The Single Sport Athlete vs. the Multi Sport Athlete

Pros & Cons

          In this day and age, young people are exposed to the glamour and financial rewards of both amateur and professional athletics through television, the internet, and other social media. However, the stark reality is that a very small percentage of young athletes will make it to the collegiate or professional level, regardless of the sport or activity. The lure of fame and fortune, as well as college scholarships, often leads to concentrating on one particular sport rather than diversifying.

          Many of these young athletes are enrolled in specialty camps or programs that offer intensive development, often with personal coaches or advisors. Unfortunately, the interests of the parents or guardians are placed ahead of those of the child. There is absolutely nothing wrong with honing a child’s skills and abilities in one particular sport at an early age, but young athletes should be exposed to multiple sports or activities. This opportunity to make selections and explore different avenues will help the child discover, develop, and grow as a person. The child’s natural ability, skills, and interests will become evident in whatever sport he or she chooses.

          Children who are encouraged to participate in multiple sports, both team and individual, develop lifelong skills that carry over into any professional endeavor. These qualities include honesty, respect, teamwork, integrity, sportsmanship and a strong wok ethic. Participation in multiple sports helps young children to develop a decision making process that will be fundamental to a successful career, no matter which direction is taken.

          Assuming a child has determined the sport or direction he or she would like to pursue; parents should provide consistent, positive reinforcement regarding that endeavor. Excelling in any sport takes a tremendous amount of time and effort, and often, money. Children with a natural talent will benefit, at an early age, from the coaching and counseling of a seasoned professional or instructor. Young people who have the ability to pursue this type of instruction will often develop much more quickly and become more competitive than their peers.   

          Engaging in sports is a great experience for children in general. Children who involve themselves in multiple sports or activities gain more experience and knowledge that they will take with them for the rest of their lives, whether they do or don’t make it into the world of professional athletics.

Two children are trying out for a team that they’ve wanted to be on for as long as they can remember. Both are on the fence in terms of making it or being cut. They play the same position and are at the same skill level. The coach is having a difficult time deciding which should stay and which should go. He has his whole team picked out; now he just has to decide which of these two is going to make the team. He has been watching both of these kids intently. He’s noticed that Player One knocked a kid down and didn’t help him back up, cursed when the call didn’t go his way, and neglected to high-five any of the other players when he left the field. Player Two, on the other hand, was very enthusiastic on the sidelines, cheering for kids he didn’t even know. When a call didn’t go his way he brushed it off and focused on the next play, and after the drill was over he congratulated all the other players for a job well done. Guess which player the coach chose for his team? Player Two… big surprise. But why were Player Two’s actions so much better?

The coach in our scenario chose Player Two because he was a good sport. Someone in this young athlete’s life taught him the importance of good sportsmanship. But, as can be seen in Player One, not all children are so lucky as to have been taught what good sportsmanship means. Good sportsmanship or poor sportsmanship is not something that a child is born with., like most things, sportsmanship is learned through watching adults (parents and coaches) and other role models. The way that parents and coaches act is going to directly affect how their players act in the future. That means it’s important for everyone to learn more about good sportsmanship and how to help the children in our lives develop it.

I went searching for a solid definition of good sportsmanship. The best one I could find said it is “conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing.” Now I understand what all of that means, but I am pretty darn positive that a 10-year-old will not understand that definition.

So how do we teach good sportsmanship if we don’t use the exact definition? Well, to simplify it, good sportsmanship is when teammates, opponents, and officials treat each other with respect. One good way to understand this principle is by referring back to the Golden Rule: “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.” This is a simple concept, and one that kids can understand and embrace as they learn the basics of  good sportsmanship.

Adults who emphasize good sportsmanship help young athletes take pride in their accomplishments and improving their skills. When children acknowledge and are happy about their improvements, they see themselves as winners. Skyhawks Sports wants all children to get the chance to feel proud of their accomplishments. At our sports camps, we encourage children to focus on their improvements and the improvements of others. That way, everyone gains confidence. When we fail to teach our children good sportsmanship, we’re not doing them any favors. Everyone would rather play with someone who behaves graciously. We believe that every child deserves a chance to be a good sport, to be taught what good sportsmanship means – and to reap the self-respect that comes with behaving courteously.

