Too often coaches and parents push their children into specialization of sports in the hope their child will become an elite athlete; however, the journey to becoming an elite athlete is a complex one that requires a strong foundation both mentally and physically. It is important for the growth and development of a young athlete to have all the…

Children and adolescents participate in sport for a variety of reasons including to learn new skills, to have fun, for peer affiliation, to experience excitement, to exercise and increase fitness, and for competition; and coincidentally, withdraw when these motives are left unmet. The literature is well established on the influence coaching…