Noted sports surgeon warns against overuse and specialization.

[All Tell]

LINK

 

Posted it in this forum because it's more widely read. Admins please move if appropriate.

 

I really wish I thought coaches and parents would heed these warnings.

[Ram]

This is one of the reasons that I think AAU ruins basketball and summer/fall ball ruins baseball. God help us if we see a company develop an "off-season" football league.

[Zuzu]

This is one of the reasons that I think AAU ruins basketball and summer/fall ball ruins baseball. God help us if we see a company develop an "off-season" football league.

 

Does spring football and 7-on-7 count? Seems like in a couple of football programs kids aren't playing other sports to ensure that the participate during the spring football.

[All Tell]

I would be less inclined to include 7on7 football (not completely eliminating it) because for the most part it is done as part of the school program. Baseball, basketball, volleyball and soccer in particular are almost at odds with the school programs.

[Ram]

As Dr. Andrews points out, it's more about repeated motion by a player. Weightlifting, 7 on 7 and spring practice really wouldn't come into play. Players have time off (from football motion) between the season and spring practice, as well as spring practice and 7 on 7. Weightlifting is a different motion altogether. He recommends two, and preferably, four months off per calendar year. I think currently, players get that for the most part. Now, attending camps and combines, while the same motion, could be considered a little different in intensity and repetition. The dead period supplies two weeks, and at many schools, three or four weeks off in a row. While many schools take the month of December off. That's two months there. Add it the fact that January, February, March and/or April is basically weight lifting, with a few weeks of spring practice in there somewhere and I think football in Kentucky is safe by Dr. Andrew's standards.

[spindoc]

I think basketball is the worst.

[JCVD]

Baseball is right there with basketball with these "showcases" being one of the worst.

[rjs4470]

I think basketball is the worst.

Youth baseball is pretty bad too. Some kids are playing over 100 games a year, as young as 9 or 10 years old. And some coaches are buying into the "you have to play year round" in order to compete. We are seeing less and less multi sport athletes, let alone multi sport stars.

[PurplePride92]

This is one of the reasons that I think AAU ruins basketball and summer/fall ball ruins baseball. God help us if we see a company develop an "off-season" football league.

 

How does playing more ruin the game?

[PurplePride92]

Youth baseball is pretty bad too. Some kids are playing over 100 games a year, as young as 9 or 10 years old. And some coaches are buying into the "you have to play year round" in order to compete. We are seeing less and less multi sport athletes, let alone multi sport stars.

 

Kids don't want to play 3 sports anymore. I know kids quitting football just to get some time off and to focus on being better in baseball and basketball. If a kid doesn't want to play a sport what are you going to do?

Edited July 8, 2013 by PurplePride92

[PurplePride92]

I would be less inclined to include 7on7 football (not completely eliminating it) because for the most part it is done as part of the school program. Baseball, basketball, volleyball and soccer in particular are almost at odds with the school programs.

 

Huh? I need more specifics on your last sentence.

[Ram]

How does playing more ruin the game?

Come on, you're a smart guy. Players decide they don't want to play a sport after spending 11 months in one year on that one sport. Not every kid, but many. Also, playing a sport year around, as pointed out by the article, causes more injury and players give the sport up due not wanting another injury, not being able to perform at the same level, or just saying, "It's not worth it". All those things ruins the game by not having the players play it, or not having many of the players that could heighten the game play it.

 

In my experience, baseball is the first sport players give up. Why? Because they are expected to play spring school baseball, summer league baseball, and fall league baseball followed up by having hitting and pitching lessons in the winter at some business. Ruins the game.

[Ram]

Kids don't want to play 3 sports anymore. I know kids quitting football just to get some one off and to focus on being better in baseball and basketball. If a kid doesn't want to play a sport what are you going to do?

Because the kids are smart. Smarter then we give them credit for. They know to compete, or to keep a spot, they have to compete like the other kids do: summer ball and fall ball. They realize, I like this other sport better, and to keep my spot, I have to be there as much as everyone else.

[rjs4470]

Because the kids are smart. Smarter then we give them credit for. They know to compete, or to keep a spot, they have to compete like the other kids do: summer ball and fall ball. They realize, I like this other sport better, and to keep my spot, I have to be there as much as everyone else.

 

I agree. It is what it is. I think though some of it is a little misguided. I think asking kids to specialize at 9 or 10 years old is a little early. You don't know how kids are going to end up physically. And kids change their minds all the time. And parents who are banking or hoping for a college scholarship from sports would be better off buying books, because its a lot easier to get money for academics than sports. What happens when little Johnny Basketball gives up all other sports at age 10 ends up 5'10"??? And what about the late bloomers?? I think some of the fun has been taken out of sports by these highly competitive select leagues.

 

I've encouraged my kids to play what they want to play as much as they want to play. My oldest juggles baseball and football pretty easily. My youngest is juggling football, wrestling and baseball. But he's getting to the point where one those sports may have to go, probably baseball.

[PurplePride92]

Come on, you're a smart guy. Players decide they don't want to play a sport after spending 11 months in one year on that one sport. Not every kid, but many. Also, playing a sport year around, as pointed out by the article, causes more injury and players give the sport up due not wanting another injury, not being able to perform at the same level, or just saying, "It's not worth it". All those things ruins the game by not having the players play it, or not having many of the players that could heighten the game play it.

 

In my experience, baseball is the first sport players give up. Why? Because they are expected to play spring school baseball, summer league baseball, and fall league baseball followed up by having hitting and pitching lessons in the winter at some business. Ruins the game.

 

I see it differently. The kids that I see excelling in a particular sport are the ones I see putting in the necessary work to shine in that sport. My oldest went strictly to basketball in the 8th grade and didn't play AAU until right before his senior year but he was still working and practicing and playing. Just not at the AAU level. He still got better every year. My youngest in the 8th grade now went to basketball exclusively in the 3rd. Played AAU for the first time this year which consisted of three weekend tournaments. He went to Centre camp with the freshman team and that was 3 weeks ago. Hasn't been in the gym since and Open Gyms start this week. Twice a week. Just the little but of work he did with his AAU team and he is already leaps and bounds better than he was in January and I am certain all of the kids he played with are as well. They all play for Boyle County also. The games they are in won't be ruined.

 

 

Kids quit baseball because unless you make a club team at an early age it is a waste of time and the kids figure that out quickly.