Are Youth Sports Out of Control?

    Samantha Burkett was just 4 years old when she fell in love with soccer. She loved everything about it—the teamwork, the strategy, the running, and the feel of the ball on her foot. “It made me so happy to play,” she recalls. “Soccer had my heart forever.”

    Soon, the sport also had most of her time. She practiced three times a week. She was on a club team in Illinois. Tournaments took up the weekends. Her team traveled all over the country. They went to Missouri, Indiana, Arizona, and North Carolina. College coaches came to her games.

    For Samantha, soccer was more than an activity. It was a full-time job. The same is true for many young athletes.

    Welcome to the new world of youth sports.

    Samantha Burkett was just 4 years old when she fell in love with soccer. She loved everything about it—the teamwork, the strategy, the running, and the feel of the ball on her foot. “It made me so happy to play,” she recalls. “Soccer had my heart forever.”

    Before long, the sport also had most of her time. She practiced three times a week with her club team in Illinois, and on the weekends, her team traveled all over the country to compete in tournaments. They competed in Missouri, Indiana, Arizona, and North Carolina. College coaches scouting for recruits attended her games.

    For Samantha, soccer wasn’t just an activity—it was a full-time job. And she’s not alone.

    Welcome to the new world of youth sports.

    What about teens who stay with sports? A study found that 9 out of 10 love their sport. Samantha did! She didn’t mind practice. She even worked on her skills at home.

    But that kind of commitment comes at a cost. Many players give up other sports and activities. Every week, Samantha’s friends asked to spend time with her. Her answer? “Sorry, I have to play soccer.”

    After a while, the game you love can turn into a grind. Some kids feel too much pressure. So they quit. Others put their bodies through too much. They get hurt. More than 3.5 million young athletes get injured each year. 

    That’s what happened to Samantha. She got three head injuries. So she had to stop playing soccer to protect her health. That was in her sophomore year. “I was always the soccer girl,” she says. “When that was taken away from me, I didn’t know who I was.”

    What about the teens who stick it out? One study found that 90 percent of elite high school athletes love their sport. Samantha was one of them. She didn’t mind practices, and when she wasn’t on the field, she worked on her skills at home.

    But a high-level commitment like that comes at a cost, which includes giving up other sports and activities. Every week, Samantha’s friends invited her to spend time with them, but her response was always the same: “Sorry, I have to play soccer.”

    After a while, the game you love can turn into a grind. Some kids feel like they are under mountains of pressure and quit. Others hurt themselves by putting their bodies through too much. More than 3.5 million young athletes are injured each year. 

    That’s what happened to Samantha, who suffered three head injuries in a little over a year. As a sophomore, she had to give up soccer to protect her health. “I was always the soccer girl,” she says. “When that was taken away from me, I didn’t know who I was.”

    Now, a year later, Samantha’s doing better. She competes on the tennis team—where she’s less likely to get hit in the head. She’s excited about college again. And she wouldn’t change a second of the time she spent on the soccer field. “It was 100 percent worth it,” she says. 

    Most kids aren’t as serious about sports as Samantha. But that doesn’t mean they need to sit and watch sports on TV. Experts say you should play at the level that makes you happy. That might mean a travel team. It might mean your school team. Or it might just mean a pick-up game at the park. 

    And while you’re at it, try different sports. Playing more than one reduces your risk of injury. It also increases the chance of having fun. In the end, is there really any other reason to play?

    Now, a year later, Samantha’s OK. She’s on the tennis team. (She’s less likely to get hit in the head in tennis.) She’s excited about college. She’s glad she played soccer. “It was 100 percent worth it,” she says. 

    Most kids aren’t as serious about sports as Samantha. But they can still play sports. Experts say you should play at the level that makes you happy. That might mean a travel team. It might mean your school team. Or it might just mean a pick-up game at the park. 

    Also, try playing more than one sport. You’re less likely to be injured that way. And you’re more likely to have fun. Isn’t that the best reason to play?

    Now, a year later, Samantha’s doing better. She competes on the tennis team—where she’s less likely to get hit in the head—and she’s excited about college again.

    Samantha has no regrets about her time on the soccer field. “It was 100 percent worth it,” she says. 

    Most kids aren’t as dedicated to sports as Samantha is, but that doesn’t mean they have to be limited to watching sports on TV. Experts say you should play at the level that makes you happy, which might mean a travel team, your school team, or just a pick-up game at the park. 

     And while you’re at it, try different sports. Playing more than one reduces your risk of injury. It also increases your chances of having fun. In the end, is there really any other reason to play?