Reply to What age did your kid specialize in one sport?

Forum Index » Sports General Discussion

Reply to "What age did your kid specialize in one sport?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]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. [/quote]

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.  [b]They both require an almost year-round commitment to remain competitive.[/b]  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.  [/quote]

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). [/quote]

+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. [/quote]
+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.[/quote]

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).[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics