Sports and Young

Athletes

By Dr. Rajal Sukhiyaji

(M.PT. in Sports Science)
Contents
• Introduction of Sports and Young athletes
• Epidemiology
• Benefits of sports activities
• Differences between young athletes and adult athletes
• Where and why young athletes participate in sports??
• Sport participation : Medical issue
• Reason of dropout of sports
• Sport training for young athletes
• Sport parent responsibilities
• Rights of young athletes
• References
What is Sports ????

• Sport (or sports) is all forms of usually

competitive physical activity which, through
casual or organised participation, aim to use,
maintain or improve physical ability and skills
while providing entertainment to participants,
and in some cases, spectators.
Who are Young athletes ???
• Young athletes are a category of athletes who
compete under the age of 18 years.

• Problems of adolescence

• Athletics for adolescents can provide a way to learn

various significant life skills in a fun and enjoyable
manner.
• Sport for social development is a way in which
sports can have a positive impact on young
athletes..
• The first reason that young athletes participate in a sports
program is
“ To have fun “ and also “Winning the game”

And to share that success with family members and friends.

Epidemiology

• It is estimated that 27 million US young athletes

between 6 to 18 years of age participate in team
sports.

• The National Council of Sports survey found that 60

million young athletes aged 6 to 18 years participate
in some form of organized athletics, with 44 million
participating in more than 1 sport.

(Clin J Sport Med Volume 24, Number 1, January 2014)

Benefits of Sports activities

• Sports help Physical development

• Sports help Cognitive and academic development
• Sports help Psychological development
• Sports help Social development (games and teams
are miniature social systems)
• Sports help Character development.
 Fun,
Self- Enjoyment,
Achievement Motivation
discipline Making
Friends

Healthy Decision
Lifestyle Benefits Making
of Sport
in Young
Self- athletes New Skills,
worth Challenges

Trust Teamwork Confidence Commitment

• Participation in athletics improves physical fitness,
coordination, and self-discipline, and gives them
valuable opportunities to learn teamwork.

• Because young athletes are still growing, they are at

a greater risk for injury than adults.
• Many sports injuries can be prevented.

• Some of the more effective ways to prevent these

injuries include
– Age-specific coaching,
– Appropriate physical conditioning, and
– Proper use of equipment.

• Coaches and parents can prevent injuries by

fostering an atmosphere of healthy competition that
emphasizes confidence, cooperation, and a positive
self-image, rather than just winning.
Differences Between Young athletes and
Adult Athletes

• Young athletes are Still Growing

• Young athletes vary in Size and Maturity

• Young athletes Can Injure Growth Plates

Where young athletes participate in
sports?
Agency sponsored sports Eg,Little league baseball
Pop Warner football

Club sports Pay for services (gymnastics,

tennis)

Recreational sport programs Everyone plays

Intramural sports Middle, junior, senior high school

Interscholastic sports Middle, junior, senior high school

Most Popular Interscholastic Sports

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gqX07V-pacaa.../embed
Why young athletes participate in sports
???
• To have fun
• To improve skills
• To be with friends
• To be part of a team
• To experience excitement
• To receive awards
• To win
• To become physically fit

(Wankel & Kreisel, 1985)

Sport Participation

• Medical Issues
Acute injuries

• Caused by a sudden trauma, such as a twist, fall, or

collision.
• Common acute injuries include broken bones, sprains
(ligament injuries), strains (muscle and tendon injuries),
and cuts or bruises.
• Most acute injuries should be evaluated by a doctor.
• This usually consists of the RICE method.
• Proper first aid will minimize swelling and help the doctor
establish an accurate diagnosis.
Overuse injuries

• There is very little research specifically on the incidence

and prevalence of overuse injuries in young athletes.
• Overall estimates of overuse injuries versus acute
injuries range from 45.9% to 54%.
• The prevalence of overuse injury varies by the specific
sport, ranging from 37% (skiing and handball) to 68%
(running).

(Clin J Sport Med Volume 24, Number 1, January 2014)

• Overuse injuries occur gradually over time, when an
athletic activity is repeated so often, parts of the body do
not have enough time to heal between playing.

• Examples of overuse injuries include throwing injuries in

the elbow, Achilles tendinitis, and shin splints.

