Thread: Athletes focusing on single sport too early?

Young athletes are focusing on a single sport at an earlier age. Sometimes, experts say, that’s a losing proposition

By the time Kelsey Vross left the TCU women’s soccer team after two years on full four-year athletic scholarship, she had more than enough of playing soccer, despite the fact that it was paying for her education.

"At the start of my junior year of high school I signed the scholarship with TCU, and I was totally burned out on soccer," said Vross, a 21-year-old senior. "I knew I was sick of it. I just didn’t want to go to practice anymore. I didn’t really enjoy the games.

"Soccer ran my life."

Vross wasn’t alone. Of the 12 teammates who started the TCU soccer program with her, only three remain on the team.

It’s a trend in college athletic programs nationally. Boys and girls begin focusing on a sport at an early age; by the time they reach sports at the collegiate level, they can suffer from burnout, and some have incurred major injuries.

With school about to begin again this month, and high-school football teams already practicing, the same scene will play out across North Texas and, indeed, the country. The landscape of youth sports has changed dramatically; more kids are focusing on one sport at the expense of a diverse athletic experience that would rejuvenate them when a new season begins.

The Arlington Soccer Association, for example, starts competitive soccer teams at age 10. The association requires a one-year commitment beginning in July, with youngsters going through tryouts and then earning playing time. There are two to three practices a week, each of which lasts up to 90 minutes. Teams play once a week for 10 weeks, with a second game during some weeks. Depending on the team, there are indoor summer and winter leagues as well.

"We are seeing burnout at a much younger age than ever be- fore — between the sixth and seventh grade," TCU sports psychologist Dr. Deborah Rhea said. "There are these fitness training centers for kids, and it’s basically a tryout. And we’re talking 5- and 6-year-olds. It’s terrible."

Romo the basketball player

Long before he became the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo played basketball, baseball, tennis, golf and football at his high school in Burlington, Wis. His coaches say that he was a better basketball player than football player. Romo never attended a pricey summer camp, which is considered almost mandatory at the collegiate level.

"People sometimes today are predominantly putting their kids into one sport," Romo said at a celebrity golf tournament last month. "Age 10, they’re going to do one thing the rest of their life. I have a hard time with that because I was a basketball player as a kid. [If] I would have just concentrated on one sport, soccer or something, I never would have been able to do what I’m lucky enough to do — play football."

Thirty years ago, a high-school boy often played football or soccer in the fall, then basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. Girls played volleyball, basketball and then softball or field hockey.

Now, the process of sports elimination occurs much earlier, even in middle school or at a younger age.

"If you play two or three sports you’ll be an average player — if you don’t focus on one sport," Arlington Martin volleyball coach Tracy Perez-Peterson said.

At a smaller or private school, the pressure isn’t as great, so a youngster can play multiple sports. TCU soccer player Vross did. She attended Concordia Lutheran, a private school in Tomball. But for the student who attends a larger school — Class 4A or Class 5A — it’s harder. The need to be a better athlete faster is greater, so kids concentrate on one sport earlier.

Like most high-school coaches, Perez-Peterson feels torn by the trend. The benefit is obvious — players are more skilled at their sport. The drawbacks are subtle, and sometimes painful.

"I see a lot of injury, and I’ve seen a lot of burnout," Perez-Peterson said. "It’s harder to motivate them.."

My DD has played three sports so far throughout her high school career, she is now a senior she has plans to continue playing all three this year also. Freshman year in high school she also played three elite sports, but after freshman year she dropped volleyball as an elite sport (she was on a very very good team that did quite well but she had no time and was very hard pleasing everyone). Sophomore and Junior year she played all three school sports and two elite sports. She loves each of her sports but she always loved one just a little more. Until this year I thought for sure she would play softball in college as I thought this was the sport she was best at....but now I am pretty sure that isn't the case, time will tell. There are a few schools that would like her to play two sports in college both of them D2 schools...she thinks she is ready to call it quits and only play one sport in college. She says she wants to focus on her one sport and her grades in college....I think its a mature decision although I wonder if she will get bored?

Your DD and my DD#3 are similar. My DD#3 lettered in four sports. My DD#3 decided to play hoops in college, which probably was not her best sport, but it was the one she enjoyed the most. At college, other coaches would beg her to play another sport, but she didn't want to.

Our DDs have played sports for almost their life. Counting HS and pre-HS sports, my DD had more than a hundred coaches, a thousand or more teammates and played probably ten thousand of games.. Your DD is probably similar. After that much experience, I suspect that they know more about sports and how they relate to sports than we do.

I'm sure your DD wants a social life of some kind. She knows she won't have any if she plays two sports.

Funny story: My DD plays sports even now after college on various teams. She once played coed football. She quit after four games. Why? She scored a touchdown every time she got the ball. She said, "What is the point of playing a game I win all the time?"