August 2021 Monterey Bay Parent Magazine

Should we specialize in a single sport?
Most medical advice encourages parents to delay sports
specialization for as long as possible. The risk of overuse
injuries, not to mention burnout and performance pressure,
outweighs any advantages a young person might have
in focusing all their effort on one sport. In fact, versatile,
multi-sport athletes tend to be viewed advantageously by
recruiters.
Are there guidelines for how much a child should practice and play?
NAYS (nays.org ) makes the following recommendations:
• Ages 6 and younger: Limit practice and games to a
maximum of one hour per day, twice weekly.
• Ages 7 to 10: Limit time to one hour per day, three times
weekly.
• Ages 11 and older: Limited to 1.5 hours per day, three
times weekly.
Why do kids quit sports?
NAYS has studied this since the 1980s. The top reason kids
quit a sport is because it’s just not fun anymore. What makes
a sport no longer fun? Time and parent pressures, Engh
says, as well as greater self-awareness. The kid who thought
baseball was fun may see top kids on the team excelling and
become aware that they are not as good a player.
What’s a parent to do? You can try taking a break or
playing at a less competitive level, but ultimately, Engh says,
“there comes a time when you just have to let it go.”
We have a star athlete. What’s the likelihood of an athletic
scholarship?
The odds are slim – about 2 in 100 athletes – and most
aren’t a free ride. Check out ScholarshipStats.com for
current information on playing college sports and athletic
scholarships based on individual sports, from baseball to
water polo.
Engh advises parents to wait until high school before
deciding their child is surely destined for the pros. It’s
premature to base a child’s talent on play before then
(although he admits that recruiters for certain sports
consider those early successes). “Keep a clear head and
evaluate where they’re at in high school, when age gaps
tend to level out,” he says.
Should we invest in an agent?
That depends on the sport, head coach Dave says. It’s alright
if you don’t want to join a club league, yet it may require
you to be a bit more proactive in reaching out to colleges.
Finding someone who knows the college recruiting process
can be advantageous.
Engh agrees. “If your child is older than 15 and they’re
getting letters from colleges,” he says, “an agent is probably
not a bad idea.”
What’s always a big advantage in a recruiter’s eyes?
Supportive families, Dave says. “I do think it makes or breaks
how you coach, how you play,” she says. “I always want my
players to play for themselves first, but I also tell them they
need to play for those who are supporting them.”
Lissa Carlson, a writer of parenting topics for more than
20 years, sees the great benefits of sport participation and
admires families who commit to it.
65 Bay Area locations.
66 if we count your couch.
In-person or virtual visits at
Pediatric Group of Monterey
Pediatric Group of Monterey
1900 Garden Road, Suite 110
Monterey, CA 93940
Tel (831) 372-5841
Fax (831) 372-4820
pedsgroup.stanfordchildrens.org
MONTEREY BAY PARENT • august 2021 montereybayparent.com 23