Lets face facts, the # 1 reason why kids drop out of sports before the age of 13 is specialization. According to Dr. James Andrews,”70% of kids participating in sports now drop out by age 13 because of specialization”. In other words, 7 out of 10 kids before the age of 13 are quitting their sport because they are playing it year round.
I understand how confusing and frustrating this must be. Starting in little League, you and your son have been bombarded with so many different opportunities from teams to play for, programs to do, instruction to take and showcases to attend. It’s not your fault for believing in all this b.s and hype that your son needs to play baseball year round to gain a competitive advantage.
I know this because I grew up in this same system. I’ve gotten invited to go to countless showcases, play on tons of different tournament teams and offers to attend weekend camps. I also know this because for the past few years, I’ve worked with 100s of baseball players in New Jersey and New York and they face the same challenges I faced growing up.
How many youth baseball players do you know that play little league, travel ball, rec ball and fall ball? Baseball has become a year round sport, even here in the northeast. The hard truth is that playing one sport year round is actually doing more harm then good. You don’t have to take my word for it. Dr. James Andrews, also said ”30-50% of injuries are secondary to overuse. This epidemic is particularity prevalent in youth baseball, and that’s where I first recognized it. The # 1 risk factor to youth baseball is, very simply put, year round baseball”.
That’s why here at GameChanger, we encourage our youth athletes to play as many sports as possible. When youth athletes play other sports they improve their coordination, balance, proprioception and overall athleticism. Other sports teach you certain athletic skills that you cannot get from just playing baseball.
This is also why we start training athletes as young as 9-years old at GameChanger. While we help all our athletes get stronger, faster, more coordinated and more agile, it’s really about improving their self-confidence and self-esteem. Developing tmindset and improving self-confidence, self-esteem and leadership ability is an overlooked area of sports and physical training. We make this a priority with our youth athletes because we realize that this isn’t just about sports – it’s about setting the foundation for your child’s life.
P.S I know that choosing a strength & conditioning program isn’t easy. There are a lot of factors that go into it like price, time & results. In my book, The Parents Guide To Strength Training For Baseball, you’ll have all the information you need to give your son the best chance to succeed. Just CLICK HERE to download it for FREE today.
P.P.S Getting started at GameChanger is simple & easy. Just CLICK HERE and we’ll contact you with everything you need to know to get started.
