Is specialization hurting young soccer players?

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https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.esp...3fplatform=amp

While the article above focuses on basketball, it seems just as applicable to soccer. Is the specialization in soccer at young ages (ages 7-14) and year-round club activities and tournaments actually hurting young athletes?

[Unregistered]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.esp...3fplatform=amp

While the article above focuses on basketball, it seems just as applicable to soccer. Is the specialization in soccer at young ages (ages 7-14) and year-round club activities and tournaments actually hurting young athletes?

I would think so. Multiple games in a day; playing back-to-back every weekend etc has proven to be a strain on the body. Pick a club that advocates fitness, stretching, and overall play vs. concentrating on results. Ensure you are getting time off over the winter and also in the summer.

If you do choose such a path, be prepared to hear insults about how crappy the team or league is, but know their bodies are being cared for in the long run.

[Unregistered]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.esp...3fplatform=amp

While the article above focuses on basketball, it seems just as applicable to soccer. Is the specialization in soccer at young ages (ages 7-14) and year-round club activities and tournaments actually hurting young athletes?

But it’s good for the economy ( of clubs).

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I would think so. Multiple games in a day; playing back-to-back every weekend etc has proven to be a strain on the body. Pick a club that advocates fitness, stretching, and overall play vs. concentrating on results. Ensure you are getting time off over the winter and also in the summer.

If you do choose such a path, be prepared to hear insults about how crappy the team or league is, but know their bodies are being cared for in the long run.

But you’ve just described the DA?

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It's not that the kids only play one sport, it is their diet. The crap, sugar enhanced food that most kids eat does not lead to strong bones, ligaments and muscles. It starts with the sugar-loaded baby formula and then gets worse from there.

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It's not that the kids only play one sport, it is their diet. The crap, sugar enhanced food that most kids eat does not lead to strong bones, ligaments and muscles. It starts with the sugar-loaded baby formula and then gets worse from there.

Nothing wrong with specialization as long as there is no burnout and strength and conditioning to help address muscle imbalances, etc. Name the best soccer players in the world: all specialized at an early age.

Specialization is not the same issue as overuse, inadequate rest and recovery, etc. Completely different in fact.

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Nothing wrong with specialization as long as there is no burnout and strength and conditioning to help address muscle imbalances, etc. Name the best soccer players in the world: all specialized at an early age.

Specialization is not the same issue as overuse, inadequate rest and recovery, etc. Completely different in fact.

When you are talking about “best soccer players in the world”, I’m assuming you mean those in European or South American leagues; but while soccer may be the primary sport in their countries, their youth development is far different from ours. You won’t find year-round clubs, leagues, and tournaments like you do here in the US. At early ages like 7-14, you’ll only find seasonal recreational leagues similar to town teams here in MA. And a lot of places, even those aren’t available if the families could afford them. Soccer there at early ages is a recreational activity whereas here we introduce high levels of competition at those ages as a precursor for HS and college.

Very few young athletes are receiving strength and other conditioning or dietary guidance other than lip service from their club/coach.

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When you are talking about “best soccer players in the world”, I’m assuming you mean those in European or South American leagues; but while soccer may be the primary sport in their countries, their youth development is far different from ours. You won’t find year-round clubs, leagues, and tournaments like you do here in the US. At early ages like 7-14, you’ll only find seasonal recreational leagues similar to town teams here in MA. And a lot of places, even those aren’t available if the families could afford them. Soccer there at early ages is a recreational activity whereas here we introduce high levels of competition at those ages as a precursor for HS and college.

Very few young athletes are receiving strength and other conditioning or dietary guidance other than lip service from their club/coach.

In countries like Europe and South America, the talent is identified early and funneled to residential academies. The rest is pretty much recreational. Here in the US, everyone thinks they are going pro, and there are plenty clubs that make money by perpetuating those dreams.

[Unregistered]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.esp...3fplatform=amp

While the article above focuses on basketball, it seems just as applicable to soccer. Is the specialization in soccer at young ages (ages 7-14) and year-round club activities and tournaments actually hurting young athletes?

Good article. I’ve seen this with my D’s college team. Each year it seems like the freshman recruits come in more banged up. Everyone acts like it’s normal when an 18 year old enters college having had multiple soccer-related surgeries.

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Specialization meaning only playing soccer, no. Too much of it in an organized fashion at a young age, yes.

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In countries like Europe and South America, the talent is identified early and funneled to residential academies. The rest is pretty much recreational. Here in the US, everyone thinks they are going pro, and there are plenty clubs that make money by perpetuating those dreams.

Bingo
And they’re perfectly happy playing at whatever level with no illusions

[Unregistered]

In countries like Europe and South America, the talent is identified early and funneled to residential academies. The rest is pretty much recreational. Here in the US, everyone thinks they are going pro, and there are plenty clubs that make money by perpetuating those dreams.

Are you kidding me? I’ve been around club soccer for seven years with two kids and in not one conversation with parents, players or coaches has the idea of going pro ever come up. College D1 is the goal for most and HS varsity the rest.

I will agree that most parents who chase the D1 scholarships are unrealistic, but only in so much that they should be looking at D3 instead. That is the reality of soccer in the US.

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Are you kidding me? I’ve been around club soccer for seven years with two kids and in not one conversation with parents, players or coaches has the idea of going pro ever come up. College D1 is the goal for most and HS varsity the rest.

I will agree that most parents who chase the D1 scholarships are unrealistic, but only in so much that they should be looking at D3 instead. That is the reality of soccer in the US.

D1 is also an unrealistic pipe dream for a majority of youth soccer players in the U.S. It’s a pay to play system for thousands and thousands of players. High School teams are also an American thing.

[Unregistered]

In countries like Europe and South America, the talent is identified early and funneled to residential academies. The rest is pretty much recreational. Here in the US, everyone thinks they are going pro, and there are plenty clubs that make money by perpetuating those dreams.

There is either a big misunderstanding here, or a language disconnect. I grew up in Europe, and recreational soccer the way it's organized in the US is not a thing, if you mean many players sign up, get randomly allocated to a team, then play each other for fun in their local area.

Recreational soccer in the UK is going to the park for a game with your friends, or playing at lunchtime in school (i.e. pickup). Everything else is competitive - teams are formed, they sign up for leagues, they play to win the league, and enter competitive cups.

Competitive soccer comes from:

School Teams
Local Teams
Youth Teams of Professional Clubs

The biggest difference is the sheer concentration of players and teams. There are enough that many leagues can be formed and played competitively without cannibalizing each other. Also teams and leagues are never run for profit, so there is no commercial incentive to grab market share at all costs.

[Unregistered]

There is either a big misunderstanding here, or a language disconnect. I grew up in Europe, and recreational soccer the way it's organized in the US is not a thing, if you mean many players sign up, get randomly allocated to a team, then play each other for fun in their local area.

Recreational soccer in the UK is going to the park for a game with your friends, or playing at lunchtime in school (i.e. pickup). Everything else is competitive - teams are formed, they sign up for leagues, they play to win the league, and enter competitive cups.

Competitive soccer comes from:

School Teams
Local Teams
Youth Teams of Professional Clubs

The biggest difference is the sheer concentration of players and teams. There are enough that many leagues can be formed and played competitively without cannibalizing each other. Also teams and leagues are never run for profit, so there is no commercial incentive to grab market share at all costs.

I guess it all depends on your definition of “competition” too. In the US and probably everywhere else, when the competition is low or no cost, run by volunteers, and the prize is a trophy, then most would agree that this is healthy competition. That’s a far cry from the US club world, where clubs charge high fees, employ professional coaches, require extensive travel and tournaments. In Europe, local club coaches don’t tout how many college coaches show up at their events or how many players they’ve helped place in college. Largely because college is free or low cost in Europe. Not saying US clubs are necessarily bad, but the definition of competition varies wildly by the prize and here a lot participate at later years (say U-14 to U-19) for the college admission and scholarships/aid.

Thought the original premise of the article that single-sport athletes risk higher rate of injury was pretty interesting. Thinking of all those that said a young player should get “as many touches on the ball” as possible weren’t thinking of a recreational setting.