Boys participating in more than one sport before age 12 are more physically fit and have better gross motor coordination than those who specialize in a single sport early, says a new study. Whether the reason is because they play multiple sports or because the best athletes choose not to specialize early is unclear.
Four-time Olympic women's ice hockey medalist Angela Ruggiero says that
starting ice hockey at age 10 is not too late to become an Olympian; that some of her Olympic
teammates, in fact, didn't start until age 12 or 13. What she reminds
parents is that their child will only achieve athletic success if they
love their sport, so it is critical to find one they love to play.
Most of the elite athletes he has worked with, says strength and conditioning guru Mike Boyle, did not specialize too early or play a single sport all year long, but took time off from sports or played lots of different sports.
Overuse injuries account for fifty percent of all youth sports injuries, but half are preventable, says the National Athletic Trainers' Association in a new position statement.
One of the reasons against early specialization often overlooked by parents is that the year-round commitment and extensive travel it often requires can become so consuming that childhood essentially disappears, interfering with normal child development.
There are three main phases of development for the youth athlete: Phase One (Exploration), Phase Two (Commitment) and Phase Three (Proficiency). While the developmental stages are issues for the entire family, some fundamental principles apply, regardless of phase.