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Coaching Youth Soccer
With
Koach Karl Dewazien
United States Soccer Federation 'A' Licensed Coach
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Youth Soccer Myth #1:
"Specializing is Good"
By John Murphy
CYSA Chairman
Myth:
1. Defined: A "myth" is a popular belief that has grown up around something, or something that has an unverifiable existence.
a. There are myths in almost every area of human relationships
1. George Washington ever chop down a Cherry tree?
2. The problem with myths is that:
a. They can become strongly held emotionally based beliefs
b. They often are only partially true with a kernel of truth being extrapolated to extreme ends or conclusions.
1. Often involve false syllogisms
a. Apes have two legs; men have two legs; therefore, all men are apes.
3. Discussing myths can be dangerous
a. Can challenge emotional beliefs and really upset people
1. "There is nothing more horrible than the murder of a beautiful theory by a brutal gang of facts."
a. Facts are more difficult to address and can be unpleasant
4. Why discuss myths?
a. No matter how disagreeable, ultimately reality will prevail
b. Obligation to try to give people information for making informed decisions.
5. Will look at two myths that have arisen in connection with youth soccer
a. Children should specialize in one sport at an early age
b. Scholarships are plentiful (next issue)
Children Should Specialize Early in One Sport and have intensive training
1. That children should specialize early in one sport is heard repeatedly in youth soccer
a. Thought appears to be that unless child starts very early, they will not be able to compete when older against their peers
1. Sounds logical – longer do something the better will be at it seems to make sense
2. Plays on fear of being "left behind"
b. How accurate an idea for young children, that is, before the age of puberty (approximately age 13)? Some indications may not be accurate:
1. American Academy of Pediatrics, Intensive Training and Sport Specialization in Youth Athletes
a. "Children are encouraged to participate in sports at a level consistent with their abilities and interests. Pushing children beyond these limits is discouraged as is specialization in a single sport before adolescence."
b. "Research supports the recommendation that child athletes avoid early sports specialization. Those who participate in a variety of sports and specialize only after reaching the age of puberty tend to be more consistent performers, have fewer injuries, and adhere to sports play longer than those who specialize early."
2. Center for Sports Parenting, Top Ten Sports Parenting Myths
a. The myth: "The sooner your child specializes in just one sport, the better chance they have of advancing to a higher level (e.g. college, professional ranks)." The response: "Most of today’s top professional athletes didn’t even think to specialize in just one sport until they were in high school, around the age of 15. When they were younger, they played a variety of sports, depending on the season. Some coaches pressure kids to play just one sport. As a parent, you should be wary of this! In addition to burnout worries, ask yourself, ‘how does your child know which sport will be his/her best one, unless they try a bunch of different sports?’ When they are young, let them try a bunch of sports."
3. Hedstrom & Gould, Research in Youth Sports: Critical Issues Status, Youth Sports: Talent Development and Sports Specialization (2004):
a. Studies of highly successful athletes, including world class performers suggest three phases:
1. "Romance Phase" or sampling years" ages 6-13
2. "Precision Phase" or "specializing years" ages 13-15
3. "Integration Phase" or "investment years" ages 15 and older
b. Romance phase child participated for fun in multiple sports
c. Precison phase focus is on limited number of sports
d. Integration phase focus on deliberate practice in an effort to pursue performance excellence
e. Phases cover 15 to 20 year time period and person went through each phase in sequence without skipping any.
c. Citizenship Through Sports Alliance, 2005 Youth Sports National Report Card (copy attached):
1. Child centered philosophy grade "D"
a. Not putting goals of children first (#1)
b. Not understanding dangers of early sports specialization (#3)
d. Does specialization when very young work? Very much open to question:
1. Questionable value as a predictor of future
a. "Other concerns voiced in response to specialization include the fact that athletic performance at one age in childhood does not accurately predict performance at a later age. Thus, one might not specialize in the sport they have the ultimate potential, seeing that 98% of athletes who specialize will never reach the highest levels of the sport." (Hedstrom & Gould, supra.)
b. "There is very little predictive value when it comes to saying an 8 year-old will grow to be a superior athlete when they’re 18. There are too many factors . . . ." (Center for Sports Parenting, supra.)
c. Studies of practice in former Soviet Union where early identification and specialization was practiced "showed early sport specialization did not lead to the performance advantages people thought, and in fact, there was an advantage to early sport diversification."
e. Some not insignificant other considerations:
1. Over use injuries
a. New York Times, February 23, 2005, Old Before their time: Overuse injuries afflict the young. Reports huge increase in overuse injuries from youth sports. "In interviews with more than two dozen sports medicine doctors and researchers, one factor was repeatedly cited as the prime cause for the outbreak in overuse injuries among young athletes: specialization in one sport at an early age and the year-round, almost manic training for it that often follows.
b. Incident where parent verbally threatened CYSA with litigation because daughter just had to play in game to be seen by college coaches because she had already had 3 ACL operations and not sure if her knee can last much longer!
2. Burnout
a. 75% quit at or before age 13
b. Between 1990 and 2002 number of youth age 6 to 17 in United States increased by more than 7 million, number of soccer players during same period decreased by approximately 1 million (U.S. News & World Report, June 7, 2004, p. 48.)
c. Number of variables affect dropout of youth sports, but one of the big ones is children simply tired of too much of the sport for too long that is no longer fun
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