The Dr.'s Diagnosis

Dr. James Andrews

I read an interesting article about sports injuries recently and it prompted a memory of a conversation with a teenager. I remember once telling one of my 8th Grade Youth that we didn't want our girls to play a sport more than one season at a time. He said, "Not if you want them to be any good!" He was playing spring baseball at the time, and basketball and football, and travel team baseball in the summer and fall. Whew, I got tired just writing that. That same kid grew to be godly young man, but when he graduated he quit baseball, burned out and beat up. He was fortunate in another way too for he never had to have surgery for his injuries. He was a pitcher and the wear on his shoulder got to be very intense.
If you are a parent or grandparent, I'd welcome your comments.
I fear that not enough people see like the good doctor does. Dr. James Andrews has a unique perspective on youth sports, he has the perspective of the knife that repairs their ligaments and tendons. His opinion is worth reading in the linked article. Dr. Andrews is a surgeon that is concerned due to the increase in operating on children and teens to repair adult pro athlete type injuries.The Dr.'s Diagnosis
Two aspects are leading to increases in youth aged injuries and through 14 years in youth ministry I visited enough hospital rooms to know that Specialization and Professionalism are both on the rise. Specialization is being involved with a single sport year round, increasing the risk of sport related injury due to over activity of the primary muscles and ligaments. Professionalism is involving kids at a very young age and trying to work and train them as if they are pro athletes. Both of these applied to children lead to greater risk of injury and burn out. Thoughts?