| Multilateral development is a theory which urges | | | | only being truly challenged with the tactics and |
| young athletes to participate in several sports | | | | game speed of baseball. Baseball is a notoriously |
| over their childhood and adolescent periods prior | | | | slow game, especially at the youth level. |
| to specializing in one. The basis is that varied | | | | Developing optimal 'quick-wittedness' and 'game |
| athletic stimulus will serve to broaden the | | | | smarts' may best be done via participation is |
| youngsters' 'warehouse' or 'portfolio' of general | | | | several sports. My point here is that the |
| athletic ability and develop a thorough or | | | | arguments either for or against multilateral |
| expansive base on which to build and eventually | | | | development are typically waged on the physical |
| specialize. While the concepts are well known and | | | | spectrum. In reality, the successful development |
| the research citing success far reaching, it is still | | | | of a young athlete is also heavily influenced by |
| not an embraced reality within North American | | | | items such as mental and emotional perspicacity |
| youth sports. | | | | and tactical (sporting) smarts. |
| By examining elite athletics, you can most | | | | While the multilateral development versus early |
| certainly see the impact that multilateral | | | | specialization debate tends to wage endlessly in |
| development can have - | | | | North America, other nations have adopted its |
| Michael Jordan - played baseball and football as a | | | | concepts and applied its principals, due to both |
| youth | | | | practical success as well as scientific research. |
| Dave Winfield - a multi-sport phenomenon drafted | | | | Dr. Michael Yessis in his wonderful book, "Secrets |
| by the NBA in addition to MLB | | | | of Soviet Sports & Fitness Training", offers |
| Gary Roberts - an esteemed NHL veteran, played | | | | this input - |
| lacrosse at a high level as a youth | | | | "Sport scientists. have found that athletes benefit |
| Kurt Browning - 4-time world figure skating | | | | from participating in sports other than the one in |
| champion was an avid hockey and baseball player | | | | which they specialize. By doing so, the can tap a |
| While these are just a few examples, the reality | | | | broader array of physiological skill, as well as take |
| is that elite athletics is dominated by individuals | | | | advantage of a psychological relaxing diversion. It's |
| who participated in more than one sport as kids. | | | | common for (Soviet trained athletes), for |
| By no means am I suggesting that excelling in | | | | example, to play twenty minutes of basketball as |
| more than one sport is important, but actively | | | | part of a warm-up of their day-to-day training |
| participating in a variety of athletic endeavors as | | | | sessions, (even if they are wrestlers). |
| you grow physiologically and psychologically is key. | | | | .(In the west), the tendency is to believe that the |
| These realities extend beyond just developing | | | | way to become a good runner, for instance, is to |
| good athletic ability. In fact, one of the problems | | | | run, run and run some more. The Soviets, |
| I've encountered and often explained to parents | | | | however, know that during certain periods of the |
| and coaches in youth training seminars is that | | | | training program, there are other sports that can |
| there is more than just a physical burn-out | | | | be used to help make a runner quicker and more |
| associated with specialized sporting endeavors. | | | | flexible, thus developing the all- around physical |
| The obvious key is that specialization will result in | | | | qualities needed to be a champion". |
| a decreased amount of overall athletic ability | | | | The former Soviet Union and other members of |
| which will inevitably become a hindrance as young | | | | the Eastern Bloc are not the only nations that |
| athletes mature. In my experience, the athletes | | | | adhere to developmental principals. Australia is |
| with the most diverse athletic history are often | | | | perhaps the best current day example of the |
| better equipped to learn and develop skills at the | | | | power of a strong, national development system. |
| higher ends of a given sport once specialization | | | | Guided by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), |
| has been determined. Above and beyond that | | | | a National Talent Identification and Development |
| however, there is also a mental stimulation | | | | program has been institute country-wide and in |
| component to athletic development. If baseball is | | | | conjunction with state and territory governments. |
| a 12 month sport, for example, at what point | | | | The Talent Search, as it is referred to, is a |
| does a 9 year old begin to lose interest? | | | | coordinated effort to search for the sporting |
| To answer that question, just think about the | | | | talent in Australia's young people. The program is |
| average 9 year olds attention span in general. | | | | designed to help sports identify talented athletes |
| That's not to say that your 9 year old isn't truly | | | | (ranging in age from 11 - 20) and assist in |
| enjoying every second of playing baseball | | | | preparing them for domestic, national and |
| throughout the year, but inevitably, he will be | | | | international competition. Young athletes are |
| 'enjoying' the game and 'focusing' on it more at | | | | guided through developmental programs which |
| certain points and less at others - that's the | | | | facilitate giving them the best opportunity to |
| nature of being a kid. It's in these down times | | | | realize their sporting potential. |
| that bad and lazy habits can be developed. | | | | In the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the United |
| Keeping a youngster truly energized and excited | | | | States lead all nations in total medals won with |
| about playing and learning new skills is a key | | | | 199. In fourth place, Australia's athletes collected |
| component to athletic development that is very | | | | 115 medals. |
| often overlooked. | | | | With a population of 19, 546, 792 people, Australia |
| Another overlooked feature of why multilateral | | | | has 271,280, 551 fewer people than the United |
| development remains the best option for young | | | | States. With 14 times fewer people, they won |
| people is the tactical aspects associated with | | | | only 84 medals less than the United States. |
| sport. Even if your son engages in numerous | | | | Developmental strategies work. |
| other informal modes of athletic stimulus, he is | | | | |