays we as parents together with our kids have a host of activities in which to participate. The question is should we allow our children to pick one sport to be really good at or should they learn the skills and rules of several activities while also exercising other muscles?
My son has been playing soccer for almost four years. He loves the sport and—me being his somewhat biased mother—he's really good at it. He plays it for about eight months out of the year. During the other four months, however, he chooses other games to play such as basketball and flag football. We feel it's important to ‘broaden his horizons' if I may be so cliché and we've noticed that different kinds of training have enhanced his skills on the soccer field.
There appears to be some merit to this philosophy. In an article written by Tim Alan Kauppinen and featured on ConsumerHealthDigest.com there are potential risks involved with specializing in one sport at an early age. Kauppinen, aka "Coach K" has more than 20 years of experience as an athlete and coach and has worked with athletes of all ages and abilities. There are four dangers of specialization, according to Coach K.
Overuse injuries—working the body in the same way repeatedly year-round can lead to overuse injuries. Different sports utilize different parts of the body leading to better overall athletic performance. Pediatricians agree that children should participate in a variety of physical activities.
Burn out—playing one sport day in and day out for several years can lead to burn out at an early age. Taking part in other sports provides some relief from the same ol' thing and at the same time can keep the main sport interesting, challenging and fun.
The college scholarship myth—in fact only a very small percentage of young athletes actually earn a scholarship. Contrary to popular belief, most college recruiters are looking for the best all-around athletes, says Coach K.
Not achieving your full athletic potential—by focusing on only one sport children don't develop other skills that would benefit their performance in their primary activity. Speed, balance, mental focus, jumping, twisting are emphasized differently in other sports, thereby resulting in a better soccer player (in the case of my son) for example.
What do you think about sports specialization? Does your child focus on one sport for the majority of the year? If he or she participates in other activities, what are they? For more information on sport specialization for your child, please visit http://i9sports.com
About the Author
Linda Hyder is an i9 Sports Mom Blogger, nationally based in the Tampa Bay (FL) area, i9 Sports is the first and fastest growing franchise of youth sports leagues, camps, and programs in the United States. http://www.i9sports.com
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