Why Your Child Should Be A Multi-Sport Athlete
Kids are like sponges and absorb so much of the environment around them naturally, it's important to expose them to the right things. Over the last two decades, the field of neuroscience has deeply explored neuroplasticity and the connections our neurons make.
It's no surprise that children's brains are highly plastic and they can "get" things faster and easier than an adult. Dr. Andrew Hubberman advises young children (into young adulthood), to learn as much as possible. Learning means exposure and trial and error.
The theory of neuroplasticity is just one of the reasons we believe children should take multiple sports.
Being a multi-sport athlete helps forge new neural connections, boosts cognition, and increases creativity. If all of that wasn't enough, here are four more reasons kids should be multi-sport athletes.
Multi-Sport Athletes Avoid Burnout
Research has found that in comparison to athletes specializing in a single sport, multi-sport athletes show higher levels of interest and enjoyment in physical activity, and they are less likely to suffer from overuse injuries.
2. Multi-Sport Athletes Get Better At Other Sports!
This is one of our favorite reasons. The more you practice (and practice the right things), the better you get. We use this example all the time, go to an average school and try throwing a paper ball into a trash can. 99% of you will miss every time, but make it to Stanford University, and 99% of you will probably hit it (or at least come close). That's because you've practiced at Stanford and your brain knows what to do.
We're not saying if you practice one sport for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week for 10 years, that you will be great at lots of sports (see: specialization above), but we are saying that the more you play and practice different skills and movements, the better you'll get at all of them.
3. Multi-Sport Athletes Are More Well-Rounded.
In a study conducted by Eastern Illinois University, researchers concluded that athletes who participate in multiple sports during high school perform better academically than those who specialize in a single sport, and they are less likely to use alcohol or other substances.
4. Multi-Sport Athletes Are More Likely To Stay Active Long Term!
A study conducted by the Sports Medicine Biodynamics Center found that participation in multiple sports during youth is associated with more adult physical activity, which is linked to lower rates of obesity.
So please, tell your child to play several different sports this season and watch them succeed with Systems Training Center of being a multi-sport athlete!