Are the goals for high achievement and success too much for young athletes? As youth sports become exponentially more specialized, they bring opportunities such as spots at top universities and sponsorships.
However, the high standards that youth athletes are held to can also place too much pressure on them, affecting their mental health and ruining the game that they once loved.
Does early specialization provide more motivation for athletes? Or does it take away the fun and turn sports into a chore?
“Ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness,” wrote author Malcolm Gladwell. Athletes who start at a young age with the correct coaching will reach 10,000 hours very quickly. Some parents force their children to play sports at extremely young ages, in hopes that they will become experts at their crafts.
Nevertheless, this strategy does not always work out, as true expertise cannot be driven by the parents only. An athlete can have 20,000 hours of expert coaching, yet never become elite, due to their mindset holding them back.
Simone Biles, an American gymnast decorated with seven Olympic gold medals, is an example of an athlete at the elite level who experienced mental health difficulties.
Biles presented a strong aptitude for the sport from an early age, which prompted coaches to write a note to her parents encouraging her to pursue gymnastics. Biles quickly grew to love the sport and secured her first gold medal at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
Although Biles never faced extreme pressure from her parents, gymnastics at the elite level negatively impacted her mental health, consequently leading her to withdraw from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Biles suffered from severe stress which led to her experience the “twisties”—a phenomenon in gymnastics that causes the athlete to lose their sense of space as well as where they are in the air.
Biles’ rigorous training from youth possibly played a role in increasing her stress levels. Her story shows young athletes that even an athlete competing at the top level can still face mental health setbacks.
Elite sports can provide a gateway to an athlete’s bright future. With college recruiting, athletes can earn a spot at reputable universities through their hard work and dedication. The possibility of being able to attend an elite university and play their sport makes athletes work harder both in and out of their sport.
While maintaining a sufficient GPA is necessary, athletic skill is the primary factor schools consider during recruitment. The college recruitment system rewards elite athletes who work hard while motivating developing athletes to reach their highest potential.
There is a very fine line between passion and obsession or mania. Specialization in sports is a double-edged sword. Yes, it motivates athletes to train hard. However, athletes are increasingly over-motivated to the point of burnout, injury, or mental health issues. Despite this, athletes must learn to handle pressure and adversity and play for the love of the game.
