What age did your kid specialize in one sport?

[Anonymous]

College.

Three varsity sports and one was taken more seriously than the others. I hate seeing kids drop other sports they like to focus on one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the goals for the child and the child's talent. I have a talented kid who, like a previous poster's kids, said, can probably play multiple sports, maybe two in high school, and still get a scholarship in college. But if he wants to go pro, he will have to specialize probably by middle school. I think this is applicable to a few team sports such as soccer and basketball, and probably individual sports.

It doesn't mean they can't be multisport. Just that all other sports are on a rec level or seasonal.

I'm trying to understand. You have a pre-middle school child and you're certain they will be not only a scholarship college athlete but also play professionally? What sport could you possibly be so sure about??

[Anonymous]

My high schooler is still doing multiple sports (three varsity team sports for their FCPS high school and summer swim).

The key is to drop travel soccer early. That's the only sport that we found just didn't have enough flexibility to allow for other sports and activities. The travel soccer coaches all wanted her to play soccer all year long. She wanted to do different sports in each season. Soccer isn't one of her sports now in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the goals for the child and the child's talent. I have a talented kid who, like a previous poster's kids, said, can probably play multiple sports, maybe two in high school, and still get a scholarship in college. But if he wants to go pro, he will have to specialize probably by middle school. I think this is applicable to a few team sports such as soccer and basketball, and probably individual sports.

It doesn't mean they can't be multisport. Just that all other sports are on a rec level or seasonal.

I'm trying to understand. You have a pre-middle school child and you're certain they will be not only a scholarship college athlete but also play professionally? What sport could you possibly be so sure about??

It’s called the daydreamer sport

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on the original post and subsequent answers, I wonder at what age did these kids start playing a sport year round?

I think what the research says is kids should be multi-sport athletes who actually take a break from each sport. If kid is playing three sports but playing sport A year round (or all sports on top of each other), their bodies are not getting the rest and break from repetitive motion.

But sports around here don’t seem to be built this way. If your kid is “sporty” they love to play and find it boring to stay on the rec team. And then you have coaches pushing them etc. Also, even the best athletes often can’t keep up with the kids who devote multiple practices to one sport all year long (many of whom find great success that way).

Very different idea of a girl who plays travel lacrosse year round (fall tournaments, winter box, summer tournaments) and then picks up soccer in fall, basketball in winter, ramps up lax in spring bc it is “in season” and county swim in summer. That is not taking a break compared to someone who plays each of those sports but ONLY in season. I bet very few of those kids still exist. The system is not built for them anymore.

+1, this is spot on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College.

Both of my sons went to New England prep schools (think Deerfield, Hotchkiss, etc). They each played some combo of soccer, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, baseball for every year. Recruited in one or more sports, picked the one they liked best to play in college.

Don't let people convince you they should specialize if it's a team sport. Can't speak to more individual sports like gymnastics or swimming.

Ps. Recent info, they graduated '19 and '22

It seems like New England prep schools have created a system that works for multi-sport athletes, yet here we are struggling to make 2 sports work with a much younger kid. I am primarily frustrated with the overuse injuries that are creeping up. Both sports are putting stress on the same hot spots.

Not sure how much things have changed in the last 20 years (probably a lot) but prep schools (especially boarding schools) didn't have to deal/compete with year-round club sports. The kids played a fall sport, a winter sport and a spring sport, the seasons didn't overlap and you didn't have organized team activities (lifting/running) during other seasons. I suspect that has changed and a good number of kids are also playing their club sports when they can.

[Anonymous]

I agree with other posters: as soon as kid is playing the same sport year round, they are specializing. I don’t care how many other sports they add on top of that.

[Anonymous]

3 varsity sports in high school and got a scholarships in one of them. Most of their teammates on their college team did the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College.

Both of my sons went to New England prep schools (think Deerfield, Hotchkiss, etc). They each played some combo of soccer, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, baseball for every year. Recruited in one or more sports, picked the one they liked best to play in college.

Don't let people convince you they should specialize if it's a team sport. Can't speak to more individual sports like gymnastics or swimming.

Ps. Recent info, they graduated '19 and '22

It seems like New England prep schools have created a system that works for multi-sport athletes, yet here we are struggling to make 2 sports work with a much younger kid. I am primarily frustrated with the overuse injuries that are creeping up. Both sports are putting stress on the same hot spots.

Put your kid into a sport specific strength and conditioning program.

[Anonymous]

Damn straight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College.

Both of my sons went to New England prep schools (think Deerfield, Hotchkiss, etc). They each played some combo of soccer, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, baseball for every year. Recruited in one or more sports, picked the one they liked best to play in college.

Don't let people convince you they should specialize if it's a team sport. Can't speak to more individual sports like gymnastics or swimming.

Ps. Recent info, they graduated '19 and '22

It seems like New England prep schools have created a system that works for multi-sport athletes, yet here we are struggling to make 2 sports work with a much younger kid. I am primarily frustrated with the overuse injuries that are creeping up. Both sports are putting stress on the same hot spots.

Both my son and daughter play golf and tennis from the age of 5 until 9th grade. In HS, they play varsity golf in the fall and varsity tennis in the spring but they started specializing in golf at the age of 14th. My daughter played golf for UCLA and my son played golf for UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College.

Both of my sons went to New England prep schools (think Deerfield, Hotchkiss, etc). They each played some combo of soccer, football, ice hockey, lacrosse, baseball for every year. Recruited in one or more sports, picked the one they liked best to play in college.

