This sports documentary is a reminder, and possibly even a wake-up call, for parents and coaches
While most sports documentaries are known for giving us an inside look at legendary athletes or never-seen-before drama among teams, there’s a new sports documentary available that’s shining a light on an important topic. That topic is the creation, the evolution, and the dangers and disadvantages of single sport specialization in youth sports.
Give and Go: A Sports Education Documentary is a 35-minute film that opens up with the benefits of sports—everything from how they can help kids learn life lessons to how they aid in children doing better in school, becoming better learners, and developing integrity, and even how sports participation can be key to human development.
But while it’s clear that sports can be a very positive element in a child’s life, the main message the documentary aims to drive home is best expressed by Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO of the Coaching Association of Canada, when she states, “When it’s done right, sports are beautiful. And it’s sports with an ‘s.'”
The problem with early sport specialization, and the idea that we can get our children started young and fine-tune that one skill until they become an all-star athlete, is that it holds many risks and dangers. Some of the most common dangers include overuse injuries among youth athletes and even burnout. As stated on the Give & Go site:
“Youth sports has become big business, and has gone from offering children a chance to participate, compete and develop emotional, physical and mental skills that will help aid their growth toward adulthood, into a fantasy factory, a virtual cottage industry designed to produce professional athletes.”
The solution: A return to a sport for each season
The documentary does a great job of emphasizing the importance of education from the top down of the sports system. Parents and coaches need to understand the importance of putting away the skates at the end of winter, or the cleats at the end of summer, and allowing young athletes to experience all that a variety of sports has to offer them. While we know that multi-sport athletes make for better performers and more well-rounded people, it’s the voices of key players in the sports industry who really help drive home the message.
Important discussion comes from a wide range of impressive experts and athletes, including Olympic decathlon gold medalist Damian Warner, NHL Hockey Hall of Famer Eric Lindros, MLB pitcher Joe Siddall, and Paralympic gold medalist Danielle Campo McLeod.
Our own tip for parents and coaches
One guideline we think is worth mentioning for parents and coaches is the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model. It helps you to understand at what age it’s safe and optimal for a child to specialize in a sport. The model has singular purpose: to get our kids doing the right things at the right times under the right conditions during their development.
Overall, the documentary is a great, quick watch with a message that hopes to do one very crucial thing: find a way to help children physically, socially, and especially with their mental health through the wonderful world of sport.
To watch, or to learn more, visit giveandgosport.ca.
