Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / Tips for Deciding How Many Sports Your Child Should Play this Summer

Tips for Deciding How Many Sports Your Child Should Play this Summer

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | Apr 12, 2017

No Comments

 

Summer is quickly approaching, but should your child play on multiple teams at the same time?  Amazingly, the multi-sport, same season athlete is quickly becoming the norm, with more kids than ever deciding to commit to 2 (or more) teams at the same time.  As with most things in life, there are pros and cons to this decision that should be weighed:

Pros

  • Its fun to play multiple sports.
  • Kids meet new friends, coaches, and enjoy new and different experiences.
  • The commitment to sports provides structure, and prevents kids from getting in to trouble.
  • Great exercise physically, and sports provide tremendous life skills and learning opportunities, too.

Cons

  • More sports can lead to greater risk for injuries and sports burnout.
  • Multiple sports usually means more money, more time, and more travel (not always easy for families)
  • Incredibly difficult to fully commit to both teams, as ultimately schedule conflicts require one team to lose.
  • Over-committing to sports could lead to an earlier quitting of sports due to cumulative burnout when sports are no longer fun.

When it comes to youth sports in the United States today, the trend is definitely more, not less.  What this means is that there will be even more pressure in the future for sports parents to sign their kids up for travel leagues, as well as multiple sports at the same time.  It is for these reasons that parents stop, think through all options, and make unique decisions based on the needs and interests of their child — not because it seems like “everybody is doing” something else.

The general rule of thumb is to develop a sports schedule that is fun for your child, and doesn’t immediately start to feel like a job.  Additional ideas include developing a balanced schedule that include other, non-sport activities; focusing on life skills development as you do on-field sport success; and taking a birds-eye examination of all the commitments and responsibilities your child has with respect to his or her sports schedule.

What tips do you have for sports parents facing the multiple sport, same season decision?  What factors did you consider if you went through this decision yourself?

www.drstankovich.com

Coaching, psychology, sampling, specialization, sport

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Latest Blog Posts

  • June 29, 2022 Don’t Discount the Value of Fun, Unstructured Play for Kids Mental Health
  • June 20, 2022 Sports Parents & Coaches Can Use Youth Sports as a Mental Health Boost for Kids
  • June 15, 2022 Show Kids How Much You Care Before You Teach Them What You Know
  • June 14, 2022 Study Finds Team Sports May be Best for Kids & their Mental Health
  • June 8, 2022 Accepting that Life is Difficult is a Healthy 1st Step Toward Life Success

PREVIOUS POST

Learn this Simple Tip for Maximizing Athletic Potential

NEXT POST

Here’s What to do the Next Time the Coach Yells “Focus out There!”

Category

Amateur , Athletes , Burnout , Coaching , Communicating with Coach , Parent Training , Prep , Sport Psychology , Sport Specialization , Sports Culture and Society , Sports Leadership , Sports Parenting , Sports Performance Science , Team Chemistry , Travel Leagues , Uncategorized , Youth Sport Burnout , Youth Sports

Tags

Coaching, psychology, sampling, specialization, sport

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • Don't Discount the Value of Fun, Unstructured Play for Kids Mental Health
  • Sports Parents & Coaches Can Use Youth Sports as a Mental Health Boost for Kids
  • Show Kids How Much You Care Before You Teach Them What You Know
  • Study Finds Team Sports May be Best for Kids & their Mental Health
  • Accepting that Life is Difficult is a Healthy 1st Step Toward Life Success
  • Overcome the Fear of Failure, Improve Mental Toughness, & Experience Success
  • How Much Impact Does a Coach Have on Sports Team Success?
  • Avoid the Dangers of "Whataboutism" for Better Relationships & Improved Mental Health
  • Help Kids Maximize Youth Sports by Using Athletic Transferable Skills
  • Improve Mental Health by Means of Catharsis & Purging Negative Thoughts
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2022 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