It seems it was only a few years ago where “sport specialization” became the buzz term in youth sports, defined as kids who designate just one sport to play (and to often play that sport year-round). While proponents of sport specialization pointed to rapid skill acquisition as being the primary reason for kids to specialize, critics argued that sport sampling allowed for a greater range of sport skill building, greater resistance against sport burnout, and even better physical and mental health benefits. In fact, a number of famous and influential athletes have emphatically spoke out for sport sampling and against sport specialization, prompting many families to re-visit the benefits of playing a different sport each sport season. What we could not have predicted, unfortunately, are the number of kids today sampling various sports, but doing so at the same time, thereby causing new issues relating to how kids can best experience youth sport participation. Sport sampling certainly has value, but when kids sample 2, and sometimes 3 sports concurrently, it calls into question a number of factors that can not only compromise the value of sports for your child, but also his or her entire team.
Sport sampling & multiple sport participation potential problems
While it does appear that more athletes, former athletes, and sport experts recommend sport sampling over sport specialization, there are very real concerns that if sport sampling is not approached in a responsible manner that new and unforeseen problems may develop. For example, it may be great that your child has interest in multiple sports, but if playing multiple sports at the same time leaves your son or daughter unable to fulfill the expectations from each team, how is that a net-positive? There are legitimate concerns around placing too much on kids too soon, especially when kids are unaware of the consequences both to themselves, as well as their teams, when they are unable to fully commit to the responsibilities that come with being on a team.
- Overlapping sport schedules realities. If your child is competing on 2 or more teams at the same time, how do you fully commit to each team? And if a kid learns that practice attendance is arbitrary, how is that teaching him or her responsibility and commitment? Even with the most well-intended families, multiple sport participation will create time conflict conundrums that simply cannot be avoided.
- Too much placed on kids (physically and mentally). Putting all your energy into one sport is challenging enough for kids, but what is the physical and mental health price for going overboard playing on multiple teams concurrently? Studies show a greater risk of physical injury, as well as greater vulnerability for mental health issues, including sport burnout.
- Communication issues. Youth sport coaches expect kids to attend all practices (short of a valid excuse), but often parents choose at the last minute what practice their child will attend on any given day. When coaches are not aware of how many kids will attend a practice, it leaves the team in a tough spot with respect to what they will cover that day — or, worse yet, if they will even have enough kids to field a practice.
- Leaving each team vulnerable. When youth sport teams are comprised of kids with obligations to various teams, it leaves each team vulnerable to potentially cancelling games if not enough kids show up. You can only imagine how frustrating this is to the kids who do show up eager to play, only to learn there will not be a game due to the fact that some teammates have elected to go to their other sport that day.
- Fairness to the kids who are fulfilling all expectations. And finally, how fair is for the kids who attend all practices and meet all team expectations, but then be relegated to the bench when a kid who only occasionally shows up to practice comes for the games? What message are we sending (and message that kids are learning through our actions) when we say the better kids will still play whenever they show up, and the lesser kids will not be rewarded for doing everything we ask of them??
No, signing your kid up for as many teams as possible (especially when each team conflicts with one another) is not a good thing for your child, or his or her team, if it means only a partial commitment. While most experts agree that sport sampling is generally better than sport specialization, it is important to use good judgement and exercise responsibility when playing different sports that may overlap.
Final thoughts
Like most experts, I also agree that kids benefit the most by playing multiple sports, versus specializing in one single sport. Problems occur, however, when the responsibilities of each team are taken lightly, or completely disregarded altogether, leaving kids from all teams involved vulnerable to literally cancelling games because of not having enough kids to play. It is for these reasons that we need to think more comprehensively when it comes to all the people that are affected by casual youth sport parenting decisions, and the responsibilities that comes with being part of a team.
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