Youth Sports : A Trend That Has Touched Every Household

Youth sports are being questioned by the public as being too intense. One of the reasons for this is that sport specialization is up to a record high 25 percent(Sirs). This means that one in every four people are only playing one sport which can lead to injuries and psychological issues. Another issue is injuries in youth sports. Most specifically football is being researched intensely for head injuries that can hurt the children for the rest of their lives. Even though some believe that youth sport programs should be less intense they still believe that all sports are helping the youth grow up to be leaders for the next generation. Although many believe youth sports programs

With around 45 million kids enrolled in some type of organized sport, it’s clear that youth sport is a massive part of American culture. Most people remember playing a rudimentary form of soccer or basketball during elementary school, when rules weren’t too important, and having fun was the only goal. While nearly everyone can recall playing some kind of organized sport during their childhood, a very small percentage of people stick with sport beyond middle school, and even fewer go on to play after high school. The amount of children who quit organized sport during adolescence has raised questions about the psychological risks of youth sport. Youth sports in and of themselves are not an inherent problem; however, issues do arise when children are asked to take on too much at too young of an age. While there are risks associated with youth sport, organized sports also provide

In the US alone, we carry roughly around 45 million children and adolescent that participate in an organized youth sport. These organized programs run from companies such as YMCA, ACES, AYSO and other ethnic organizations like SEYO and JETTS. According to an article written by Donna L Merkel, she informs us that about 75 percent of American families within the age of four to nine, have at least participated in an organized sport. In most cases, it is said that these children are becoming more happy and living in a much more healthy lifestyle when they go to these events. Although, statistics have show that these kids are being injured drastically over the years. Researchers have shown that there have been over 2.6 million emergency visits each year for those that have been aged between 5-24. That being a problem, parents have been second guessing themselves whether they should put their children 's back into these programs. We all know that it is tough to come back from an injury, but that 's the thing that only makes us stronger to learn from our mistakes. Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Michael Jordan once said that "If you wish to achieve, there will be roadblocks. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."

Youth sports are continuing to be shifted into adult standards, by promoting victory while risking injury. Kids do not have the same physical capabilities of professional athletes on television, yet some parents insist that their kids continue playing extremely harmful sports at a violent level of play. Young athletes should not put constant strain on developing bones and muscles. For example, in baseball, a twelve-year-old trying to throw a curveball puts constant strain on the elbow’s ligaments, and may cause

Competitive sports in some cases are becoming very unhealthy for children. Most children would rather play on a losing team than sit on the bench of a winning team. Youth sports are a great idea to get children up and active, as well as improve their social skills. Just like every other thing in life it is important to practice and work hard to achieve success. However it is unhealthy to push for results over the needs or wants of the child. Aside from the mental stress that young athletes may experience from intense training and physical play long lasting injures is now a growing concern. Fact is competitive sports is a double edge sword if done right it is the greatest thing world, but if done wrong it can be very unhealthy for a child.

Children are the future. When they are harmed, the future becomes less and less healthy. Injuries from sports are especially risky for children, because they’re not finished developing and are susceptible to brain damage that could stop their brains from growing. Mental harm, at times, can be more dangerous than physical injuries. For example, low self-esteem can lead to serious psychological impairments and conditions like depression. While it may be true that physical fitness is important, there are still options and activities that cause a lot less harm and fewer risks are necessary. Parents and coaches both should work harder to keep children safe and out of harm’s way while in sports. Parents should get their children check up on at the doctor’s when something seems wrong, and act accordingly. Coaches should have breaks for rest and to prevent strain between practices and put the players’ health and safety as a top priority, above

Being a professional athlete is one of the most commonly heard dreams of a young boy or girl who currently elementary school. Whether it is realistic or not, these kids will be participating in the sport that they wish to thrive in. But, time after time we hear adults complain about their child’s insane soccer schedule, or how they have to spend their whole weekend traveling for games. The parents complaints shouldn’t be the topic of discussion, in fact the only opinions that matter are the children. The question shouldn’t be asking whether or not youth sports are too intense, it should be asking if it is worth it. If a child loves what they’re doing then they have every reason to continue playing their sport, but if they are not all in, he or she has to question whether or not all the craziness is worth it.

