By Madelyn Curtis

February 22 marked the beginning of the spring athletic season at Collegiate School. For Mackenzie Ferguson (‘22), this means the start of long days spent in both the swimming pool and the lacrosse field. 

Ferguson’s alarm clock wakes her up at 4:15 a.m. each morning in order to get to her swim practice for her club team, SWIMRVA, by 5:00 a.m. After her first practice of the day, she attends school, which is immediately followed by varsity lacrosse practice. Ferguson then goes home to do her homework before trying to shut down for the day by about 8:30 p.m. “It’s hard to get to bed early, especially if I have a test or quiz,” she said.

Photo credit: Sean Hackney.

Playing two sports at an elite level is intense and difficult, but it’s worth it for Ferguson. “The feeling of success in the pool or on the field is one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced,” she said. 

Elite and club sports outside of school have become increasingly more popular for young athletes within the last two decades. Clubs have teams for elementary school-aged kids all the way to high school athletes. The increased popularity can be contributed to the trend of kids specializing and dedicating to a single sport, and to parents realizing the benefits of athletic excellence. College scholarships and other opportunities open up when children play at an elite level. Parents have seen famous athletes reap the benefits of training from a young age, and they want their children to follow suit.

For example, Venus and Serena Williams, superstar professional tennis players, are household names for a sport that is not as commonly watched in the US as other sports, like football or basketball. The Williams sisters have dominated the professional women’s tennis world, winning a combined 30 grand slam titles over the last two decades. Serena, with 23 of those titles, is one of the most popular tennis players in the world, with brand endorsement deals with Nike and Gatorade. 

The Williams sisters. Photo credit: Emmett Anderson.

But their climb to success was not easy. Their father, Richard Williams, spent every day of their childhood instructing them and pushing them to be the best. The Williams family even moved to Palm Beach, Florida to train with elite tennis coach Rick Macci when Venus and Serena were 11 and 10, respectively. All of their training and hard work paid off, though, as the sisters have a combined net worth of $320 million and years of success on the tennis courts.

Another example of an athlete who has had success since their childhood is Tiger Woods, who was trained by his father, Earl Woods, to be an elite professional golfer starting at the age of  three. Woods spent his whole childhood at the golf course, while his father used unconventional training methods, such as creating diversions and other disturbances while he played, to make Tiger tough and unflappable. 

The Woods family’s hard work was worth the time and effort, as Tiger quickly became an extremely successful professional golfer, starting with his first Masters win in 1997 at age 21. Out of the 359 tournaments he has played, Woods has won 82, resulting in a 22.8% winning percentage.

Photo credit: Rich Watts.

All three of these famous elite athletes had to practice and train their way to becoming the best in their respective sports. The Williams sisters and Woods sacrificed so much to reach the level of success they have, yet it was worth it to them because they love what they do.

This magnitude of success cannot be reached without a great deal of dedication and an enjoyment of the sport. If someone works too hard or too much when they do not truly love the game they play, it can lead to burnout and unhappiness, which diminishes the benefits of athletics.

Playing sports in childhood is extremely beneficial to a person’s physical health. The United Kingdom’s National Health Service states that those who are active and get consistent exercise lower their risk for heart disease and strokes by 35%, and they reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 50%. 

Staying active throughout one’s life is essential, and the habit of exercise starts with childhood sports. When children are exposed to activities and sports early, they will adapt to having them be a regular part of their life. Youth sports are important to get children to understand and to love exercise and physical activities, as well as developing relationship skills and learning to work on a team.

Youth sports do not only benefit physical well-being, but also mental health. In a study conducted by Ohio University, 73% of high school students said that playing sports for their high school positively impacted their mental health. After a long school day, the ability to take a break from thinking about school and just focus on a sports practice is a relief and so important for students to have. 

Research by the Aspen Institute finds that playing sports leads to “high self esteem.” Athletics can foster confidence and empower them during the difficult time of high school.

Photo credit: Lindy Thackston.

Keaton Rahman (‘22), who has played soccer since she was eight years old and travel soccer for five years, echoes Ohio University’s study in her thoughts about playing sports. She said that soccer is “an outlet for stress and an escape from everyday problems.” 

The Ohio University study also states that “9 out of 10 kids identify the main reason they play sports is for fun.” Many high schoolers use sports as a time to socialize and bond with friends. 

Rahman also said that the “team aspect” is one of her favorite parts of playing a travel sport. “I’ve met some of my best friends playing on soccer teams,” she said. 

Along with improving physical and mental health, sports teach kids valuable skills, such as teamwork, leadership, and persistence. The ability to collaborate and work well on a team is essential for school and many jobs. Playing team sports gives kids real experience in cooperating with their teammates to solve problems and work toward a common goal. Kids will also learn how to be leaders and how to work hard to win games or improve a skill. 

The valuable lessons children learn from sports and being on a team benefits them in the long run. The research by the Aspen Institute also found that children who were active were “15% more likely to go to college” and estimated to make about 7.5% more in their yearly income.

Sports also introduce the rush of competition to kids, as well as the importance of rules and being fair. Competition is important for children to learn how to try their best.

Caroline Curtis (‘19), a sophomore golfer at the University of Alabama and my sister, loves the competition of golf. “ I love being in a competitive atmosphere, there’s something exciting about being in that environment that keeps you wanting to keep working,” she said.

Caroline Curtis (’19). Photo credit: Jeff Hanson.

This motivation has a positive impact on children. Yet, too much competitiveness can hurt them and lead them to overtrain. The competitiveness can also spread to the parents and push their child too far, which can be an issue if their child does not share the same passion.

