Major league sports are an integral part of North American culture. They provide fuel for fantasies for children of all ages. For example, few Canadians in their youth have not dreamed about scoring the game 7 Stanley Cup winning goal in overtime; others dream of the buzzer beater basket, the grand slam homerun, or the winning kick in penalties. Regardless of the sport, the dream is real for many. They want to grow up to be the hero.
So how do kids get to the big leagues? You might think the obvious: practice. However, practice has its limits. This type of unidirectional thinking leads some parents to register their kids in the same sport year-round from a young age with the intent of their child becoming highly competitive in the one specific sport. While this may seem intuitive, it does not guarantee success and it comes with its own set of disadvantages and challenges.
In speaking with Chantale Lewis, athletic director and high school basketball, soccer, volleyball, and track and field coach, she highlighted some of the reasons that parents may feel that focusing on one sport is the right decision.
First, she explains that parents may not know any other sports and are reticent to put their child into something with which they are unfamiliar. For others, they can get caught in the thought process that the sport is an investment and that if they have already spent money on putting their child into a sport, they should continue to do so to get the most return from their investment. Once part of the community, parents and athletes can sometimes feel as though they need to keep up with teammates or other families in the league who might be progressing faster, which sometimes prompts decisions to do off-season camps, professional clinics, and increased time playing the sport. Despite the best of intentions, deciding to let children pursue only one sport can be detrimental to the development of the child as a person and as an athlete.
When children play only one sport, they often attach their identity to their sport of choice. They might tell people that they are a soccer player or a basketball player, and maybe not consider themselves to be an athlete first and foremost. This is not inherently bad, but can become so if something takes them away from the sport, such as time, finances, or injury. When children play one sport repeatedly they can increase their likelihood of injury because the body never gets adequate rest as they are continuously using the same muscles and movements over and over. Some common examples of injuries that are associated with sports for this reason are tennis elbow, knee injuries for hockey players, hip injuries for hockey goalies, and shin splints for basketball players, among others.
In addition to the physical cost, there is also a mental and strategic cost. Lewis explains that exposure to different sports can help to maintain love for competition and training, but can also lead to innovation and creativity in terms of strategy. In some instances, participation in different sports can be complementary to each other, such as developing hand-eye coordination in tennis to improve tip-ins in hockey, or to participate in track and field to become a faster striker on the soccer pitch.
Bridging theory and experience from one sport to another has proven to be successful on a professional scale as well. For example, the Montreal Expos baseball team of the early 1970s under the leadership of Mel Didier Sr, integrated football drills to condition their players to become faster and more effective at stealing bases. He also used blocking dummies to teach the great Gary Carter to protect home plate. This type of creativity has benefitted many players who have excelled at more than one sport.
Look to the “Superstars” for Guidance
Clara Hughes, an Olympic medalist in speed skating and cycling,is perhaps the best example of an athlete who excels at more than one sport. What’s probably most surprising is that she began speed skating when she was 16 years old and cycling when she was 17. Similar to Clara, in addition to starting late, some professional athletes have excelled at more than one sport simultaneously. For example, Gerry James played stay at home defence for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the winter and then stepped in as Quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during the summer. Granted, this was a time before intense pro-contracts, but he managed to excel in two pro sports. The NHL showcases many examples, including Wayne Gretzky, John Tavares, Brendan Shanahan, Joe Sakic, and Adam Oates, who are some of the many professional hockey players who excelled at lacrosse before entering the National Hockey League.
You may or may not be familiar with Luc Brodeur-Jourdain. He has been a staple on the Montreal Alouettes offensive line since being drafted last overall in the 2008 Canadian Football League draft. Only July 4th, 2019, he played his last game with the squad. During his time in the CFL he protected Anthony Calvillo as they won back to back Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010 and made the CFL all-star team in 2012 and 2014. What makes Luc’s journey even more incredible is that he only ever stepped onto a field when he was 18 years old. He never played football as a child. Similarly, Pascal Siakem went on an impressive championship run with the Toronto Raptors this past spring and was then awarded the Most Improved Player Award in the NBA. He only started playing basketball eight years ago.
Take-Home:
What do all these examples tell us? It’s normal for kids to have a favourite sport and it’s expected that parents want them to experience success. However, too much of something is never a good thing. In their development it is not only recommended, but also advantageous, to allow children to participate in different sports throughout the year instead of exclusively focusing on one for 12 months. Keep them active. Encourage them to love being healthy, having fun, and experiencing different activities so that they can broaden their minds and take good care of their bodies.
Healthy Learning MTL 