We were listening to the Movement Podcast with Lee Burton and Gray Cook. Episode three specifically spoke about the difference between pro sports and youth sports with special guest, Jon Torine.
It got us thinking, especially with the pandemic going on, sports put on hold for 3+ months, where athletes may or may not have been training; not the same at least. Now, sports are back on and we have seen some pretty disturbing things… Hearing about death in kids because of poor coaching/over training is tragic. We have to try to change the way youth sports are viewed. Unfortunately, there is saturation within our field, it is our job as coaches and mentors to help change that trend. We must focus on developing these kids/athletes into good human beings.
Youth sports have become a business, parents focused on their kid getting scholarships at age 3, playing a sport year round and burnout rate at an all time high. Jon Torine made a good point and put it on the parents, he said, “Ask your kid, do you love what you’re doing?” Parents be prepared for an answer, you have to think, am I risking my relationship with my kid?
Kids need to PLAY and have FUN, developing fundamental motor skills to help them in the long run. Which means playing a variety of sports. Can they jump, skip, hop, balance, touch their toes? Sport specialization is causing 1) high overuse injury rates 2) burnout 3) anxiety. There is a great book called “Range” by David Epstein, where he speaks about and shows all of the research studies on successful people and more show that specialization may in fact be detrimental later on in life. Developing multiple skill sets which enhance learning and being emerged into the process. There are of course exceptions to the rules, however in most cases specialization can backfire.
Parents and coaches we urge you to do the right thing for your kids/athletes. Take the scholarship out of the picture and let them enjoy, play and develop on their own accord.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/movement-podcast/id1516334100?i=1000477146890