And that is where burnout happens. Luckily my boys and their friends live within walking distance of the Fort. The Armory, while not as hopping as it once was, still has enough players to get a run in here and there. On top of that, the soccer field is open quite often. That used to be normal, no I feel like my boys are blessed to have those opportunities. Crazy how times have changed, and I'm only 34.

You can't put a price tag on living somewhere with lots of kids outside shooting hoops, playing football, baseball, and soccer. My 7-yr-old is getting quite skilled in all those sports as he runs with the big kids.

Does he not like the kids on the soccer team or the coach? At that age my kids were all about the social aspect more the learning skills. My son does soccer year round, but he also does rec volleyball and rec swimming. His friends play on another club team, but the team he is on is the best place for him. What he and his friends have done is they have formed a rec indoor team and get to play together during the winter. They have a blast, they all play for different club teams, but just like to hang together and play some ball.

Not yet, but by Junior High - yes. 7th or 8th grade sounds about right. I have a simple theory on all of this:

 

10% of kids playing sports are gifted. They can play multiple sports and be good at all of them. Being gifted means they don't have to focus on one sport.

 

10% of kids playing sports are not going to get any better no matter what they do. Focusing on one sport isn't going to matter.

 

80% of kids have some athletic ability and by focusing on one sport they can elevate their game into or near the "gifted" category through hard work and training without being born with the natural gifts.

 

For 80% of kids, it's better to be great at 1 sport, than be above average in 3.

He loves the boys on his soccer team and he is always outside playing something. Here lately he has been spending more time playing basketball than anything. I wouldn't call him gifted but he can pick up any sport like his older sister and be good at whatever he does. He does swim in the summer for fun and plays soccer.He loves to play all kinds of sports where he can compete. The main for reason for my question was mostly to see what other parents do. I won't let him lock into one sport until he gets older because he needs the variety at this age.I've been around for a while so I'm not concerned about grooming him for a scholarship because those are very few in the Northern Kentucky area that actually pay enough to be worth spending your entire college life practicing. I do want him to have a fun and competitive sports life growing up because it teaches life lessons and makes high school fun. Thanks for all the input.

Just wanting some options and thoughts. My son is a club soccer player and a good basketball player and he came up to me and said he wants to play basketball year round and quit soccer. Keep in mind I let him play club sports because he wasn't getting much out of rec ball and he loves competing. I'm not a nut parent that thinks he's going to get a D1 scholarship because he plays AAU or Club ball. As much money as some parents pay for traveling teams today you could almost pay for college by the time it's all said and done. I told him no that he needs to play different sports so he doesn't get burned out at such a young age. I think at 9 yrs old you should change sports with the seasons. When he gets older i can see letting him choose that but for now I say no. What is everyone's opinion on this?

 

Absolutely not. Play them all.

My theory on all of it is simple.

 

Let's say it's a 3 sport kid. And baseball is his "thing". Well, if he doesn't have the skills to bring something to the table in the other two sports (let's say they are basketball and soccer), then he probably isn't worth a dang in baseball, either. The hips, the feet, etc just aren't there.

 

It comes a point and time where you either can or you can't, and no amount of focus or practice is going to change the genetic hand you were dealt.

My theory on all of it is simple.

 

Let's say it's a 3 sport kid. And baseball is his "thing". Well, if he doesn't have the skills to bring something to the table in the other two sports (let's say they are basketball and soccer), then he probably isn't worth a dang in baseball, either. The hips, the feet, etc just aren't there.

 

It comes a point and time where you either can or you can't, and no amount of focus or practice is going to change the genetic hand you were dealt.

 

I get the point that you are making, but I disagree. Not all skills, or lack of skills, translate detimentally or beneficially to other sports. I've know terrible basketball players who were good hitters. They weren't going to steal 1000 bases, but they could hit. Certain athletic traits will prove to be beneficial, and maybe overcompensate for a lack of a skill, but if you have a very specialized skill set, you can overcome that. Now, if you have terrible hand/eye coordination and are not athletic, then, yeah, learn how to coach.