Recreation, Competitive, and Elite - Three Paths of Athletic Participation for Your Child

Athletic participation is important for every child. From developing healthy lifestyle habits to building strong character, youth sports provide a good foundation for turning out excellent adults. There are three basic paths to athletic involvement and the right one for your child depends on a number of factors.

Recreational Sports

The majority of youth sports programs are considered recreational. These leagues focus on basic athletic development, fun, and socialization. They provide an excellent introduction to different sports and a good foundation for all very young athletes. The competitive nature is usually diminished in exchange for a positive, enjoyable experience for all participants. Recreational level sports can provide all kids a strong base for lifelong participation in rec leagues, build habits for good health and fitness, and encourage self-improvement and teamwork in a low pressure environment. Recreational sports are usually identifiable by the registration process - open sign-ups, pay-to-play, no tryouts, learn-to-play, and the like.

Competitive Sports

Competitive sports are the step beyond recreational sports. These leagues are more focused on winning and losing, but more importantly on athlete development. Having fun is still a priority, but there is more attention on building sport-specific skills, discipline and commitment, and teamwork. Athletes at the competitive level typically play through high school varsity levels, and possibly in college. They are in sports to learn the character benefits of athletics, stay busy and fit, and to learn to put in the work to excel. Some natural competitive drive and athletic physicality is necessary to play competitively, but in many cases hard work can make up for deficiencies (Rudy anyone?). Specialization in one or two sports usually occurs around age 12 for competitive youth athletes, following significant exposure to multiple sports.

Elite Sports

Athletes with the highest aspirations - Division I college, Olympics, the pros - are on track to become elite athletes. These kids are aiming for the highest levels of national and international competition, and spend a significant amount of time and energy on improving their athletic skills. Personality, inclination, and natural athleticism are definite factors, but more importantly the athlete must develop a commitment to nutrition, conditioning, and sport specifics to succeed. Early specialization is very common, typically between the ages of 10 and 12 for most sports. Many elite youth athletes also participate in other sports as long as possible (at the recreation or competitive levels) in order to develop all-around athletic skills and as a pleasant distraction from their primary sport.

None of these choices is inherently superior to any other choice. Make your decision based on your and your child's level of interest, commitment, and abilities, and don't worry about pressure from others to conform to their views. This is especially an issue for parents of elite athletes...everyone will have something to say about the choices your family makes, but you just can't take it all personally. Reserve your own judgment about other families' choices, and expect the same respect from others.

Pay attention to the leagues, coaches, and culture of the organizations you sign up with...there are good homes for all types of athletes, but not all leagues are right for all players.
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