‘Maybe my kid will be the best… maybe he/she could get a college scholarship or maybe even go pro.’ This thought lingers in the back of many parents and coaches. It is this kind of thinking that leads to the extreme competition in youth sports that we see happening today. If it were up to children they would be playing sports to have fun, but it is this idea of ‘fun’ that gets lost in over-emphasizing winning and competition.

Sports should be a fun and exciting experience for children, one that teaches them about problem solving and communication skills as well as sharing emotions and working together to achieve a common goal. In competitive environments children feel the pressure to win, which has a tendency to lead to poor sportsmanship and some of the most important learning experiences get pushed to the side. In comparison playful environments teach children to promote each others success and to encourage one another.

Children try so hard to be the best to make their parents and coaches happy that they sometimes forget why they started playing in the first place. Dropouts start happening when children can’t remember the joy that they once felt from playing. In a study done by the Journal of Park and Recreation Administration they found that ‘Unpleasant experiences in sports can lead to children dropping out and limiting their physical activity, there by increasing their chances of obesity. In contrast sport experiences that promote sportsmanship and fun help encourage children to adopt physical activity as part of their lifestyle.’ 

The authors of the book Putting Youth Back into Sports gives these helpful tips on ways to promote sportsmanship and fun in youth sports.

·        Place less emphasis on the score. Focus on the mastery of skills instead of the outcome of the game. Youth will feel more successful whether or not they are "officially" the winner of the game.

·        Be sensitive to each member's skills, personalities, and temperaments. Offer activities that promote team efforts and encourage everyone to play a role in helping the team as a whole.

·        Rotate partners in skill building exercises.

·        Change games to be developmentally appropriate for the age group of the team.

·        Give encouragement and positive feedback to every member of the team.

·        Emphasize exploration and experimentation with each of the skills needed for that sport.

·        Help youth to see mistakes as learning tools.

·        Sometimes just "play" for the fun of it, especially at younger ages.

·        Encourage youth to set personal goals to challenge themselves and master skills.

These tips help bring a balance to competition and cooperation. Do you have more ideas on how to bring a balance between the two? Let us know!

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Studies have shown that children shape their attitudes about exercise by looking at their role models such as friends, siblings, and PARENTS! Showing your children that exercise and fitness activities can be fun is a great way to help ensure they will lead a more active lifestyle. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics children should be getting at least one hour of exercise everyday. After a long day of work one of the last things you want to think about after coming home is going to exercise. This is because people typically think of exercising as rigorous activity like running laps or lifting weights. It doesn’t have to be that way!

Doing activities as a family has many benefits for parents and children from the physical exercise to the added bonus of spending quality time together doing fun activities. The key is picking activities that the whole family will have fun doing. America’s Authority on Fitness came out with 10 physical activities for families that were really great!

1. Walking – Take the whole family on a walk around the neighborhood or a local destination. Try walking to the park or your community pool if it’s not too far away instead of driving.
2. Swimming – An effective workout for the entire body, swimming is an appropriate activity for a variety of fitness levels.
3. Bicycling – On the street or on the trails, bicycling is a terrific activity for all ages. Don’t forget that everyone needs to wear a helmet.
4. Canoeing or Kayaking – If you have access to water, canoeing or kayaking can be a blast and a great upper-body workout. Of course, life jackets are a must for all ages.
5. In-line Skating – Shoes on wheels may keep your family moving at the same speed and make getting places a bit more fun. Don’t forget to wear protective gear like wrist guards and helmets to prevent injuries.
6. Beach Games – Build a sandcastle or play in the surf. Running around in the sand all day lets you get in your exercise while you’re having fun.
7. Team Sports – Games such as doubles tennis or two-on-two basketball are great for smaller groups while touch football, softball and volleyball are fun family activities that can accommodate a larger group.
8. Park Games – Toss around a football or Frisbee in a safe and wide-open space or take advantage of the park’s facilities such as playgrounds and obstacle courses.
9. Hiking – Pack a healthy lunch and head out into the great outdoors for a hike. Hiking is a great workout and you also have the opportunity to take advantage of the beauty of nature.
10. Lawn Games – Set up croquet or badminton in your backyard or turn on the sprinklers for an instant water park on a hot summer day.

Hope you and your children have fun with these! If your family does different activities please post below and let us know!