Winter training and fitness. What does your kid do?

[Guest]

Multi sport is a myth. There is no benefit from playing basketball or lacrosse, which feature movement similar enough to soccer that the idea you are preventing overuse injuries is wrong. Sure, if your other sport is swimming or something low impact and without sharp cuts, it may be a nice break but if you are going from soccer to playing basketball, thinking that is going to be healthier, you're nuts.

The entire strength and conditioning community begs to differ. Is that just lies spread by Big Personal Training?

[Guest]

The entire strength and conditioning community begs to differ. Is that just lies spread by Big Personal Training?

Orthopedic docs and pediatricians also disagree.

[Guest]

Seems pretty shortsighted to have your child focus purely on one sport throughout the year no matter what the sport is, their love for it or how good they are at it.


How could they, much less you, possibly know they don't have an even bigger passion for something else... and maybe(gasp) if it's not a sport at all, maybe it's art, music etc.


What's best case scenario realistically going all in on any single sport? Kid plays in college - so what?

So if your kid tried a season of baseball early on and hated it, did swimming lessons but showed no interest in competing, sits bored watching his brother play football, just likes to ski with family on the weekend rather than race competitively, but absolutely loves soccer, spends time every day in the yard with the ball, watches EPL every weekend along with YouTube videos to improve, and really wants to play on a soccer team year round, you would say no and make them play baseball in the spring?

Growing up in America, it's extremely hard not to be exposed to multiple sports by the time you hit middle school, whether on the playground, at summer camps, playing at friends' houses. If a kid has a passion for one sport and wants to play year round, it's not because they just haven't been exposed to different sports. Likewise, what makes you think that kids specializing one sport don't play other sports recreationally. Does sports specialization also preclude them from taking music or art lessons? Most of the players on my kid's year round team are somehow able to fit in multiple different activities.

[Guest]

So if your kid tried a season of baseball early on and hated it, did swimming lessons but showed no interest in competing, sits bored watching his brother play football, just likes to ski with family on the weekend rather than race competitively, but absolutely loves soccer, spends time every day in the yard with the ball, watches EPL every weekend along with YouTube videos to improve, and really wants to play on a soccer team year round, you would say no and make them play baseball in the spring?

Growing up in America, it's extremely hard not to be exposed to multiple sports by the time you hit middle school, whether on the playground, at summer camps, playing at friends' houses. If a kid has a passion for one sport and wants to play year round, it's not because they just haven't been exposed to different sports. Likewise, what makes you think that kids specializing one sport don't play other sports recreationally. Does sports specialization also preclude them from taking music or art lessons? Most of the players on my kid's year round team are somehow able to fit in multiple different activities.

My comment was 100% directed at the poster that made it seem like any spare time not on the pitch is a waste of time, which is a crazy notion.

Specialization in my mind means total commitment and think its
crazy.

If you are having your kid try other sports (more than a single season in the sport so you know it wasn’t purely a bad experience because of a bad team) and trying other things, you’re doing a good job.

I never said you can’t have them playing their favorite sport year round - heck my both my kids do - you just could never make me believe specializing is worth it or good for kid.’

[Guest]

So if your kid tried a season of baseball early on and hated it, did swimming lessons but showed no interest in competing, sits bored watching his brother play football, just likes to ski with family on the weekend rather than race competitively, but absolutely loves soccer, spends time every day in the yard with the ball, watches EPL every weekend along with YouTube videos to improve, and really wants to play on a soccer team year round, you would say no and make them play baseball in the spring?

You are describing my son. Might I add - every coach drools over his swing, he gets asked to play on travel baseball teams all the time. This year we also signed him up for basketball (rec/cyo).

So in addition to his super demanding soccer schedule (which we prioritize)... he plays these other sports purely to have fun. He spends more time laughing than playing in these sports. The mental break from the constant competitive pressure of his team (new kids brought in weekly to try out, daily in the spring) is great.

Yes with basketball some of the movements are similar... but he gets to hone other skills.... rebounding is an art form... so is finding a flighted ball in the box.

Now granted if your argument is only playing in the fall and he will fall behind... yes that is fair... but by playing other sports he is getting an edge in complementary skills that translate to his favored sport among other benefits.

With pure sport specialization burnout is real big thing.