Youth sports have been a very popular recreation in America. It allows kids to have the chance to play a sport at a young age. However, many of the kids only play a single sport, and the types of adults that either spectate or coach youth sports are mainly split into two opposing sides. One half helps the kids to succeed in the sport they are playing and let the kid choose if they want to play that sport, and the other half force the child to play a sport that they may not like and gravitate towards the child’s every mistake like a moth to a flame. This can cause many problems for the child and can often be overwhelming. This has created an argument that is still being debated on today. Some people say that specializing in one sport is good
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According to John O’Sullivan from changingthegameproject.com, many parents fear that their child would fall behind if they didn’t specialize. This fear can lead to a child being put into a sport that isn’t enjoyable, motivating, or doesn’t take their physical abilities into account (O’Sullivan, 1). This fact shows that specializing doesn’t just have physical effects on a child, it also has many mental effects on them. Another fact to support this point is that The Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research recommends that parents and coaches take a child’s motor skills and mental development into account when deciding whether a child should play a sport, and suggest that kids should play more than one sport at a young age (Hall, 1). This fact shows that if a child only plays one sport their motor skills won’t fully develop, due to the fact that they’re only using certain muscles. Some people may argue that a kid can just switch to another sport if they don’t like the one that they are playing. However, many kids don’t have a say in what sport they get to play, and they could lose their motivation to play a sport if they don’t like the sport they were forced to play. Motivation is a skill that everyone needs to succeed in their life, but when kids can lose it at a very young age they might not be able to get it …show more content…
An article on psychologytoday.com said that while there are many coaches and parents that support young athletes, there are also many who critique an athlete’s every move (Hall, 1). This fact shows that for every person who genuinely wants to help an athlete, there is another who just wants them to constantly be better. Another fact to support this is that according to the National Library of Medicine, one of the major risks of specializing at a young age is psychological stress (Jayanthi, 1). Stress can be hard for someone to deal with, especially when it’s at a young age. Many people don’t know the dangers of this stress, and in a way, they’re making their children suffer without knowing it. Some people may say that kids have to learn how to deal with this stress. However, Melissa Willets of Livestrong.com says, “A child is emotionally and physically ready for organized team play by the age of 6 or 7” (Willets, 1). At this young age, kids may be able to focus on a sport more, but they may not be able to handle the
According to John O’Sullivan from changingthegameproject.com, many parents fear that their child would fall behind if they didn’t specialize. This fear can lead to a child being put into a sport that isn’t enjoyable, motivating, or doesn’t take their physical abilities into account (O’Sullivan, 1). This fact shows that specializing doesn’t just have physical effects on a child, it also has many mental effects on them. Another fact to support this point is that The Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research recommends that parents and coaches take a child’s motor skills and mental development into account when deciding whether a child should play a sport, and suggest that kids should play more than one sport at a young age (Hall, 1). This fact shows that if a child only plays one sport their motor skills won’t fully develop, due to the fact that they’re only using certain muscles. Some people may argue that a kid can just switch to another sport if they don’t like the one that they are playing. However, many kids don’t have a say in what sport they get to play, and they could lose their motivation to play a sport if they don’t like the sport they were forced to play. Motivation is a skill that everyone needs to succeed in their life, but when kids can lose it at a very young age they might not be able to get it …show more content…
An article on psychologytoday.com said that while there are many coaches and parents that support young athletes, there are also many who critique an athlete’s every move (Hall, 1). This fact shows that for every person who genuinely wants to help an athlete, there is another who just wants them to constantly be better. Another fact to support this is that according to the National Library of Medicine, one of the major risks of specializing at a young age is psychological stress (Jayanthi, 1). Stress can be hard for someone to deal with, especially when it’s at a young age. Many people don’t know the dangers of this stress, and in a way, they’re making their children suffer without knowing it. Some people may say that kids have to learn how to deal with this stress. However, Melissa Willets of Livestrong.com says, “A child is emotionally and physically ready for organized team play by the age of 6 or 7” (Willets, 1). At this young age, kids may be able to focus on a sport more, but they may not be able to handle the