Don't let people convince you they should specialize if it's a team sport. Can't speak to more individual sports like gymnastics or swimming.

Ps. Recent info, they graduated '19 and '22

It seems like New England prep schools have created a system that works for multi-sport athletes, yet here we are struggling to make 2 sports work with a much younger kid. I am primarily frustrated with the overuse injuries that are creeping up. Both sports are putting stress on the same hot spots.

Both my son and daughter play golf and tennis from the age of 5 until 9th grade. In HS, they play varsity golf in the fall and varsity tennis in the spring but they started specializing in golf at the age of 14th. My daughter played golf for UCLA and my son played golf for UVA.

I know who you are

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with other posters: as soon as kid is playing the same sport year round, they are specializing. I don’t care how many other sports they add on top of that.

But I do think the frequency of practices/competition matters. I wouldn't call a kid who does a once per week winter swim program (which actually runs the whole school year) with the summer swim team a "specialist" in swimming, for example. That's just maintenance. Similarly a kid who plays rec soccer in the fall and spring, with a once per week indoor rec soccer game in the winter, is not the same as someone doing travel soccer. Both of these examples still allow time for other sports to be done simultaneously at a similar commitment level. It feels like every sport offers year-round opportunities these days, probably because it's a money making opportunity. I think of a "specialist" as someone who has dropped the other sports to focus on just one, with a goal of competing at a serious/high level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:9th grade

The intended philosophy regarding (and research promoting) multiple sports is not a whole bunch each season, but varied across the year. So, yes, multiple high level sports all at the same time is an injury risk. Total training volume should be considered.

Through late elementary my kids were able to club swim plus a travel sport (soccer or basketball). In middle school, one sport was at the club/travel level and the other wasn't quite as intense, usually "select" level, above rec, or a school sport plus the club/travel sport.

In high school, my kids made the choice to specialize.

Swimming as a second sport is a great idea but probably too late for that and it didn't go anywhere when I suggested it. DC's sports overlap. They both require an almost year-round commitment to remain competitive. Most of the other kids on the two sports that conflict have specialized by 10-12. DC is getting hurt more often than the other kids and is tired. I drank the Kool-Aid but I'm second-guessing the research.

The overlap and this belief are the problem. I'm not blaming it on you, the youth sports industry runs this way, especially around here. Families aren't left with enough choices, but it is your choice to make. Don't specialize too early, but don't play two travel sports per season...easier said than done (but almost always the right choice).

+1. Trying to do multiple sports at the club/travel level is the problem. It's too much. One club/travel plus one rec at a time (with the rec sport changing depending on season) is more realistic. If a kid likes everything equally it's probably best to stay rec for all of them until they decide on a clear favorite. I know a couple of very athletic kids who could do travel for all their sports, but they are staying in rec so they do 2-3 sports at a time with a ~2 day a week commitment for each. Pursuing multiple "favorites" at the club/travel level, with close to a year round commitment for each, sounds like a recipe for injury and burnout.

+a million. I don't see how these kids, once they reach high school level, can play two or more sports at the club level. They must have great time management skills or something. I guess it also depends on your high school. My youngest has her club sport but she's also able to play different sports on her high school teams. My oldest dropped playing for a club after her freshman year but she still plays the sport on her Varsity teams and plays another high school sport (also varsity) during the other season.

In our experience once high school hits, the club seasons become less pressure at high school. For example, there are no AAU basketball seasons in fall/winter as kids are playing their sport at school. There isn’t spring club for baseball at high school level.

So my 10th grade son plays:

Fall: school football, very light travel season for baseball, bball training as permitted and open bball gym at school as permitted
Winter: school basketball, baseball hitting training only
Spring: school baseball, AAU basketball
Summer: AAU basketball and a few summer baseball tournaments as schedule permits

It’s tough. I wouldn’t give up any sport before 9th. Maybe just dial back club commitment as needed.

I hear soccer is a different animal with little benefit (unless there good enough for high level teams, which require specialization anyhow).

[Anonymous]

My kid tried out for three different travel sports at the end of 2nd grade. He did all three (plus a few others) at a rec level. He made two of the travel teams (hockey and baseball), but not the third, which was kind of a surprise at the time (soccer). Fortunately, at that age, travel baseball was mostly a summertime activity, while hockey took most of the summer off. So that was able to work. He also stuck with rec soccer, summer diving and tennis, and rec basketball. Going into 6th grade, he moved up to a higher level of travel hockey, and made a conscious decision that this would be his number 1 priority. He would also pick his club hockey events (including practices) over rec events (which now also included flag football) and Boy Scout activities. By the time he got to 8th grade, he had stopped with summer diving and tennis because they conflicted with summer scouting activities, and his rec soccer team and flag football teams had finally fallen apart. In 8th grade, he stopped playing baseball and taken up lacrosse instead (8th graders could play on the HS JV team). So in HS, his schedule looked like this:

Fall: Club and HS hockey (generally didn't conflict, but always would do club hockey if it did). Club hockey was generally a 5-6 day a week activity from Sept. to mid-March
Winter: Club and HS hockey, rec basketball (didn't make too many basketball games because of hockey)
Spring: End of Club and HS hockey, HS lacrosse (fortunately, his lacrosse coach was understanding during the 2-3 weeks of hockey/lacrosse overlap)
Summer: Random summer hockey showcases, scouting activities.