sampling vs specialisation

Question 1

define sport specialisation?

Answer 1

intensive year around training in a single sport excluding others

Question 2

define early engagement?

Answer 2

engaging in particular sport from young age (U11)

Question 3

define early specialisation?

Answer 3

focusing on 1 sport from young age (U11)

Question 4

define diversification?

Answer 4

focusing on number of sports until mid-teens (U16)

Question 5

define late specialisation?

Answer 5

focusing on 1 sport only from mid-teens

Question 6

why do people specialise?

Answer 6

• increased social standing of sporting accomplishment
• financial reward
• parents and coaches
• 10,000 hour belief
• sports with post-pubertal gains not existing
• talent mindset

Question 7

give studies for diversification?

Answer 7

1. senior olympians training at higher volume in other sports with lower in institutional sport programmes 1999 - greater success in 2002 (gullich and embrace 2009)
2. high amount of world-class athletes had competed in other sports and invested training into them (gullich 2007 cited vaeyens et al 2009)

Question 8

evidence for diversification?

Answer 8

1. participation in 3 sports during specialising years increases likelihood of participation in higher competitive standard
2. sampling sports = improved neuromuscular control compared to specialists
3. poor neuromuscular control = injury risk factor so young entourage to participate in multiple sports
4. Yelena switched 15y/o from gymnastics to pole vault - won gold in 2004 and 2008

Question 9

what are the risks of early specialisation?

Answer 9

• social isolation
• burnout
• over-dependence
• misinformed judgements by adults
• overuse injuries
• reality of making it

Question 10

how can early specialisation affect you from a medical view?

Answer 10

• poorer age appropriate skills
• cannot develop wider neuromuscular patterns = injury risk
• physical burnout
• psychological disengagement
• less chance to develop wider coping strategies

Question 11

benefits of diversification?

Answer 11

• doesn’t hinder elite sport participation
• longer sporting career
• learning in wide context
• self-learning through experiment
• motor and cognitive skils
• 16+ recommend specialising

Question 12

what did Normand et al 2017 include?

Answer 12

skill development is key and late sport specialisation is key to success

Question 13

fade et al. 2013 and youth football

Answer 13

10-40% injuries were due to overuse
due to specialisation