Early Sport Specialization and Its Effect on Youth
What effects does athletic activity have on young children? Are the social benefits of learning teamwork while focusing on one sport from an early age worth the risk of potential overuse injuries associated with poor cross-training and insufficient rest worth the opportunities athletic specialization may bring? Is there a way to achieve a balance for your young athlete?
In the blog below, Jonathan Huang, SPT and our Physical Therapy Intern, shares his research and findings on the matter early sports specialization and it’s potential effects on young athletes. A complementary video discussion between Dr. Danielle Sartori and Jonathan follows. Read up and message us with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.
What Is Sport Specialization? Across many compositions discussing the topic of sport specialization, it is most commonly defined based on three criterion:
1) Selecting a “main” sport
2) Quitting all other sports to focus on the one “main” sport
3) Committing to year-round training and participation (greater than 8 months per year)
To determine if a young individual is specialized in a sport according to the 3-point Jayanthi scale (Brenner, 2016), there are three important questions to ask: (1) Have you quit all other sports to focus on your “main” sport (or ONLY ever played 1 sport), (2) Do you view your “main” sport as more important than all other sports, (3) Have you spent 8 or more months training or playing in your “main” sport? One “yes” answer out of all 3 questions indicate a low specialization, 2 “yes” answers indicate moderate specialization, and 3 “yes" answers are classified as high specialization.
Why Is Sport Specialization a Growing Concern?
Have you ever heard that “ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness.” This is a quote from Malcolm Gladwell in which the theory is that to be considered elite within a skill or craft, you must practice it for ten thousand hours. Echoed from the mouths of many professional athletes, prodigal musical artists, and undoubtedly many coaches, this ideal has paved the way for the growing rates of sport specialization. We now see an increase in young athletes specializing at an earlier age, in which their immature bones in medley with insufficient rest, and poor training can lead to injuries. So much so that over 3 million children under 14 years old are treated for sports injuries annually (Meyer et al., 2015). Over the past decades, youth sports that was once an activity shifted from an objective of spontaneity, fun, and character development to a business-structured competition and program organized by adults.
Parents play a quintessential role in leading their youth athletes to specialization, a consequence of the pressure applied by providing tuition to school sports, club teams, summer boot-camps, or private lessons. Additionally, coaches and related athletic mentors can apply the same pressure by preaching to athletes that “putting in the time” is how you achieve athletic scholarships, or other related accolades. But do the rewards outweigh the consequences?
Advantages of Sport Specialization
While specialization holds limitations and potential drawbacks, it is important to acknowledge a few advantages. When implemented in a balanced and considerate manner, youth sport specialization can offer some benefit for our young athletes.
To start off, repeated training and movements are what lays the foundation for exceptional motor skill acquisition. With the many hours an athlete puts into practicing a sport, they are consistently exposed to motor patterns and interactions with sensory environments that lead to accelerated skill development. Focusing on a single sport allows for dedication of time and effort into mastering the skills and techniques specific to that sport. Young athletes are given a space for refining their craft and gaining a deeper understanding of the game, which is crucial for the longevity of one’s success in any sport (Barnett et al., 2009). The involvement of year-round training, scrimmaging, tournaments, and games may provide a young athlete the valor and mental resilience necessary for higher-level competitions, and any future challenges or setbacks.
Another advantage of sport specialization is an enhancement of potential and exposure for scholarship opportunities. With the increase of club teams and leagues, which are usually well organized by coaches and athletic directors of local schools and universities, they provide an opportune environment for young athletes to showcase their potential for elite play. Competing at these club tournaments, elite programs, and select teams increase the chance of recognition by recruiters which may lead to potential scholarships and professional opportunities in the future.
Disadvantages of Sport Specialization While it may seem sport specialization is a viable path to achieve success in sports, there are several disadvantages associated with early specialization that warrants consideration.
The risk of overuse injuries, both chronic and acute, is a prevalent concern in regard to sport specialization. Participating in a single sport year-round without sufficient rest and variety of movement patterns lead to overuse injuries. The repetitive nature of specific movements and the damage they put on the tissues and structures of growing bodies can result in chronic injuries like tendonitis, apophysitis, stress fractures, or muscle imbalances. Growing athletes are especially susceptible to repetitive stress injuries such as Osgood-Schlatter disease, Little League Elbow, Swimmer’s Shoulder, or runner’s stress fractures (Neeru et al., 2019). In contrast, engaging in multiple sports allows for cross-training and the development of a broader range of physical abilities, ultimately reducing the risk of overuse injuries.
