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Discussion 1
Garrett
Specializing in a sport is a tricky topic, there’s two sides of the coin, should you allow a kid to play just one sport, or allow him to play multiple? Concentrating on a sport can mean the youth athlete trains for more than eight months per year in a sole sport. Doing this before the teen years (before thirteen) comes with a significant risk for burnout and injury (Waltzman et al.,2023). If you push a kid (either your own, or a player you’re coaching) too hard too hard, they can lose the love of the game. When they’re in their adolescent years, you want the kids to develop a knack for enjoying the sport. Encourage your young child to explore multiple sports while he or she is still growing physically, mentally, and socially. Doing so will make it more likely that your child will be successful in one sport later, because the early variety will have taught many fundamental physical undertaking skills that can transfer nicely into one specialized sport (Murday et al., 2023). Between ages 14-16, the youth athlete has the best chance to excel in a specialized sport. As the teen athlete transitions to specializing in one sport, it may allow for quicker skill development. This can help gain a competitive edge before college.
When an athlete is getting introduced to a sport where you must pick a side to focus on (throwing a football, throwing a baseball, or shooting a basketball), the youth athlete has the possibility to gain a dominant side. During the beginning years of an athlete, they’ll try to possess skills that are ‘discrete’ where they replicate daily actions. As they get older, they’ll develop ‘serial’ skills where the athlete combines numerous discrete skills together to use for a more complicated action. This is where an athlete that’s dominant on one side can start to focus more. It can be which foot you jump off for a layup/dunk, it can be which leg to use when kicking a soccer ball (Smith et al., 2024). Some individuals can be the exception, where they’re amphibious and can manage to be effective on both sides. See this in baseball where a hitting hits from both sides of the plate. Or in a sport like swimming, both arms/feet need to be in congruence with one another to make sure each side is in rhythm.
College baseball players were examined on the importance of obtaining specific skills and what age they view righteous to focus on a specific skill. Between 12-15 years, 80 % of the players answered as the correct timeframe to start introducing concrete skills like throwing different pitches, getting more bat velocity through the strike zone, and more (Wilkins et al., 2023).
2 Corinthians 13:5 states: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (NLT, 2007). Every day is a developmental piece in God’s journey, where we need to hold ourselves and each other accountable. During these days we develop ways to worship, and like in sports, we can improve our craft with being God abiding citizens.
References
Waltzman, D., Sarmiento, K., & Daugherty, J. (2023/07//). Evaluation of factors that may influence Americans’ views on when children should start playing tackle football. Journal of Athletic Training, https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0004.23Links to an external site.
Smith, K. L., Jackson, D., & Weir, P. L. (2024). Relative Age and Positive Youth Development in Youth Sport: Do Developmental Assets Play a Role in Creating Advantage Reversals in Female Soccer? Sports, 12(1), 30. h
Discussion 2:
Victor
At What Age Should Children Specialize in a Specific Sport or Activity? What Are the Dangers of Specializing Too Soon?
As a father who grew up bodybuilding, boxing, and practicing martial arts, I strongly believe that children should avoid early specialization in a single sport due to several potential dangers. From my own experiences and the insights I’ve gained from both scientific literature and practical exposure, it’s evident that children benefit immensely from engaging in a variety of sports until they are pre-teens. In my experience, encouraging children to try different sports helps minimize the risks of repetitive stress injuries, burnout, and social isolation. As long as they show no strong and persistent interest in one particular sport, I encourage them to pursue a variety of athletic activities. Many parents push their children to specialize early, hoping for elite-level success, but research shows that only a few who specialize young actually achieve this level. According to Myer et al. (2016), early specialization does not necessarily correlate with elite success and often brings significant physical and psychological risks.
Kids who specialize too early miss out on the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills. My varied athletic background in bodybuilding, boxing, and martial arts has significantly enhanced my performance, improved my coordination, and built mental resilience. Engaging in different activities not only promotes better overall athletic development but also reduces the risk of injuries and increases the likelihood of maintaining an active lifestyle throughout life. As a father, I want my kids to enjoy sports, stay healthy, and develop a lifelong love for physical activity. Encouraging them to explore different sports and activities is essential for laying a strong foundation for both their physical and mental well-being. I’ve seen firsthand how a diverse training regimen can foster better motor skills, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of various physical movements.
My recommendation is to encourage children to explore a variety of physical activities, rather than specializing early in sports. It not only minimizes the risks associated with early specialization, but it also promotes a more holistic development, fostering a lifelong passion for fitness and wellness. Having grown up enjoying and excelling in a variety of activities, as well as having experienced the benefits of a variety of training, I’m committed to ensuring that my children grow up enjoying and excelling in a variety of activities, allowing them to set themselves up for a healthy and active future.
References
Myer, G. D., Jayanthi, N., DiFiori, J. P., Faigenbaum, A. D., Kiefer, A. W., Logerstedt, D., & Micheli, L. J. (2016). Sports Specialization, Part II: Alternative Solutions to Early Sport Specialization in Youth Athletes. Sports health, 8(1), 65–73.https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738115614811Links to an external site.
