Sports Specialization Essay

Sport specialization is the age or time in development of a child’s life where training and competition is focused and limited to one sport. There has been much debate and controversy whether specialization or diversification is the best way to achieve “elite” status. Many famous elite athletes who were specialized to one sport lend credible support to specialization. However, in the sports sciences community, there has been growing support for diversification. A consensus statement suggests that, “For most youth athletes, early specialization (before adolescence) is not recommended.” (American Academy of Pediatrics). With specialization there are some benefits. Children who focus on just one sport do not have to worry about transitioning
These other ways are also much healthier. The easiest way is to play multiple sports. Playing multiple sports is a way for the muscles used in one sport to take a break, while also being able to strengthen other muscles not used as often. There are many sports that go best with each other when playing multiple sports. For example, ice hockey and field hockey. Yes, they are both forms of hockey. However, they require the different use of muscles. In ice hockey athletes are constantly putting wear and tear on their feet and ankles from skating. When switched over to field hockey in the late spring and summer it gives those joints and muscles a break to heal. Athletes are also given a break from all the contact involved in ice hockey. Even though ice hockey is a faster paced game, both games are similar in the way players move about the field. In both sports, “… you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction to be successful.” (Gretzky). This keeps the athletes brain trained through the whole year and will take far less time to get back into midseason form when the ice hockey season starts
These disadvantages are mostly performance disadvantages. The athlete will most likely be as good as most of the other athletes at that level. He/she may not have the expertise his/her teammates have, as well as competitors. However, he/she made it to the college level because they are considered great at their desired sport. They may start behind their teammates and competitors, but that does not mean they can not learn and work hard to become better than the rest. Tim Duncan, who is considered one of the best players of the 2000’s in the NBA, started out swimming from a young age. He did not start playing basketball until the ninth grade. He started way behind his teammates and competitors. Now look at where he is at, an almost guaranteed spot in the NBA Hall of Fame. Duncan lived by these words, “Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better and your better is best.”