Focus on the all-around, holistic development of a child across various sports disciplines. There should be no emphasis on developing talent in just one specific sport. This is a key principle not only of the Association of Sport Psychologists but also of our club.
Young children especially need to be exposed to and develop through a variety of sports. Very few children have a clearly defined sports talent before puberty. Moreover, talent evolves throughout life. What’s important is to support children’s well-rounded development without putting pressure on performance or winning. That can lead to failure. Sport should be a source of joy and a pleasant way to spend time.
At the same time, pressure to perform in just one sport increases the risk of injury, overtraining, and potential burnout.
Neither parents nor coaches should force a child into a specific sport. The freedom to choose, to train different movements and disciplines, to try different roles—these are all ideas that we fully support.
