Sport specialization refers to a young athlete’s decision (or encouragement by adults) to focus on a single sport year-round, often with the goal of achieving elite performance and eventually earning a college athletic scholarship. Unfortunately, when kids specialize in sports, research shows they also increase the risks for serious injury, sport burnout, mental health issues, and loss of joy for the sport. While these concerns from sport specialization are alarming, there may be an even bigger concern: Studies show that kids who specialize in one sport quit sports prematurely because sports feel more like a job than something kids do for fun.
The impact of sport specialization on kids
Kids who specialize in one sport often play the sport year-round, and at a high intensity. In addition to the increased risks of injury and sport burnout, these kids spend a lot of their lives traveling from state to state, and also miss out on fun with friends, clubs, activities, and other life experiences. While some kids improve in the sport, other kids hit their plateau early and see their athletic progress stagnate — or even get worse. And when you consider that only about 5% of all high school kids ever make it to college sports (and only a fraction of college athletes go pro), many kids begin to wonder why they are putting all their eggs into one basket? Mental health concerns include anxiety and depression, leaving kids uncertain about sports and whether they should have specialized in just one? Below are conclusions from a study that examined the effects of sport specialization on kids:
“Several statistics associated with youth sport participation demonstrate significant public health consequences that may be a result of sport specialization. For example, up to 70% of children will drop out of sport by the time they are 13 years of age and girls drop out of sports at a rate twice that of boys. By 12th grade, boys are much more likely to participate in organized sport compared with girls. The primary reason for dropping out of sport most often cited by children themselves is that it is no longer fun. Dropout and burnout at an early age have been partially attributed to sport specialization and intensive training. Specialization may also serve as a barrier to exploring sport by limiting late entrance into the sport. This may be particularly problematic for children who mature later in adolescence or children who wish to explore different sport options. Youths may be interested in a sport but may find that the environment is not conducive to novice learners.”
The Public Sport Consequences of Sport Specialization
As more elite clubs and travel leagues emerge, more kids are deciding if specializing in one single sport — and playing it year-round — makes sense. Often families are unfamiliar with the intensity of these youth sport experiences, the money and travel commitments, and the impact elite-level sports may have on their child from a mental health standpoint (i.e. increased anxiety to perform). Sadly, what is supposed to be a great experience often turns into something very different, and in worse-case scenarios kids quit prematurely because it is simply not worth it. You may not hear of these stories, but I have these discussions almost on a daily basis at my office.
Final thoughts
Sport specialization is most definitely a thing, and many kids struggle trying to find the fun in something that can very quickly turn into what feels more like a job. Ideally, it is best to encourage your child to sample sports, thereby allowing him or her to avoid burnout and enjoy different sports and teammates. We should not view youth sports as a platform to help kids eventually play college and pro sports, but instead use the experience for personal growth and social development. While not all kids will go far in sports, all kids can come away from the experience having grown holistically from the experience.
drstankovich.com
