Sport Specialization: Training One-Trick Ponies in Youth Sports Rick Albrecht, Ph.D. Grand Valley State University

Learning Objectives Upon completion of this session, you will be able to: Identify the potential physical, psychological, and social costs of children specializing in a single sport Evaluate whether or not the costs of single-sport specialization outweigh its benefits Identify the ways in which participation in a variety of sports can ultimately enhance sport performance Appreciate the true likelihood of a child “getting to the next level” or financially profiting from sport

Specializing in One Sport or Sampling From Many: Who’s Call is it? Parents? Coaches? Athletes? All of the Above?

The “Purpose” of Youth Sports Has Changed in the Past Few Years Parents and coaches ONCE thought that by participating in youth sports kids would get… A chance to have fun and play with their friends A chance to get some exercise, and gain an appreciation for a variety of sports A chance to learn valuable life lessons such as persistence, sportsmanship and teamwork

The “Purpose” of Youth Sports Has Changed in the Past Few Years Parents and coaches NOW think that by participating in youth sports kids will get… A chance to play at the “next level” A chance to help pay for college by getting an athletic scholarship A chance to become rich and famous A chance to show the world what great parents and coaches they had

Assumed Advantages of Single-Sport Specialization Enhanced Skill Development in the Chosen Sport 10,000 hours of deliberate practice is required for “expert” level skill development Better understanding of tactical skills and strategies in this one sport Athletes will become more appealing to college recruiters and top coaches

Potential Disadvantages of Single-Sport Specialization Costs to the Individual: Physical Costs: Repetitive Use Injuries Psychological Costs: Burnout, “Staleness,” and Pressure to Succeed Social Costs: Opportunity to Only Interact with Other Sport “Specialists”

Potential Disadvantages of Single-Sport Specialization Costs To Society: Decreased Sport Opportunities for Many What happens to all those kids who can’t – or don’t want to – devote themselves to a single sport? How can they compete with all these “single-sport, year-round, specialists?” If you don’t specialize, where will you play?

Separating Fact From Fiction Facts that Favor Sport Specialization: Sport specialization may be necessary in sports that require elite performance at a very young age (women’s gymnastics, women’s figure skating, etc.) There is a strong relationship between practice and performance – but “10,000 hours of deliberate practice” is usually not necessary

Separating Fact From Fiction Facts that Favor Multi-Sport Participation: Most college athletes and Olympians were multi-sport athletes when they were young Early sport specialization tends to reduce motivation for lifelong participation in sport and physical activity

“Remember…They’re Just Kids”: Difficulty Predicting Future Success It’s hard enough to predict future success among college and profession athletes – but virtually impossible with kids What happens when your tiny gymnast’s body becomes better suited for volleyball or basketball? What happens when your quick little point guard grows to a lanky 6 feet 10?

College and Professional Coaches’ View of Sport Specialization “The first questions I’ll ask about a kid are: ‘What other sports does he play? Is he a big hitter in baseball? Is he a pitcher? Does he play hoops?’ All of those things are import to me. I hate that kids don’t play three sports in high school. I really, really, don’t favor kids having to specialize in one sport.” -- Pete Carroll Former Head Coach, USC Trojans Current Head Coach, Seattle Seahawks

College and Professional Coaches’ View of Sport Specialization “I never trained specifically for hockey in the off-season until I got to college. My dad thought it was best to hang up the skates and think about other sports. I learned that there was a carryover from sport to sport. I became a better athlete playing those other sports. I think playing other sports also kept me from burning out on hockey.” -- Dan Bylsma, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach, Olympic Hockey Team

Age-Appropriate Athletic Activities: A Developmental Rule of Thumb Long-Term Athlete Development Model: Stage 1: Learning the FUNdamentals (ages 6-10) Stage 2: Training to Train (ages 10-14) Stage 3: Training to Compete (ages 14-18) Stage 4: Training to Win (over 18)

Stage 1: Learning the FUNdamentals (ages 6-10) Give all the kids a chance to learn basic movements in an organized, structured, safe – and FUN athletic setting Let all the kids practice the “ABCs of athleticism”… Agility Balance Coordination Speed

Stage 2: Training to Train (ages 10-14) Once the kids have developed their body control and fundamental movement skills It’s time to begin training their bodies for athletic performance… Flexibility Endurance Strength Quickness

Stage 3: Training to Compete (ages 14-18) Give the kids the opportunity to take the movement skills they’ve developed and apply them to competition The kids should be trying their best to win but the focus is mainly on learning how to apply their skills in competitive games

Stage 4: Training to Win (ages 18+) Athletes who have mastered the basic movement and sport skills can now learn to perform these skills in highly competitive situations Winning and losing now becomes very important Because the skills have been developed, emphasis can now shift to high-level performance

So What Do the “Experts” Say? American Academy of Pediatrics: “Children involved in sports should be encouraged to participate in a variety of different activities and develop a wide range of skills. Young athletes who specialize in just one sport may be denied the benefits of varied activity while facing additional physical, physiologic, and psychologic demands from intense training and competition.”

What the “Experts” Say: National Athletic Trainer’s Association: “Pediatric athletes should be encouraged to participate in multiple sports and recreational activities throughout the year to enhance general fitness and aid in motor development.” International Federation of Sports Medicine: “Sport specialization should be avoided until after the age of 10”

To Specialize or Sample: Practical Advise for Parents and Coaches Questions to Ask Parents and Coaches: Does the child (not the parent of coach) love participating in this sport far more than all the others? Has the child already gone through their adolescent “growth spurt?” Has the child participated for more than one season in more than one sport?

To Specialize or Sample: Practical Advise for Parents and Coaches Questions to Ask Parents and Coaches: Does the child really have enough “talent” to benefit from specialization? Do you have access to the best coaches and trainers to work with kids this age? Have you seriously considered the commitment the entire family needs to make so this athlete can specialize?

To Specialize or Sample: Practical Advise for Parents and Coaches Questions to Ask Parents and Coaches: Would you still consider specializing in this sport to have been worthwhile even if the young athlete never lands a college scholarship or signs a pro contract? Is the child emotionally, socially, and academic ready to devote this much time to a single activity?

To Specialize or Sample: Practical Advise for Parents and Coaches Questions to Ask Parents and Coaches: Have you considered how you would react if, in a year or two, the child says he or she doesn’t want to compete in this sport any longer? Have you honestly considered how much you have to gain personally from the child specializing in a single sport?

In the Final Analysis… As Adults, We All Know That Everything Comes With a Price How Much are WE willing to ask THEM to pay?

Grand Valley State University Questions, Comments? Please feel free to contact me: Rick Albrecht, PhD Grand Valley State University 616.331.2432 albrechr@gvsu.edu