By Dr. Brian Hainline
Sixty million children in America participate in organized sports annually. More than 26% of those kids “specialize” before puberty, meaning they engage in intense, year-round training in a single sport.
Specializing in a sport too soon can harm kids’ overall development, well-being, and love of the game – whichever game that may be.
As someone who was a Division I collegiate athlete, I recognize why coaches and parents believe early sports specialization fuels success. Excelling in any activity takes years of practice. But this belief is misguided, and the consequences to the developing child are often tragic.
Children who concentrate on a single sport before age 12 are 70% to 93% more likely to suffer from an injury than their multi-sport peers. Early specialization places intense pressure on developing pre-adolescent bodies. It can overtax specific muscles, ligaments, and joints that are not physiologically ready for such behavior, leading to serious long-term injuries. Half of injuries in youth sports result from overuse, primarily caused by repetitive movements in a singular sport.
Importantly, early specialization does not predict long-term excellence. The foundation of long-term sport excellence is athleticism: agility, balance, coordination, speed, stamina, strength. Playing multiple sports nurtures athleticism. A singular focus on one sport before puberty develops the player — not the athlete.
Twenty-two-year-old Claire Carson, a national champion in rowing, recently warned of the risks from early specialization. She described how years of overtraining left her “stuck with a broken back” — and in need of disc replacement surgery — 4 years after graduating high school. As a sports medicine physician, I have treated innumerable athletes like Claire. The injuries, the disappointment, the disconnect from sport and family are haunting stories that need not be.
Burnout is another concern. Athletes who focus on a single sport too soon are more likely to experience emotional and physical exhaustion and a diminished sense of enjoyment.
Perhaps the saddest part of early specialization is that it isn’t necessary. I was a multi-sport athlete. Playing multiple sports didn’t diminish my ability to succeed on the court. I’m hardly an outlier — about 90% of NCAA athletes participated in multiple sports growing up.
As president of the U.S. Tennis Association, I love tennis. No two shots are the same, which allows developing brains to improve executive function, and which provides a pathway for young athletes to adapt, control their emotions, and bounce back resiliently for every serve.
Even though tennis is the healthiest sport on the planet, I would never advise any child to only play tennis. Trying multiple sports helps kids build a variety of skills, develop athletically, and grow physically strong.
To foster a lasting love for sports, it’s crucial that the pathway to sport is based on a low-stakes, fun, and educational environment where children can thrive.
Rather than training kids to be professional athletes in grade school, we should encourage them to play multiple sports, learn from each of them — and most important — have fun. That’s the most effective way to develop not only a fine athlete, but also a well-rounded human being.
Brian Hainline, MD is Chair of the Board and President of the United States Tennis Association and recently transitioned from the NCAA as their Chief Medical Officer. He co-chaired the International Olympic Committee Consensus Meetings on both Pain Management in Elite Athletes and Mental Health in Elite Athletes. Brian is a Clinical Professor of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
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