Early sports specialization isn’t always a good thing for young athletes.
As a life-long athlete, I was able to get involved with lacrosse at an early age. Lacrosse has always been one of my biggest passions, and I am very lucky to have found a sport that I love so much, and have never burned out on. I specialized in lacrosse, and although I have no regrets I will say that I have seen potential negative effects of early sports specialization on young athletes.
Early sports specialization is when a parent encourages their child to specialize in a sport at a very young age. This can be great for raising athletes and healthy children, but focusing on one sport and encouraging competitive habits in children can become problematic.
READ MORE: An Interview on Duke Lacrosse
Early sports specialization can cause a lot of issues, from burn out, to travel issues, and injuries from over-use.
I recently discussed this topic on the Now We’re Talking Darien podcast. Listen HERE: