1. Raise a kid who is an all around athlete not a single sport professional. That benefits only coaches trying to further their careers. Change sports every season for all around physical skill, and to allow growing bodies to avoid overuse syndromes and catastrophic injury as teens.
1. Raise a kid who is an all around athlete not a single sport professional. That benefits only coaches trying to further their careers. Change sports every season for all around physical skill, and to allow growing bodies to avoid overuse syndromes and catastrophic injury as teens.
2. A wise orthopedic surgeon said "No one should do a single sport year-round until they are skeletally mature." When they are physically mature they can choose. Even so, watch out for overuse injuries and physical imbalances.
3. Think VERY carefully about contact sports. You only get one meniscus, and you only get one brain.
4. Consider letting your talented kid know early that no matter how far they go, they should plan for what comes when they give up their sport, and they need to be a complete person without it.
Advice from an MD with experience in this area
1. Raise a kid who is an all around athlete not a single sport professional. That benefits only coaches trying to further their careers. Change sports every season for all around physical skill, and to allow growing bodies to avoid overuse syndromes and catastrophic injury as teens.
2. A wise orthopedic surgeon said "No one should do a single sport year-round until they are skeletally mature." When they are physically mature they can choose. Even so, watch out for overuse injuries and physical imbalances.
3. Think VERY carefully about contact sports. You only get one meniscus, and you only get one brain.
4. Consider letting your talented kid know early that no matter how far they go, they should plan for what comes when they give up their sport, and they need to be a complete person without it.