In modern times, early sports specialization is becoming popular among young athletes where many are focusing on a single sport from a young age. This is becoming a common approach as they aim to increase their chances of succeeding at the particular type of sport that they choose. Hence, it’s becoming the norm for younger athletes to undergo intense training and compete in one activity, often at the expense of others that they might have an interest in. And, while parents, guardians and coaches might be thinking that they are helping the child achieve success and one day, achieve athletic glory, it’s not so.
Keep reading this blog prepared by one of the best sports schools in Kolkata and find out more about early sports specialization.
Is Early Sports Specialization the New Normal?
Here’s what you need to know about early sports specialization among young athletes.
What is early sports specialization?
Early sports specialization can be described as a rigorous form of training where young athletes practice their chosen sport for more than 8 months a year. And, during this time, they don’t engage in any others they may be interested in. The primary goal of doing this is to develop their skills in a single sport with practice that focuses on improving their performance. Plus, many teachers, coaches and even parents believe that this can increase a young athlete’s chances of playing at higher levels and achieving success at the same.
What are the benefits associated with this form of training?
There are quite a few advantages of early sports specialization as the practice performed by the young athletes allows them to target their skills in specific ways for overall improvement. Plus, when they practice off-season, they focus on different techniques to keep developing. For instance, basketball players have shooting and coaches that focus on precise skills. On the other hand, in hockey, players have special coaches for shooting and skating. Remember, acquiring skills takes time, practice and repetition. And, the more time they spend practicing different techniques, the better their chances of succeeding at the sport.
If any young athlete’s primary and only goal is to improve their performance, by pursuing early specialization, the player will be more likely to succeed among others of their age group. Moreover, the current youth sports landscape measures performance and success by choosing the best players to travel. And, in many instances, they also have better access to competition and coaching. And, by experiencing early success, they will also experience increased self-esteem and motivate other players to improve their skills too.
Are there any concerns?
Although early sports specialization will help players develop their skills, it can be disadvantageous in terms of developing their overall athleticism. This is because when the young one focuses on any one particular movement while their body is growing, it can cause imbalances in their physical development and in severe cases, overuse injury.
Additionally, when players constantly practice one sport, they put their bodies under intense and unique stress that is explicit to that sport. When any sport has repetitive movements or tasks, especially one-sided ones such as swinging or throwing, it can lead to skeletal and muscular imbalances too.
As you can see, early sport specialization is challenging and can also be frustrating for parents, teachers, coaches and the child as well. And, while it has numerous benefits to offer, it may affect different components of the young player’s health including their bone health, nutrition, psychological stress, muscle imbalances and career along with other things. And, according to experts at our residential sports academy, those that can train rigorously and survive early sports specialization at a young age will enjoy the advantages it has to offer. So, parents, teachers and coaches should continue doing research on the topic to ensure they offer solutions that are both realistic and sustainable over the years.