• Common sites: epiphyseal plates, cartilage of the

apophyses, articular cartilage, stress fractures
• To keep athletes in the game long-term, overuse
injuries need to be diagnosed and treated by a
physician as soon as possible. Parents and coaches
should be aware of the more common signs of
overuse injury. These include:
– Pain. This pain cannot be tied to an acute injury, such
as from a fall. The pain often increases with activity
– Swelling
– Changes in form or technique
– Decreased interest in practice
Strategies for Preventing Sports Injuries

• Be in proper physical condition to play a sport

• Know and abide by the rules of a sport
• Wear appropriate protective gear (for example, shin
guards for soccer, a hard-shell helmet when facing a
baseball pitcher, a helmet and body padding for ice
hockey)
• Know how to correctly use athletic equipment (for
example, correctly adjusting the bindings on snow skis)
• Always warm up before playing
• Stay hydrated
• Avoid playing when very tired or in pain
• Atmosphere of Healthy Competition
Female young Athletes

• Female athlete who focuses on being thin or

lightweight may eat too little or exercise too much.
Doing this can cause long-term health damage.
• Three interrelated illnesses may develop when a girl
or young woman goes to extremes in dieting or
exercise. Together, these conditions are known as
the "female athlete triad."
• The three conditions are:
– Disordered eating
– Menstrual dysfunction
– Premature osteoporosis (low bone density for age)
Steroid Use

• Many young athletes — boys and girls — use black-

market anabolic steroids to improve their athletic
performance.
• Steroids have been shown to increase muscle mass, but
they can cause serious and potentially life-threatening
complications and should be avoided.
• Most steroids are illegal and are banned by sports
organizations.
Sports Supplements
• Many athletes of all ages take sports supplements, such
as creatine, because they think it will increase strength
and improve sports performance.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not
regulate nutritional supplements.
• There is also not enough research on the long-term
health effects of taking sports supplements, especially in
adolescents and children who are still growing.
• Always takes advice from doctor before taking nutritional
supplements.
Why young athelets dropout of sports
???
Most Important Reasons to Stop Playing a Sport
(Athletic Footwear Association, 1990)

• I lost interest
• I was not having fun
• It took too much time
• Coach was a poor teacher
• There was too much pressure
• I wanted a nonsport activity
• I was tired of it
• I needed more study time
• Coach played favorites
• The sport was boring
• There was an overemphasis on winning
Psychological issues

• Some of the most important implications of sport

psychology are found in the athletes, where participants
are plentiful and highly involved.

• Stress – Unpleasant emotional state

• Burnout is a special case of sport withdrawal in which a

young athlete discontinues sport involvement in
response to chronic stress.
• Model depicting the development of stress and
potential behavioral outcomes

Consequences
Situation
Withdraw and try a
Individual views
new
outcome as
sport; Withdraw
important
permanently

Appraisal
Individual evaluates Emotional Response
his/her Unfavorable appraisal
ability to meet the leads to physiological
demands and cognitive stress
of the situation
• Precompetitive state anxiety also play a role.

• For that reducing stress level by

– Change something about the sport.
– Skill training instills confidence
– Children who perceive themselves as competent are
less threatened and perform better
– Winning/losing should be placed in perspective
– Help child set realistic goals
Keep Young Athletes Healthy and Fit
• Proper preparation

• A balanced body

• Proper warm up, stretching and strength-training

exercises are essential for athletes involved in sports.

• Young athletes should begin with a slow jog as a general

warm-up, followed by a sport-specific warm-up. They
should then stretch all the major muscle groups.

• Proper technique and supervision

• Proper nutrition and hydration are also extremely vital.

• While an ordinary person may need to drink eight to ten

glasses of water each day, athletes need to drink even
more than that for proper absorption.

• Breakfast should be the most important meal of the day.

• Eating a healthy meal two to four hours before a practice

or a game and another within one to two hours after a
game or practice allows for proper replenishment and
refuels the body.

• All athletes should seek rehabilitation following injury.

Encourage child to:

• Wear the proper equipment.

• Eat healthy meals.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Drink water.
• Drink milk.
• Avoid sugar-loaded, caffeinated and carbonated drinks.
• Follow a warm-up routine.
• Take vitamins daily.
• Avoid trendy supplements.
• Get plenty of rest.
Sports training for young athletes

• Sports conditioning coaches are in a good position to

help younger athletes perform at their peak.

