I ran across an article in the Detroit News this week and
the subject was a program that is being used to revive participation and
interest in youth baseball within the city. Very interesting article and I will link to it below if you
are interested in the full story.
However there was a statement in the article by a Detroit high school
coach that really caught my attention:
"(The program) is helping build an interest in
baseball, but as the kids get older, sports like basketball, soccer and
football become more prevalent. By the time they get to the 12-14 range, a lot
of the other coaches — some, but not all — make the kids make a decision on
what sports to play."
Unfortunately I hear this idea that kids need to choose
their sport by the age of 12 years old way to often. In fear of sounding like a broken record, the earliest a
young athlete should choose a sport is freshman year in high school and even
then I believe it’s not ideal for their long-term athletic development. Kids need diversity throughout the year
to allow time for their body and minds to recover. Not to mention the diverse tools that are added to their
athletic foundation will absolutely transfer to their sport of choice. The only time a parent/coach should
intercede and make a decision regarding a child’s sport participation is to
pull back on the reins if they are getting excessive exposure to one
sport. Aside from the physical
demands imposed on kids by early specialization it’s also been my experience
that one-sport athletes put way too much pressure on themselves and lean toward
obsessive-compulsive behavior.
They need a break so they don’t eat themselves alive by over-competing.
[1]
I also read any article this week about the Detroit Tigers
hitting coach that provided an excellent example of prudent coaching. Lloyd McClendon is catching a lot of
heat this summer for the teams hitting struggles. In an attempt to defend himself McClendon stated:
“We try to arm them
with every piece of information as far as what a guy is going to do. After that
it is up to the player to get it done."
What kind of
information do the players get?
They are given:
downloads on each opposing pitcher for their computers or iPads; a cheat sheet
that includes pitches each pitcher likes to throw on certain counts, what their
out pitch is, what they throw when they are in a jam and what they like to
throw when there is nobody on and two outs.
And, there is a
general hitters meeting along with individual ones at the batting cage and film
room study. Basically, everything imaginable.
Have you ever heard of paralysis by analysis? Overloading an athlete with to much
information (over-coaching) is a sure fire way to tip the scales away from
athletic instinct and reflex and toward stifled and delayed timing and
reaction. The wise old manager Jim
Leyland has more sage advice for his coaches:
"You usually don't mess with the players during a
game," Leyland said. "You show them afterward. When a guy is not
doing something, you say here is why. Here is the tape." [2]
I can speak from experience and your children will likely
echo my thought; coaching from the stands or sidelines by shouting at a player
never works! Whatever you say will
not be useful while they are in the game it will only serve to distract and add
to their competitive stress. Not
to mention it often embarrasses kids to be called out in front of teammates,
opponents and even strangers. Do
your coaching at practice and when the game starts role out the balls and let
the kids have at it, it’s their time.
I am not claiming that absolutely no coaching should go on
during a game but any advice that is given should be provided quietly and
individually on the sidelines or on the bench and should be short and succinct. Example: “That was a tough play Joey, next time that happens if you
stay in the tunnel (lower your athletic stance) I know you can make the play
next time.” That advice is
non-threatening potentially calms the athlete’s anxiety over a mistake and you
have provided a useful cue that is easy to understand.
Sport can be an ideal vehicle for the delivery of key
concepts to children and parents alike.
In just one day, and they just happened to be the only two articles I
read, two key concepts of youth sport participation were highlighted; early
specialization and over-coaching.
While baseball was the example in the articles these two concepts are
applicable to all sports. I
challenge you the next time you are reading the sports page to find a key
lesson that can be applied to the athletic development of your child. And often the lessons we learn in sport
are just as applicable to the game of life. Use sport for the overall benefit and development of your
child, that’s what the sport experience should be about.
Food For Thought:
Do Kids Need
Supplements?
An interesting study recently revealed that younger children
(2-8 years of age) tend to have adequate nutrient intakes regardless of
supplement use. Further, the study
reveals that older children (over 8 years of age) tend to be deficient in certain
nutrients (magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins A, C, and E) that are made adequate
with the use of supplements.
However, while a deficit was resolved through the use of supplements,
these same supplements also lead to excess intake of other nutrients. [1] I have covered my thoughts on
supplements in the recent past but the short version is that supplements that
are isolated and added to food or squeezed in to a capsule or pill are inferior
to the nutrients obtained through the consumption of whole foods.
In my mind this study reinforces my opinion because
supplements provide nutrients in an environment in which they normally do not
exist with other co-factors like enzymes and fiber that are found in whole
foods. And it is my strong opinion
that the reason nutrients like vitamin C are so effective is because they come
naturally packaged in ideal ratios with these nutrient co-factors when you eat
a fruit or vegetable, for example.
Eating a variety of foods and eating them at the peak of the season will
provide a strong defense against any nutrient deficiencies.
It’s also interesting that younger children had more
adequate nutrient intakes than the older children. This could be attributable to the fact the younger children
tend to eat more meals and snacks at home. Meals and snacks prepared at home are more likely to contain
fresh whole foods like fruit and vegetables.
Many fruits and vegetables are at the peak of their
freshness at the local farmers markets right now. Take a family trip to the market in your town and infuse
your family with a rainbow of nutrients!
Phil Loomis
Youth Fitness/Nutrition Specialist
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