Washington Post Reports on “How Crazy Youth Sports Are These Days”

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Only because I’m just coming off a Fall season watching my 6 1/2 year old daughter play travel soccer (due to the new US Soccer age mandate), the topic of “Early Specialization” was on my mind.  Click here to read the Washington Post’s article about how early specialization is hurting our kids physically and mentally.  When 27% of Division III college athletes think they are going pro, there is absolutely a distorted view of reality that we as parents and coaches have created.  

“A major survey of NCAA student athletes released this week reveals what critics of youth sports have been saying for years: The system is really whacked.
College athletes reported specializing in their sports before the word teen is added to their ages. Many regret doing so, the survey found. The athletes think they play in too many games at too young an age. And their parents totally think they are going pro.
This was the first time that youth sports questions were added to the NCAA’s survey examining the well being of college athletes. And it might unintentionally prove to crazy sports parents that early specialization and year-round play is exactly what their children need to play in college.” (Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post)