Invest time getting advice about your daughters health. It is very early to specialize. Don't listen to coaches. Get trusted medical pro advice. Her health is much more important than any other consideration.
From US Soccer:
Where did specialization come from?
- Dr. Anders Ericsson’s 10,000 hours rule, which wasn’t intended for athletics
- Adults often influence the decision to specialize
Specialized Specialists
- Specializing within a sport compounds potential problems
- Playing multiple positions could make athletes better at higher levels of competition
Effects on health
- Specialization in some sports can lead to clinical injury risks
- It’s important to monitor training volume and ensure players have an offseason
Benefits of sampling
- Sampling is a term for playing multiple sports
- Sampling has multiple benefits, including potential for better results as players get older
- Players and adults are often tempted by short-term results of specialization
College Soccer
- Seven in 10 Olympic athletes said they played multiple sports growing up
- College coaches generally do not prefer athletes who specialize in soccer
The Best Compromise
- Specialized soccer players should experience significant amounts of free play
- Free play can produce greater creativity and keep players’ passion for the game
As he wraps up a session with his personal trainer, John hurries to the car and quickly hops in to make it to training on time.
With the car stopped at a red light, he glances at his coach’s practice notes and eats a spoonful of Greek yogurt — just a few berries on top because he’s focusing on his fitness. When the car finally pulls up to the soccer field, he grabs his gear from the trunk and hurries to join the rest of the team.
Before he can get 10 steps from the car, he hears someone shout his name. John hastily turns around and jogs back to the car, where he gives his mom a kiss before she reminds him to ask coach for an excusal note for the upcoming tournament to give to his fifth-grade teacher.
That scene may sound extreme, but it’s becoming far too common for children’s dreams of being professional athletes to become a reality before they even reach their teens. Kids are beginning to specialize in one sport with the end goal of earning a college scholarship and hopefully playing professionally.
The year-round focus on a single sport forces kids to drop any other athletic pursuits they may enjoy in order to master their “main sport.” And the most startling thing is the decisions that shape their childhood and youth sports careers often aren’t made by the kids.
From US Soccer:
Where did specialization come from?
- Dr. Anders Ericsson’s 10,000 hours rule, which wasn’t intended for athletics
- Adults often influence the decision to specialize
Specialized Specialists
- Specializing within a sport compounds potential problems
- Playing multiple positions could make athletes better at higher levels of competition
Effects on health
- Specialization in some sports can lead to clinical injury risks
- It’s important to monitor training volume and ensure players have an offseason
Benefits of sampling
- Sampling is a term for playing multiple sports
- Sampling has multiple benefits, including potential for better results as players get older
- Players and adults are often tempted by short-term results of specialization
College Soccer
- Seven in 10 Olympic athletes said they played multiple sports growing up
- College coaches generally do not prefer athletes who specialize in soccer
The Best Compromise
- Specialized soccer players should experience significant amounts of free play
- Free play can produce greater creativity and keep players’ passion for the game
As he wraps up a session with his personal trainer, John hurries to the car and quickly hops in to make it to training on time.
With the car stopped at a red light, he glances at his coach’s practice notes and eats a spoonful of Greek yogurt — just a few berries on top because he’s focusing on his fitness. When the car finally pulls up to the soccer field, he grabs his gear from the trunk and hurries to join the rest of the team.
Before he can get 10 steps from the car, he hears someone shout his name. John hastily turns around and jogs back to the car, where he gives his mom a kiss before she reminds him to ask coach for an excusal note for the upcoming tournament to give to his fifth-grade teacher.
That scene may sound extreme, but it’s becoming far too common for children’s dreams of being professional athletes to become a reality before they even reach their teens. Kids are beginning to specialize in one sport with the end goal of earning a college scholarship and hopefully playing professionally.
The year-round focus on a single sport forces kids to drop any other athletic pursuits they may enjoy in order to master their “main sport.” And the most startling thing is the decisions that shape their childhood and youth sports careers often aren’t made by the kids.
Comment