Design Thinking Paradigm: The ‘age’ of Sport Specialization

        The article “Where the elite kids shouldn’t meet” is not a scholarly piece of writing, however it provides numerous thought-provoking ideas that I have been researching for my final paper. This article happened to be the first one I read when initially investigating my topic of ‘sport specialization’ and acted as a springboard for my inquiry on the related issues.  The author’s ability to engage the reader will hopefully open the eyes of parents, bring their questions and concerns to the forefront, and initiate a dialogue for a change in the philosophies of youth sport.

        With a sarcastic grace the author attacks the commercialism of youth sport and questions the extent to which society is forcing elitism into the games and sports our children love. Essentially we have lost the notion of “play” and traded that in for “deliberate practice” where children are guided or directed at every level. The physical and emotional well being of the child is being ignored at the expense of the parent’s bank account and their own personal ego’s. As a parent of a five-year-old, I have already experienced the pressure to focus on certain athletic opportunities for my son, and it goes without saying, that there is a financial cost and significant time commitment. The author does a tremendous job at making a connection with the reader. We all want the best for our child, so wouldn’t it be great if they were able to become a professional athlete, or receive a athletic scholarship to pay for their education, or even get recognition in a local newspaper. Although the author makes no specific call for action, it is quite apparent that there is a need for change.

       The problem lies at the foundation of youth sport. Every organization, whether it is hockey or soccer or baseball, is being structured to promote and develop the talents of children. No longer is teamwork, a focus on fun, and encouraging maximum participation the basis for involvement in youth sport. Local sport organizations are being run like businesses and are competing with one another to attract the best athletes and provide them the prospect at playing that sport 12 months of the year.  My belief is that most sport organizations are being run on this model, there are a few who have begun shifting the focus, however the overuse and burnout of children under the age of 12 is becoming more prevalent according to the literature that I have been reviewing. Generally colleagues and friends do not see the negative impact youth sport is having on our children to the degree that I do. In conversation last week a discussion with colleagues resulted in the suggestion to conceive children so that they could be born earlier in the calendar year (January to March) because according to statistics they are more likely to exceed in sport.

       Due to the nature of the article being written for mass media consumption and not published for a scholarly journal, it lacks the necessary recommendations for change. The author’s qualifications may be no more than mine, however he has done a brilliant job of providing some first hand evidence that supports the many issues in youth sport.  Potential ideas that may present possible solutions include:

•       National Sport Organizations establishing guidelines to prevent the ‘elite’ or ‘select’ teams from occurring prior to the age of 12 or 13.

•      Educating parents on the affects that hypercompetitive sports has on their children physically, emotionally, socially.

•       Promote the Long Term Athlete Development model for all sports.

•        Shift the focus of youth sports to encourage play, participation, teamwork and structure seasons for all sports to allow for greater diversification of sport enrollment.

        I look forward to investigating the potential solutions to the ‘sport specialization’ model over the course of the HEAL program and how it can be incorporated to all games and sports at all levels of play. The research is becoming more one-sided and the negative affects are outweighing the positive experiences had by children in youth sport. Parents need to actively change their behaviors and question their motivation behind signing up their child for sport. Although the blame can be placed on coaches and sport organizations, the ownership of change has to reside with the parents of these children.