Each year in the United States, more than 36 million school-aged children participate in an “organized sport” (“Youth Sports Statistics”). Especially over the past few years, many studies have proved or disproved the idea that sports are beneficial for young kids. Those studies have found that youth sports have both positive and negative effects on young children, and research shows parents and coaches have the greatest effect on a child’s experience.

However, the days of simply playing ball with your friends are over. It is a different world for young athletes. Sports at a young age should be fun and a great source of physical activity. Yet, many children are specializing in one sport early- playing year-round, joining competitive clubs, or travel teams and participating in special training programs- believing they’ll put themselves on the fast

When most kids play for typical leagues whether they are fun leagues or competitive leagues injuries can happen. The injury rate is slightly higher then children with sedentary lifestyles. Studies have shown that children that are not exposed to sports are less likely to play them later in their adolescence. This country has a growing epidemic of overweight youth. Children subconsciously about fitness in a fun manner. Active kids typically remain active throughout their life

Players are more focused on competition rather than having fun, learning and being with friends, which has created a desire for winning. Especially, while players capability and worth are based on their ability to stand up to their coaches and parents high expectations and win the gold; they tend to take actions in a reckless demeanor, entailed by physical injuries. Sports which require contact are the most common. However, injuries that come with them can be severe for growing bodies of children under the age of twelve as their body has not developed fully. In addition to physical injuries, sports activates can also result in psychological upheaval. The fear of being hurt distracts children from playing to their full potential. This is a fact to which I can relate closely. As an eight-year-old boy, I was very much into soccer, but one fateful day, harsh gameplay lead to me breaking my ankle after which the fear of being hurt again kept me from playing soccer for a few years and even today I hold myself back so that I don’t get hurt

In the past 30 years, the direction of sports within the youth has drastically changed. In the past, young athletes aimed to play in several sports. Now, athletes focus themselves in one single sport and year-round extensive training has been encouraged by most adults in a young athlete’s life whether they are a parent or a coach. Allowing the youth to participate in sports is frequently considered “a great way to develop leadership skills” and “an appreciation for individual and team accomplishments” (Sailor). Along with the rise of Sport Specialization, concerns pertaining to a child’s physical and psychological health have begun to increase as well. Early Sport Specialization may lead to greater risks in a child’s life such as injuries,

Margaret Hodges, author of More young athletes are getting major-league injuries, talks about how teens involved in sports are likely to get injuries. The author uses two high school students as examples. Kathryn W., a high school hurdler, won the state championship for the 300 meter hurdles while she had a torn tendon in her hip and Jeffrey S., a high school pitcher, fractured his elbow while pitching. Both teens developed overuse injuries- injuries caused by stress due to repeated motions. Because of hopes for scholarships, teens focus on one sport causing them to replicate the same movements over and over again increasing overuse injuries. These injuries can get worse leading to surgery, although rest can prevent it. Finally, because of

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that more than 2 million children are treated each year for sports- and recreation-related injuries. Sports participation provides many benefits for younger athletes, but unfortunately, injuries do occur. This means doctors have to treat these injuries differently than they do for adults.

Youth sports are an incredibly healthy way for kids to grow and release energy. Children in preschool can begin to take part in sports like dance and soccer, and as they grow older, the lists of sports gets longer. However, there are negatives of sports that are often not talked about by parents, coaches, schools, or the media. As a result, stigmatization occurs, leaving children struggling with sports to suffer alone. With youth sports, elevated levels of stress occur, and as a consequence, mental health can decline. Youth sports can have an adverse psychological effect on young athletes and it is an effect that can be damaging for children for their entire lives.