• From a coaching perspective, understanding athletic

ability and potential gives greater vision in athlete
selection and overall team development.
Developing Athletic Talent

• It is a long-term process.
• Scientific research has concluded that it takes a minimum
of 10 years and 10,000 hours of training for a talented
athlete to reach elite levels
(Ericsson & Charness 1994; Salmela et al. 1998)

• This translates into more than 3 hours of training daily for

10 years.
• This is referred to as the "10-year rule," and in the
preparation of Olympic athletes it is supported by both
– The U.S. Olympic Committee (2002) and
– Canadian Sport Centres (2006).
Three Pillars For Training

1. Sport movement: agility, quickness, multidirectional

speed, external reaction skills, coordination,
acceleration and deceleration

2. Sport strength: muscular, whole-body, multijoint

strength; muscular endurance; explosive power; and
recovery efficiency

3. Sport balance: stability, kinesthetic awareness,

proprioception, neuromuscular pathways, transitional
balance and internal reactivity
Periodization

• The schedule and design of a year-round sports

conditioning plan is called periodization, or conditioning
in cycles, where different physical components are
developed at different densities, intensities, frequencies,
durations and loads.

• Based on scientific principles and methodologies,

periodization presents the best time and the best method
for conditioning each physical component.
Program Design for the Young Athlete
Sports conditioning coach wants to:
• Improve fitness
• Increase athleticism
• Build the physical tools that sports participation draws on
• Provide immediate upgrades to the experience of playing
sports
• Give athletes the physicality to excel at any new sports
they may pick up
• Produce results so that improved sports competence
keeps athletes in the game
• Provide an experience that will secure a positive link
between working out and feeling good about sports.
Sport Parent Responsibilities

• Encourage athletes to play sports,

but don’t pressure them. Let them choose to play—and
quit—if she or he wants.
• Understand what he/she wants from sport and provide a
supportive atmosphere for achieving those goals.
• Set limits on athletes participation in sport. Determine
when they are physically and emotionally ready to play
and to ensure that that conditions for playing are safe.
• Make sure the coach is qualified to guide through the
sport experience.

• Keep winning in perspective, and help athlete do the

same.

• Help athlete set realistic performance goals.

• Help athlete understand the valuable lessons sports can

teach.

• Help athlete meet his or her responsibilities to the team

and the coach.
• Discipline when necessary.

• Supply the coach with information

regarding any allergies or special health conditions. Make
sure athlete takes any necessary medications to games
and practices.
Basic Guidelines for Coaches and
Parents
• Winning isn’t everything or the only thing.

• Failure is not the same as losing.

• Success does not equal winning - success is found in

striving for victory and excellence.

Success = giving 100% effort

Rights of Young Athletes
• Right of the opportunity to participate in sports
regardless of ability level

• Right to participate at a level that is commensurate with

each child’s developmental level

• Right to have qualified adult leadership

• Right to participate in safe and healthy environments

• Right of each child to share in the leadership and

decision making of his/her sport participation
• Right to play as a child and not as an adult

• Right to proper preparation for participation in the sport

• Right to an equal opportunity to strive for success

• Right to be treated with dignity by all involved

• Right to have fun through sport

(Guidelines for Children's Sports, R. Martens and V. Seefeldt (Eds.)., Washington, D.C.
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 1979.)
Positive Role of Friends in Sport

• Companionship
• Enhancement of self-esteem
• Help and guidance
• Prosocial behavior
• Intimacy
• Emotional support
• Conflict resolution
• Attractive personal qualities
Negative Role of Friends in Sport

• Conflict (e.g., insults, arguments)

• Unattractive personal qualities
(e.g., self-centered)
• Betrayal
• Inaccessibility (lack of opportunity
to interact)
References

• A Guide to Safety for Young Athletes, American

Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, May,2013.

• Keep Young Athletes Healthy and Fit, American

Chiropractic Association,2014

• Kids and Sports: Creating a Healthy Experience for

Every Child by Marianne Engle, Ph.D.
• Identifying, Understanding and Training Youth Athletes
by Peter Twist, MSc, Janice Hutton, MA

• Principles of Manual Sports Medicine, Steven J.

Karageanes, 2005 by Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

• Overuse Injuries and Burnout in Youth Sports: A Position

Statement from the American Medical Society for Sports
Medicine, January 2014,John P. DiFiori, MD,* Holly J.
Benjamin, et.al, Clin J Sport Med Volume 24, Number 1.
Thank You