The Effects That Sport Specialization has on Youth Athletes

Abstract

Youth sport specialization is becoming more popular than ever. Many athletes, parents and coaches think that sport specialization is the best way to reach elite level status in a sport. However, athletes, parents and coaches don’t know all of the positive and negative effects of specialization in a sport. Whereas, sport specialization may help you gain skill development, it is also correlated with higher chances of overuse injuries, psychological stress, and burnout. The purpose of this study is to review the literature and investigate the effects of sport specialization on youth athletes. It was determined that specializing in a sport can allow an athlete to attain a higher level of performance. It was also determined that overuse injuries are the biggest disadvantage when specializing in a sport. Finally, it was determined that younger athletes are at more psychological and physical risk than older athletes.