Rider:
The Case Against Early Specialization
One of the reasons often cited in favor of early specialization in a single sport and playing on select or travel teams is that it makes a better player, promoting the development of the skills a player will need to be a successful athlete as a high school player and beyond.
The problem is that the emphasis of select teams on winning games and tournaments may actually deter your
child's athletic development for the following reasons:
- True learning doesn't occur during games, where players are
often afraid to take risks because a mistake may cost the team the
game, but in training, where players have a chance to be spontaneous,
creative, try new moves, and take risks. The reason soccer players in
Europe and South America are often more skilled than those produced by
our soccer system is that their programs emphasize training, skill
development, and creativity, and focus less on playing game after game
after game, tournament after tournament. A good analogy would be if your
child's math teacher were to limit actual teaching to one day out of the week and
give tests the other four days.
- No matter what their mission statements may say, many select
programs are all about winning. Player development can and often does become
secondary to that goal, with the coach playing the "best" players in
order to win and relegating the rest to the bench, where they cannot hone their skills.
- Sometimes players who train too much, receive too much
coaching, and specialize too early develop bad habits that become
harder to fix when they are older.
- Some studies suggest that sports specialization may actually lead to reduced motor skill development, as young athletes focus on the motor skills needed for their sport but ignore the motor skills developed through participation in multiple sports.[1]
Before grade six, your child is far better off playing in a
low-pressure environment that emphasizes skill development than in an
environment that stresses winning and intense competition, which
characterize today's select programs.
1. Mostafavifar AM, Best TM, Myer GD. Early sport specialisation, does it lead to long term problems? Br J Sports Med. 2013;47:1060-1061.
Revised October 29, 2013
Teaser title:
Playing On Select or Travel Team At An Early Age Hurts Athletic Development
Teaser text:
One of the reasons often cited for early specialization in a single sport is that it promotes the development of the skills a player is going to need to be a successful athlete as a high school player and beyond. The problem is that the emphasis of select teams on winning games and tournaments (the myth that "the more we win, the better we are") may actually deter your child's athletic development.
Links:
[1] https://momsteam.com/node/3035
[2] https://momsteam.com/successful-parenting/early-specialization-in-youth-sports-supported-by-myths-and-competitive-culture-not-facts
[3] https://momsteam.com/successful-parenting/parents-need-to-resist-pressure-from-coaches-for-early-specialization
[4] https://momsteam.com/successful-parenting/early-sport-specialization-does-it-lead-long-term-problems