Essay On Sport Specialization

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Sport specialization, means to practice and train for only one sport. Some people feel it is better to specialize rather than play multiple sports. There are good and bad that come from being a single sport athlete, but there are good and bad for being a multiple sport athlete. There are positive effects for playing multiple sports. Some people feel that being a single sport athlete is better, but they both have pros and cons. Coaches like it when kids are playing multiple sports, “... college coaches want to know how an athlete move, how an athlete thinks, how good of a teammate the athlete is, how the athlete competes. All of these can be easier to witness when an athlete is playing a sport that comes less naturally to them.” (Rerick 2). …show more content…

There are many things to look at on both sides all good and bad effects. “Nowadays, there is a trend for early specialization in a single sport or even a single position. We see year-round participation in baseball, soccer, basketball, and hockey. Athletes like Michael Phelps and Mia Hamm both began competitive careers well before puberty.” (UVM Medical Center 1). “Supporters of specialization in a single sport state the early participation in that sport will increase skills and help one develop in his or her sport better than other athletes participating in multiple sports.” (UVM Medical Center 1). People feel they will do better in their sport if they play only one . Also they feel will be able to make it farther that athletes playing multiple sports. For being good and making a team specialization in one sport may be a good …show more content…

There are many consequences to playing and training to be the best in one sport. The main risks for kids who specialize in a sport is that they may go through burnout. They do the same sport over and over, and then they have the adults in their life putting pressure on them causing them to burnout. Kids get to the point when they feel helpless and not being able to meet the expectations for the adults , causing them to burnout in their sport. (Rerick 1). Athletes that specialize in one sport are at risk for injuries, these injuries usually happen at growth plates, ligaments, as well as joints. Depending on the sport you play you injuries will be in the shoulder, elbow, knee, or ankle. Today more and more people that specialize in one sport have injuries due to overuse. (UVM Medical Center 1). For children who have been specializing in a sport since they were very young, they may get to the point where playing at practicing and in a game is not fun anymore. With the combination of boredom, pressure to be good, and stress may cause them to drop out of the sport they used to loved. (Hess 2-3). When one sport is not fun or there is too much stress involved it could cause them to give it up. Pressure gets to kids and can make the sport they love become the sport they don't like anymore.
In conclusion, athletes playing only one sport or multiple sports can result in good and bad effects. You have

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