Another concern to consider are the psychological effects on the specialized athlete. Intense training and pressure to excel in a single sport may lead to burnout. Those who fall to intensive sport specialization for extended periods of time can have a controlled set of experiences that lead to a “unidimensional self- concept” (Hecimovich, 2004), and a dynamic of their life revolving around sports exclusively. This fosters a single identity in which the majority of aspects in life are tied to sports. The constant focus on perfection in performance, the loss of enjoyment, and the lack of balanced lifestyle can lead to troublesome emotions such as stress, anxiety, and diminished drive. Not to mention the possibility of overinvolvement of parents or coaches with high expectations in youth sports. The burnout feeling can lead to decline in performance due to emotion and mental exhaustion, or an early dropout from sports altogether.
The following graph is provided to highlight position statements from various athletic societies:
What Can We Do?
The main takeaway is not to entirely shy away from sport specialization and shun those who decide to encourage or allow their young athletes in doing so. If sport specialization is still the choice, it should be one made after the developmental years of a growing child. The hope is to make an informed decision considering the advantages and disadvantages of sport specialization. Youth sport specialization has always seemed like a direct path to athletic success in the eyes of a precocious athlete or an ambitious parent, but it carries several red flags such as risks of overuse injuries, psychological burnout, hindered emotional and social development, and increased pressure.
According to Meyer and colleagues, the youth should be given “free, unstructured play”, outlets of physical activity exploration, during their maturation years which can ultimately reduce risk of injury and improve a foundational general motor skill development. In fact, a study performed at UCSF’s Benioff Children’s Hospital found that those who were involved in multiple sports were able to compete in more games, suffered less major injuries, and had longer athletic careers than those who only were involved in a single sport (Rugg et al., 2018). Additionally, we must remember that our youth athletes are humans first. They are not projects or vessels that can be trained and pushed for athletic success or accomplishments. In order to prevent injury and reduce risk, we must also erase the narrative of “working through injuries” and refrain from using damaging quotes such as “pain is weakness leaving the body.” As adults, coaches and parents have the responsibility to strive for recognition, prevention, and treatment of damage to youth athletes, both physical and psychological alike.
Sport specialization is a huge commitment. Commonly, we see college students switching majors or adults changing careers, so how can we expect the same level of commitment from our youth? What we can do is encourage our young athletes to participate in multiple sports and maintain a well-rounded approach to their athletic development that preserves long-term physical, psychological, and social well-being.
References
Barnett LM,van Beurden E, Morgan PJ, Brooks LO, Beard JR. Childhood motor skill proficiency as a predictor of adolescent physical activity. J Adolesc Health. 2009;44:252-259.
Brenner JS; Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. Sports specialization and intensive training in young athletes. Pediatrics. 2016;138(3):e20162148.
Hecimovich, M. (2004). Sport specialization in youth: A literature review. Journal of the American Chiropractic Association, 41(4), 32–41.
Myer GD, Jayanthi N, Difiori JP, et al. Sport Specialization, Part I: Does Early Sports Specialization Increase Negative Outcomes and Reduce the Opportunity for Success in Young Athletes? Sports Health. 2015;7(5):437-442. doi:10.1177/1941738115598747
Neeru A. Jayanthi, Eric G. Post, Torrance C. Laury, Peter D. Fabricant; Health Consequences of Youth Sport Specialization. J Athl Train 1 October 2019; 54 (10): 1040–1049.
Rugg C, Kadoor A, Feeley BT, Pandya NK. The Effects of Playing Multiple High School Sports on National Basketball Association Players' Propensity for Injury and Athletic Performance. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018 Feb;46(2):402-408. doi: 10.1177/0363546517738736. Epub 2017 Nov 14. PMID: 29135275.
A screenshot of the YouTube video recording of Jonathan Huang presenting his paper on Early Sport Specialization In Youth to Dr. Danielle Sartori. Click above to view video.