So how far is too far? Hard work is necessary for success, but where is the line that should not be crossed?

Burnout and overtraining can be extremely dangerous for younger children and teens.  The Children’s Hospital of Chicago identifies “specializing in one sport, high anxiety level, and pressure from parents/coaches” as “risk factors” for burnout. Athletes feel as though they have to meet the expectations set by their parents or coaches, so they practice too much, but for the wrong reasons. 

Talking about pressure, Rahman said, “I don’t want to waste my parent’s money or time, but I’m also aware that my teammates, coaches, and even parents count on me to play my best every single game.” Pressure can negatively affect athletes to the point of starting to hate the sport they play.

An article in Psychology Today by Robert Mueller, a psychology professor at Toronto’s York University who specializes in trauma, discusses how when parents become over-involved in a kid’s sports career, the child starts to lose “personal ownership” of their sports’ lives. This is detrimental to young athletes because they then feel as though they cannot notify a parent if they are not enjoying the sport anymore, due to fears of disappointing them.

In order to be successful in sports, repetition and intensity are necessary in one’s training. Getting real game experience against competitive teams also plays an important role in athlete improvement. Elite youth travel sports teams have adopted a practice model where the athletes practice almost every day of the week and then travel to play games or tournaments against teams on weekends. With this rigorous practice schedule, athletes who are not fully committed to their sport might start to lose enthusiasm. They could start to only be playing to please their parents and their coaches. Still wanting to get better, these athletes work harder and harder while getting no personal enjoyment out of playing, ultimately leading to burnout. 

Photo credit: John O’Neill.

With so many obligations, athletes playing travel sports will have to miss other social events. They might start to get frustrated with their sport because of the experiences they miss due to conflicts. Jay Seevers (‘22), a year-round travel lacrosse player, described missing school dances and other experiences as “sad and disappointing.”

“My social life is a sacrifice I’m willing to make, but finding out I have to miss social events for sports never gets easier,” Rahman said.

Curtis said, “I’ve missed out on a lot of ‘typical’ opportunities growing up, but the stuff I’ve been able to do and see as a result of my sport has been worth it.”

There are also physical health consequences for overtraining: overuse injuries. Medically defined as “a microtraumatic damage to a bone, muscle, or tendon that has been subjected to repetitive stress without sufficient time to heal or undergo the natural reparative process,” overuse injuries are extremely dangerous for young athletes. If an athlete gets hurt but can still play, they might hide the injury in fear of disappointing their parents or coaches by needing to take time off. The pressures from coaches and parents can be harmful to athletes, as they feel as though they have to hide their problems from them.

Another cause of overtraining is the fact that some young athletes hope to use their athletic skills to earn a scholarship for college. Having athletics be a promising opportunity for the chance to attend college, it puts a lot more pressure on athletes to perform. 

The core of the issue that leads to burnout is athletes not playing their sport for themselves. They start to play it to satisfy others, instead of playing because they are having fun. Success is only found when the athlete enjoys their sport.

Curtis on the golf course. Photo credit: Jeff Hanson.

“I get to play golf for a living. What more can you ask for – getting paid for doing what you love,” Tiger Woods once said. Woods worked so hard his whole life to be able to play his favorite sport at the highest level. His love for golf motivated him to become the best for himself, not for other people. Venus Williams said that, “it’s such an honor to [play professional tennis] because I love it.” 

Even though professional athletes like Woods and Williams undergo intense training regimens, they only succeed to the extent they do because they have found a balance in their lives. 

“Family first, and that’s what matters most,” Serena Williams said. Williams has found the ability to prioritize and separate parts of life, which Seevers also finds helpful. “I think I am able to balance the amount of lacrosse I play with school and spending time with friends and family,” he said.

Athletes can fail to create this balance and feel as the majority and personality of their life is consumed by their sport. Curtis said that “it’s really hard to get caught up in letting your results dictate who you are, and it’s important to separate your identity and your sport and know they’re not the same.”

Evan Justice (’17) on the mound for the Cougars. Photo credit: Brian Justice.

Upper School history and religion teacher Brian Justice (‘85), also a former basketball coach, emphasizes balance when talking about youth athletics. His son, Evan Justice (‘17), plays baseball at North Carolina State University. With 56 regular season games, plus postseason and offseason games, baseball is one of the sports with the “biggest commitment,” Justice said, and keeping a balance is essential to being successful.

Evan started playing travel baseball when he was 12 years old. But until he went to college, he still played football and basketball, in addition to baseball, as well as being a part of the jazz band at Collegiate. Justice “does not believe in specialization” and “never thought it was healthy” for his son. Along with varsity baseball coach Andrew Slater, Justice said he was cautious to “not overschedule” Evan. In order to keep that balance, Justice always made sure Evan has participated in those other sports and activities. 

Balance is the key to succeeding in having a lasting, happy career in sports. “It’s so important to have interests and hobbies outside of your sport to ensure you still love what you’re doing,” Curtis said. 

Ferguson juggles lacrosse, swimming, academics and her social life, and she calls finding a balance “difficult” but stresses its importance. “I say to always do what you feel comfortable with, and to listen to your body.” Nevertheless, Ferguson finds all of the long days worth it. “It makes me happy,” she said simply. 

Justice pitching for NC State. Photo credit: Brian Justice

Justice thinks there is great value in travel sports, but being mindful of overtraining can pay off in the long run. “Travel sports are great if they work for you, instead of you working for them,” he said. 

Featured image credit: Lindy Thackston.