While I do not claim to be a doctor, I do have very specific feelings about your young athletes specializing in one sport too early. Consider these points when your 12 year old tells you He/She only wants to play soccer from here on out and become pro!
My main beef on the topic is plain and simple. If your 12 year old is deciding to go 100% into baseball for example what can the effects be on their body? I feel they are choosing one sport and as a result only training the muscles related to that sport. Sports are a funny thing; by nature they create imbalances in the body because they are one side dominant, (unless you are a swimmer.) That said if you do one sport day in and day out over and over you’re creating serious imbalances and potential misalignments in your joints and muscles. Young athletes will never have the opportunity to create the strongest most symmetrical, efficient body possible if they are batting righty throwing righty and not doing much leg work on the baseball diamond. There is more to your body than swinging a bat and fielding a ball.
Secondly, question your child’s decision to choose one sport. Is it purely for love of the game, OR is it because they feel pressure to be on their best friend’s team and stick tight to their buddies.
Third, have they experienced disappointment in a sport therefore abandoned it immediately? What I remember is I learned most from my disappointments in life. I have grown through these lessons and failure motivated my success. May I just remind you that Michael Jordan did not make his 10th grade basketball team…if that is not a kick in the pants I am not sure what is, imagine if he gave up. Use that as an example of rising from the ashes!!!
In a nutshell your kids need to have full sport experiences, filled with ups and downs, jy and excitements if circumstances allow, explore and expand their mind body and potential. Even as adults we would definitely be dull if we only spoke of one topic all day long every day, it is very one dimensional and increases the likely hood of boredom and disinterest sooner than being well rounded. I wholeheartedly believe that sports are great outlet of true life lessons.
If your children are unable accept suggestions of multi sport multi interest lives, and boy do I understand the dynamics of stubborn kids, then please add a program like Power Yoga for Sports to their lives to maintain a symmetrical well trained balanced body, that can give back for year to come.
