Specialization vs Multi Sport

[Unregistered]

We've all heard how specialization can be detrimental in many ways and that multi sport athletes fare better in the long run.

My U12 son was a multi sport athlete. Last year he quit baseball and LAX. This year he is asking to drop basketball.

When asked why, his response is that he doesn't enjoy these sports and love, love, LOVES soccer.

He's not specializing due to parent, coach, or club influence. He just wants to play soccer. All. The. Time. He's played town level since 4 and club for the first time last year.

My question is to parents with older kids who specialized....any regrets on your part or your kids? Have you dealt with more than average injuries? Have you dealt with burn out?

I don't believe in making kids play a specific sport. However, I'm hesitant to let him play soccer 5-7 days a week nearly year round.

I should mention he's a 50/50 keeper/field player.

My kid dropped other sports for soccer at the end of 8th grade. I tried to keep the other sports relevant as long as possible, even if it was only at a recreational level, so that she wouldn't be left without a sport if she stopped playing soccer. I wanted her to be able to play other sports with her kids, play intramurals in college if she wants, and have a reasonable knowledge of other sports beyond soccer. 8th grade was as far as we got, although she's considering starting up again with her second favorite sport in HS.

[Unregistered]

Wow, you really are an A-HOLE. Why not let people on this site have their conversations and not take things so fricken literally.

While the humor of that other post wasn't great, the point being made was actually pretty good. The idea of kids being "specialists" at such young ages is pretty laughable. If they like soccer better than other sports, and want to quit the others because of conflicts, it doesn't necessarily make them specialists. It means they just play one sport.

[Unregistered]

I have 4 kids that have played nothing but soccer. Similar to you, they all were into other sports as well, but just wanted to play soccer and dropped the other sports. Youngest is 13 and oldest is 17. Other then the normal game injuries, there have been no significant injuries that would prove out this point. In fact, they have had friends that have play multiple sports and have had all kinds of injuries. Some so bad that it ended their sports all together. My kids stay in really good shape all year long, so that may be part of it, but who knows. It could just be the make up of each kid.

Risk of multisport injuries can rise particularly if they are trying to do two sports in the same season. It gets much worse at the high school level and with high intensity sports like trying to high level club soccer and HS Lax (golf? no problem). If they can manage something in the "off-season" that's great. One of mine managed to do HS soccer, HS basketball (winter), then spring club soccer.

But another poster had a very good point - sometimes they still like playing something they just don't want to do it as intensely or frequently. Another one of mine (starter at high level club team) decided to drop back to travel in 8th grade so she had more time for dance. Worked well for her and she still played in HS. She wasn't on a track for college soccer anyway because of her other interests.

They'll figure out what drives them if given the opportunity and space to make their own choices

[Unregistered]

While the humor of that other post wasn't great, the point being made was actually pretty good. The idea of kids being "specialists" at such young ages is pretty laughable. If they like soccer better than other sports, and want to quit the others because of conflicts, it doesn't necessarily make them specialists. It means they just play one sport.

I agree with your point and clarification between the two. It's just that people come on this site and find is so easy to sit behind their computer and insult people.

[Unregistered]

We've all heard how specialization can be detrimental in many ways and that multi sport athletes fare better in the long run.

My U12 son was a multi sport athlete. Last year he quit baseball and LAX. This year he is asking to drop basketball.

When asked why, his response is that he doesn't enjoy these sports and love, love, LOVES soccer.

He's not specializing due to parent, coach, or club influence. He just wants to play soccer. All. The. Time. He's played town level since 4 and club for the first time last year.

My question is to parents with older kids who specialized....any regrets on your part or your kids? Have you dealt with more than average injuries? Have you dealt with burn out?

I don't believe in making kids play a specific sport. However, I'm hesitant to let him play soccer 5-7 days a week nearly year round.

I should mention he's a 50/50 keeper/field player.

There is no issue. Too many other posters are working out their own issues and biases.

