Dr. James Andrews: "Don't treat 6- and 7-year-olds like professional athletes."
On its face, the logic makes perfect sense. Nothing wears out a young joint, muscle or tendon like repeating the same motion for multiple hours a day, 300 days a year.
But don't take it from me. Read it from the world's leading expert on the subject, Dr. James Andrews.
"Don't treat 6- and 7-year-old kids like they're professional athletes,'' Dr. James Andrews said at a Florida Hospital Orlando gathering last week, via the Orlando Sentinel. "They're not ready for that level of high-intensity training.''
Andrews stressed the importance of proper training
"They should have at least two months off, preferably 3-4 months of each year and to not be throwing a baseball or overhead sport so their body has time to recuperate," Andrews said.
If young players are fortunate enough to avoid injury, Andrews said the next greatest threat to their athletic career is a social one. He noted that between 60 and 70 percent of kids drop out of sports by the age 13 because of pressure from peers, coaches or parents.
"Let your kid do what's fun and enjoy playing youth baseball, for goodness sakes," Andrews said.
