Psychology of Sport

From the games of youth to the big leagues

Dr. Richard D. Ginsburg is co-Director of the Sport Psychology Program and PACES Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital. See full bio

April 2, 2008,

Psychology of Sport - From the games of youth to the big leagues

Benefits from playing sports are being undermined by extreme training and intens

Playing youth sports has drastically changed in the last twenty years. When I was young, we played pickup games in my neighborhood. Basketball, wiffleball, and touch football - without the involvement and supervision of adults - were our games until dark. Presently, neighborhood, unstructured play has dropped off. Both parents work. Many of us worry, "Who will take care of our kids? Will they be abducted if we give them freedom to play?" Organized sports seem to assuage these concerns.

But, I am seeing increasing numbers of burnout and overuse injuries among our youth. I am seeing parents under great financial and emotional strain trying to keep up with an overwhelming sports' schedule that overtakes family dinners and dominates weekend activities. And for what? It's unlikely any of our kids will receive athletic college scholarships, despite all of our fantasies (mine included).

The physical and emotional health benefits from playing sports are being undermined by extreme training and intense adult pressures. Among our teen athletes, I am seeing increasing demands on them to perform at exceedingly high levels. Cheating, steroid use, overtraining and rage are rearing their ugly heads in the service of achieving that savored "competitive edge."

In this blog, I hope to address these concerning issues related to youth sports and their connections to the collegiate and professional sport world. I hope to facilitate a dialogue among parents about what is healthy and edifying for their children in a fast-paced, win-at-all-cost sporting world.