Specialization is not so special
Multi-sport athletes are becoming a rarity. Today’s young athletes face increasing pressure to specialize in one sport at an early age and train year-round. So it was a joy to read Ron Kroichick’s recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle about Jahvid Best’s journey from a “track-loving kid to a Heisman Trophy candidate.”
Best is the nation’s leading returning rusher. Kroichick described him as “a human blur who won the state 100-meter title as a high school senior and now routinely zooms past Pac-10 tacklers.”
Jahvid’s first athletic loves were basketball and track. He started running at age 9 and competed for various track clubs throughout his youth. I loved reading what Best said about how his track days are helping him today:
“I learned how to calm myself down. Track taught me to block out everything else, for 30 seconds at a time, and focus on what you’re doing right now.”
Luckily the adults in Jahvid’s youth did not believe the growing misperception that competitive sport requires exclusivity and that players who play one sport year-round get an edge on those who split time between multiple sports.
Research by Tudor Bompa, a leading expert in the theory of training and coaching, recommends that athletes avoid early sports specialization. He found that those who participate in a variety of sports and specialize only after reaching the age of puberty tend to be more consistent performers, have fewer injuries, and adhere to sports play longer than those who specialize early.
Yes, it’s a rarity that kids play more than one sport these days, and they’re specializing at even earlier ages, but you can counteract that trend even within your own program. One simple way is to encourage your players to play (or at least practice) various positions at different times. In the long run, variety minimizes burnout and gives athletes a 360-degree view of their given sport. My hope is that the next time a youth coach or parent asks you about their child specializing in your sport, you encourage them to reconsider. Maybe your track athlete, who plays basketball and softball, won’t be the next Heisman winner, but their attitude and participation will be energized by the diversity of their experience and their versatility will only add to their athleticism.
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As an athlete, parent and coach I never believed in Specialization. Players are evolving and changing throughout their development. To train exclusively on one area at an early age can be detrimental and may lead to burn out. Children should be exposed to multiple sports at each season. Fall soccer, Winter basketball, Spring baseball and summer swimming, etc. I believe cross training is important for their develpoment as a total athlete. Different skills, techniques and philosophies help to establish a well rounded player. Once an athlete develops a true passion for a single sport they can concentrate their efforts in that area and pursue collegiate goals. Most importantly it must be a sport “they” love – not a sport their parents are pushing them into. They must want it for themselves to be successful.