For Coaches and Parents...
Burnout In Youth Sports
By Marty Schupak
Reprinted from
Youth Sports Tips By Marty Schupak
Burnout in youth sports is a threat to the physical and mental stamina
of young athletes. As competitive youth athletics engages younger participants
each year, the threat of, both, physical and mental burnout in young
players grows more imminent.
Over involvement in competitive leagues
has long-term consequences for kids, if after the first 12 years of
their lives they abandon organized sports or, perhaps, physical activity
completely.
This alarming situation is compounded by the growing competition
between youth sports and modern technology, which is driving youngsters
to become sedentary, often in the form of sitting in front of a computer
for hours at a time.
Unfortunately, once young victims of burnout quit
sports, they rarely return. This startling predicament of modern youth
sports can be attributed to the actions of parents and coaches.
Parents who enroll their children in too many sports or multiple leagues
for one sport end up constructing a trap that will inevitably catch
up with their kid. These children are often bound by impractical time
constraints, almost literally living out of their family vehicles in
order to accommodate their hectic schedules.
Parents must find a reasonable
balance for their children and help budget their time.
Youth coaches
can also share the blame for the dilemma. Coaches who allow their practices
to become drudgery can get feelings of resentment from their players.
Conducting
short, stimulating, fun practices that convey skills in the
form of spirited activity can turn practices into a positive experience
for young players. If players leave practice, unmotivated to show up
at the next one, something is amiss.
While burnouts result from participation in too many sports, as well
as enrollment in too many leagues for a single sport, the latter scenario
may pose greater danger for the player.
Having a child play in numerous
leagues in order to specialize their talents often leads to physical
harm.
Using the same muscles over and over again without varied activity
can introduce problems with the child's growth platelets. This kind
of damage can persist into long term health issues.
Consider a twelve year old youth baseball player who is involved in
two leagues and is a pitcher.
Suppose the pitch count slips away from
an attentive coach or parent, or the coach sneaks in a few extra innings
for a game that "the team needs."
If this realistic scenario
repeats itself enough, the perfect formula is created for serious arm
injury. It is not difficult for parents to overlook this outcome when
they are blinded by their personal motivations.
Perhaps the parent is
looking to vicariously relive their childhood.
Hopes of a college scholarship
seven years down the road could also drive a parent down this dangerous
path.
So what is the correct formula? Unfortunately, there is no single answer
to this question.
All kids are different and some are more physically
resilient than others.
Parents need to prioritize their children's physical
and mental well-being over their own emotional and monetary incentives.
A lifestyle that emphasizes a
balance between school, extracurriculars,
and free time, is probably the best thing for all kids in the long run.
And if you, as Parents, or your kids, who participate in youth sports
leagues always seem tired, maybe this is an indicator to slow down.
Remember, kids also need some free time away from organized sports to
be creative in their backyards or the schoolyard. The burnout factor
is something parents and communities need to pay attention to.
Competition
is great, but the overindulgence might be doing more harm than good.
It's FREE!
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Straighten your arms, and then straighten your legs, with your weight on your toes.
