Page 32 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 82

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SPORTS PANEL

Should youth athletes choose one sport to concentrate on, training exclusively for it (sport specialization),

or should they spread their focus and participation across numerous sports (sport diversification)?

Name: Fiona MacDonald Name: Charlotte Haley
Grade: Gr 11 Grade: Gr 10
School: Char-Lan DHS School: L’Heritage PHS
Youth athletes should spread their focus and I believe that youth athletes should spread their
participation across numerous sports so that they focus and participation across numerous sports.
develop the ability to play any sport with a general By playing a variety of sports, you get a full
idea of the rules, an ability to play properly and with understanding of each game. Also, the skills that
some technique. Playing various sports helps young you learn in one sport can then be transferred to
athletes develop many different skills which can be other sports. The way you play one sport could be
applied in other areas. For example, being able to drive very different from how you play another, and this
a golf ball with precision and strength would help when might give you the opportunity to play a different
swinging a bat in baseball, or taking a slap shot in hockey role in each of them. Playing multiple sports helps you
because you are using many of the same strong muscles and develop leadership, make new friends, and it helps kids
similar techniques. Youth athletes should participate in multiple sports discover what they like about a specific sport and why they
so that they can develop an understanding of the general rules and skills while might like to continue playing it later in life. Athletes who play the same sport year-
having fun, and then possibly decide on their favourite sport if they want to compete round often get tired of the same routine. Not only does it burn them out, it may
at a higher level when they get older. I had the chance to try many sports outside of make them want to quit the sport altogether. Also, you have a higher risk of injury
school which helped me to learn about my abilities and what I enjoyed the most. I now playing the same sport since its repetitive motions can cause strain on your muscles
concentrate on playing soccer for the Seaway Valley Blazers but continue to play many and joints. I enjoy playing club (travelling) volleyball, but I also enjoy the sports I
school sports. Through my participation in various sports I have met many different play at school and those that I play with my family during the summer and winter.
people and made lots of new friends with similar interests as me.

Name: Donnie Levert Name: Kolton Belmonte
Grade: Gr 8 Grade: Gr 7
School: Glengarry DHWS School: Our Lady of Good Counsel
I think that you should be a multi-sport athlete
I believe in playing multiple sports. This because when you play multiple sports you build
different skills and work out different muscles. For
allows you to gain knowledge and the ability
example, I play hockey and football. In hockey
to play all of the sports you are interested I am a goalie, so I need to have good hand-eye
in. Playing multiple sports works different coordination and be quick on my feet. In football,
groups of muscles which will improve your I am a defensive back, so I work different leg
muscles and I have to have good footwork. There
overall strength and endurance. You are also are advantages and disadvantages to playing multiple
less likely to burn out and lose interest in a sports. Some of the advantages are that you can avoid
single sport if you are able to play and enjoy more losing interest playing the same sport and also you can
reduce the risk of injuries from working the same muscles all of the
than one. When you play multiple sports, you are able to
time. You will also build your confidence if you play many sports because if you
meet many new people as well, not just those who are on your one team. are okay at one, you might be better at another. When you play many sports, you
Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes is a great example of playing and listen to and learn from different coaches who have different ways of teaching. The
excelling in multiple sports. She has competed and won medals in both disadvantage of playing multiple sports is that there is not enough time to train in
one sport if you want to go to the next level of competition. There is no off season
summer and winter Olympic events: speed skating, road bicycle, and
to train because there is always a sport to play. I like playing multiple sports because
track speed cycle. I get to meet new friends and get to learn different sports that always keep me busy!

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