By Brian Freeland
Dean, School of Health Sciences at American Public University
Today’s sports landscape offers more opportunities than ever for young athletes to participate in year-round activities with offseason access to leagues, camps, clinics and training. So, should young athletes focus on one sport?
A variety of theories and philosophies exist regarding specializing in one sport. On one hand, some believe concentrating on training for one sport helps an athlete to develop and provides the best opportunity to participate in that sport at the collegiate or professional level. On the other hand, sport specialization can be associated with certain risks, such as overuse injuries, burnout, and fewer sport experiences.
To learn more about specialization, I reached out to four adjunct faculty members at American Public University who teach various courses in the sports management and sports and health sciences degree programs.