Early specialization By : Nur Firdaus Bt Abd Rahim

Early specialization is :

• Early start age of participation , early involvement in competition ,intensive involvement in early age and early focus on performance improvement

What we believe that early specialization :

Make perfect athletes Easy to win

Skilfully Prepared athletes

High confidence Tactically automated

This is comparison between early specialization and multilateral development

Early specialization Multilateral development Quick performance improvement Slower performance improvement

Best performance achieved at 15-16 years of age because of quick adaption

Best performance at age 18 or older when the athletes reached physiological maturation

High incidence burn out and quitting sport by age 18

Longer athletic career

Increased risk of injury because of forced adaptation and lack of physiological development

Fewer injuries as a result of more progressive loading patterns and overall physiological development

So, in my opinion :

• A young athlete should begin specializing for sport when he/ she is capable of utilizing and optimizing his/ her innate talent , musculature, interest , motivation , inclination and endurance to stay focused and discipline with proper training and coaching.