Are Youth Sports Too Intense?

Whether shooting hoops or hockey pucks, scoring touchdowns or soccer goals, some 60 million U.S. kids and teens participate in organized sports each year. Most play in community athletic programs or on school teams. But some play on elite travel teams too.

Many young athletes devote their nonschool hours to training and competing. And in a growing trend noted by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, kids—some as young as 7—are specializing in a single sport year-round. 

Sports participation is good for kids’ health, supporters say. It leads to better physical fitness and can improve mental focus. For some teens, devoting effort to a sport at a young age can pay off big later, by way of college scholarships or the chance to go pro someday.

But other people worry that the demands of some youth teams and leagues go too far. They say that perfecting a narrow set of skills at such a young age has major drawbacks, including too much pressure from parents and coaches to excel, and injuries from repetitive muscle strain. That can make young athletes sour on sports before they even get to high school. Plus, some experts argue, only a tiny fraction of kids and teens have a real shot at becoming professional athletes.

Consider some pros and cons, then decide for yourself: Have youth sports become too demanding?

It sure started to feel that way for Syd Cohen, 15. The Fair Lawn, New Jersey, ninth-grader recently quit competitive swimming after six years in the sport. “I’d come home from school, try to get some homework done, nap for an hour,” Syd says. “Then I’d wake up, get into my swim gear and be at practice for the next two hours, getting home at 10.”

Like many teens involved in an organized sport, Syd trained at least two hours a day, five or six days a week, year-round. That left little time or energy to get homework done, hang out with friends, or try other activities. “The pressure to compete, to be faster, to be stronger than the other kids—it gets pretty intense after a while,” Syd says. “It was very draining. I wish I’d known sooner that it’s OK to quit.”

On top of the time crunch and mental stress, Syd developed severe leg pain. Injuries from sports aren’t unusual. Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, reports that sports-related injuries are one of the leading causes of emergency room visits by kids and teens—about 3 million a year.

Most athletic programs aren’t overwhelming, youth sport supporters argue. In fact, they say, millions of kids and teens enjoy playing sports—and thrive because of it. Some young athletes love playing so much that they seek out intensive training. 

According to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, engaging in youth sports has many benefits, including regular physical activity. Young athletes experience higher self-esteem and confidence. They’re also eight times more likely than nonathletic youth to be physically active later in life.

Jaxon Griffin, 13, has been on a year-round competitive swim team in Bradenton, Florida, since he was 7. He trains six days a week, about 11 hours in all, and has swim meets one or two weekends a month. That’s a lot, he admits, but he still enjoys it. After all, Jaxon says, he gets to learn teamwork, stay fit, and practice new skills outside of his comfort zone while having fun. The best part, he adds, “is that you can develop friendships with your teammates and work hard on goals together.”