By Maxine Roeper Cohen, M.S.
A number of decades ago, Little League baseball was the pre-eminent organized sport for youngsters. Girls were ineligible and teams were formed for a season. Sports were played predominately on neighborhood streets where children spontaneously formed kickball, basketball, football, and softball games, depending on the season. Whoever was available that particular morning, afternoon, after school, or on the weekend joined in. Boys and girls, no matter what their ability, had the opportunity to play, have fun, and enjoy the pure joy of athletics in an informal manner. Injuries consisted of bruises, scrapes cuts, and the occasional broken bone. The game ended, many times, when the ball rolled down the sewer!
Fast forward to today’s rapid paced, competitive, intense world. Even for pre-teens, sports participation demands much more. This causes many youngsters to specialize, many times, in one sport at a young age. There are pee wee football teams and soccer teams that invite children to join at age three. Young bodies are still growing and bones are in the process of lengthening and hardening. Concentrating on one sport puts constant stress on certain joints. If the sport is played most of the year, these joints are never allowed to rest. For many young athletes, there is no off-season.
According to sports medicine pediatrician, Dr. Teri McCambridge, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, too much play even within a single season increases the risk of injury. “Some kids are going from a school team lacrosse practice to their club team practice for another two hours. There’s no way they’re going to be able to handle that.” Tournaments are also troublesome because “playing five or six games in one day is going to injure your child eventually.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently stated that children playing organized sports more hours a week than their age are more likely to have injuries. For instance, ten year olds who play basketball more than ten hours a week risk hurting their bodies.
We all want our children to lead healthy, active lives. Eating nutritiously, sleeping enough hours each night, and having sufficient physical exercise are all important. Moderation and common sense are principles that parents can utilize in guiding their children’s participation in sports. Let your children’s interests lead the way. Try not to push them, and listen when they tell you that they are not interested any more. Know their limits. Play sports together as a family. Avoid “burn-out” by maintaining reasonable limits. This might keep children involved in sports as they grow older and decrease their chances of injury due to over-play.
Reference: Johns Hopkins Health Review-Fall, 2014-“Time Out for Young Athletes”
Maxine Roeper Cohen is a Parent Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at mc333@cornell.edu.