We are going in the wrong direction! This slow trend toward one sport athletes for school aged kids is taking us down the wrong path. Parents, coaches and sometimes the players are making decisions to specialize in one youth sport. I have met hundreds of coaches who agree that the development of the athlete is maximized by playing multiple sports. Yet the trend continues to move the other way.
Hey Parents, smell the coffee!!! I believe that most parents are deluding themselves about their child’s future in sports. Think about all of the kids that played in your sports league when you were 9 years old. How many of those kids played on the high school team? How many went to college, not to mention even played a sport in college? Parents should place an emphasis on trying as many sports as possible. I assume the logic is that if my child spends his time on one sport, he/she will excel faster than the other kids. The truth is the more sports and activities your child experiences, the more athletically skilled he/she will become.
There are so many factors that will affect the path your child will take. If you limit the sport, you limit the athlete. Click here on this link to hear what other coaches are saying.