Your kid wants to focus on soccer--because he loves soccer, and maybe also because he believes it's his best sport. The only question is how he develops as a player. As he's currently dividing his time between keeper and field, there should be significantly less risk of overuse injuries and "burnout."

Players play, even "5-7 days a week nearly year round." The multisport fixation in the U.S. is more suited to typical American sports than soccer--at least if a kid is trying to maximize his or her potential as a soccer player, at least by roughly the age of 13 or 14. IMHO

[Unregistered]

There is no issue. Too many other posters are working out their own issues and biases.

Your kid wants to focus on soccer--because he loves soccer, and maybe also because he believes it's his best sport. The only question is how he develops as a player. As he's currently dividing his time between keeper and field, there should be significantly less risk of overuse injuries and "burnout."

Players play, even "5-7 days a week nearly year round." The multisport fixation in the U.S. is more suited to typical American sports than soccer--at least if a kid is trying to maximize his or her potential as a soccer player, at least by roughly the age of 13 or 14. IMHO

There is a difference between specializing in a position versus playing a single sport versus playing multiple sports. My son happens to be a gk, but he also plays baseball and basketball (rec for both ) and seems to balance it all well with no injuries or burnout. He's not a cone during soccer training and doesn't stand in the net as a shot blocker for scrimmages. There is no way he would stay at a club that didn't develop him as a gk, I certainly wouldn't pay for crappy training either. At some point he'll need to make a choice to drop 1 or 2 of the sports and I've been talking with him about that so he's prepared. I went through it and understand that it sucks to have to choose. He enjoys all sports but his primary has always been soccer and his goal is to play in college so I'm confident he'll make the sacrifice when necessary. Until then, he's enjoying all sports and is cross training.

[Unregistered]

The use of the term "specialized" kills me.
Even medical students don't specialize until late in their studies. Yet we blithely refer to young athletes who want to play 1 sport as specialists.
A soccer player may become a free kick specialist if their talent allows it. One specializes in an aspect of the sport, not in ghe sport itself.
Swimmers specialize in particular stroke styles

Yeah, my son, who just turned 6, hates the see-saw, so he's going to specialize on the swings.
Until he decides 3 weeks later that he would prefer to specialize in sand box.

Most kids choose to play 1 sport because they don't like the others.
But it is far from specializing

Would it make you feel better if I told you he "liked" soccer early and specialized in goalkeeping just as early. He plays soccer exclusively and goal exclusively within that...therefore it is a specialization. I wasn't referring to his sport I was referring to his position.

[Unregistered]

So many people on TS have kids going to college for free. It's amazing! What a special place this is.

Honestly, don't care if you want to lump me into the group of exaggerators on this site. I just know that I do not get a bill from his University. I am content with that, don't need you to believe me.

[Unregistered]

Honestly, don't care if you want to lump me into the group of exaggerators on this site. I just know that I do not get a bill from his University. I am content with that, don't need you to believe me.

Congrats on making less than $50k a year.

[Unregistered]

Congrats on making less than $50k a year.

Nice try!

[Unregistered]

Nice try!

no such thing as a full ride.

[Unregistered]

no such thing as a full ride.

Didn't say he got a full ride. His merit covers about 33% and soccer covers the rest.

[Unregistered]

Didn't say he got a full ride. His merit covers about 33% and soccer covers the rest.

Don't tell me. The Wharton School of Finance?

[Unregistered]

Don't tell me. The Wharton School of Finance?

What? Is this some attempt at wit? All you people on here want to make yourselves feel better about the lack of money your kids get. There are very few if any full athletic scholarships for soccer, but there is a way to make it work. You have to have a player worth it though.

[Unregistered]

What? Is this some attempt at wit? All you people on here want to make yourselves feel better about the lack of money your kids get. There are very few if any full athletic scholarships for soccer, but there is a way to make it work. You have to have a player worth it though.

Do you have a handy example of having a player who is "worth it"?