Sports Specialization - The Why, the What, and the Who

Inspired by our book Coaching Better Athletes

Part 1 of 3

Introduction: Why Rush to Specialize?

When parents walk into a training session for their young athlete, one question often arises: “Should my child quit their other sports to focus on one?” It’s a loaded question, driven by the growing trend of sports specialization—focusing on a single sport year-round. But is specializing early the golden ticket to athletic success, or are we missing the bigger picture? In this first post of our three-part series, we’ll unpack what sports specialization means, why it’s gaining traction, and why building a broad athletic foundation matters more than picking one sport too soon.

"...early specialization is not a surefire path to greatness."

What is Sports Specialization?

Sports specialization is when an athlete focuses intensely on one sport, often at the expense of other activities. One study aimed at gathering expert opinions on the topice defines sports specialization as “intentional and focused participation in a single sport for a majority of the year that restricts opportunities for engagement in other sports and activities”. Sounds serious, right? But the reality is messier. Some kids play one sport for six months and chill the rest of the year—are they specialists? Others have a “main” sport but dabble in others. The lines are blurry, and strict definitions don’t always fit.

Research shows that in 2020, over half of kids aged 6–17 played sports, and 27% of them were single-sport athletes. The push to specialize often comes from parents, coaches, or even kids feeling the pressure to “get serious.” But here’s the kicker: both scientific data and anecdotal evidence suggest that early specialization is not a surefire path to greatness.

"...diverse activities, create versatile, resilient athletes."

The Case for a Broad Athletic Foundation

Think of athletic development like building a house. You wouldn’t start with the roof—you need a strong foundation first. For young athletes, that foundation comes from learning a variety of movements: running, jumping, squatting, throwing. These basics, honed through diverse activities, create versatile, resilient athletes. Specializing too early skips this step, limiting an athlete’s movement vocabulary and potentially stunting their growth.

Exposure to different sports isn’t just about physical skills. It’s about fostering creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving—qualities that translate to any sport (or life, for that matter). Yet, parents and coaches often push kids into one sport, intentionally or not, thinking it’s the fast track to success. Spoiler alert: it most likely is not.

Why Do We Specialize?

Several forces drive specialization:

• Clubs and Teams: Many sports demand year-round commitment, leaving little room for breaks or other activities.

• Parents: Some see specialization as the path to scholarships or elite performance. Others just want what’s best for their kid and get caught up in the trend or social pressures around sport specialization.

• Athletes: Kids feel the pressure to keep up in competitive environments or may simply love one sport more.

• Coaches: Some coaches encourage multi-sport participation but penalize kids for missing time, sending mixed messages.

  
  

The allure of specialization makes sense—focus breeds improvement, right? But at what cost? In Part 2, we’ll dive into the pros and cons of specialization to see if it’s worth the hype.