Why Do Young Athletes Get Paid?

In today’s competitive sports focused society, young athletes are forced to commit their time and efforts to one sport by the time they enter high school and often times at a much younger age. In order to succeed at a high level, young athletes feel they must train several days a week, in a year round regimen. Countless hours are devoted to strength, conditioning , mental toughness and physical practice. Pat Riley, an American professional basketball executive, commented, “There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either all in or you’re all out. There is no such thing as life in-between.” This brings about the question: why have 70% of young athletes dropped out of competitive sports by age 13? (Wallace) The idea of playing more than one sport at a very competitive level during high school is rare in the US, today. Young athletes spend more and more time on their individual sport, leaving little time to explore other interests. Junior tennis player, Alex Brown, voiced he either plays tennis or works out for …show more content…
Parents who live through their child’s accomplishments, who are sometimes trying to relive their own experience or one they missed out on, can put excessive stress on the child to win, with no room for second place. Stressing the importance of winning and putting too much emphasis on perfection can have a damaging psychological impact on a young athlete’s self-image. Luke Anderson, a junior baseball player at Shawnee Mission East, said, “I never perform well with my dad watching. He always stresses me out and I feel like he is judging, and trying to critique my every move.” Many others share similar views to Luke, in that often times pressure imposed by parents can be un-nerving and distracting, and ultimately effect performance in a game. Parents always “want what is best for their kid” but can get caught up in the competition and make it not fun for the