The Harsh Truth: Your Kid Isn’t That Good Yet

Every parent thinks their kid is the next LeBron, Serena, or Messi. I get it—you love your kid, you want the best, and you’re convinced that if they’re not on a travel team by 10, your, I mean, their dreams are over.

Here’s the harsh truth: they’re not that good yet. And that’s a good thing for long-term athletic development.

My Story

In high school, I played football, hockey, and track and field. Then I went to college…and did all three there too. I’m annoyingly good at just about any sport with a little practice. That’s not bragging—it’s what being an athlete actually means. Real athletes don’t just dominate one game; they adapt, compete, and rise in whatever arena you throw them into.

And I’ve got to thank my parents for that. They encouraged me to play multiple sports instead of boxing me into one. That freedom built the athletic foundation I still rely on today.

That’s the part parents often miss. You think “elite” means your kid made the All-Star team at 10. Elite is being able to walk into a totally new sport and figure it out faster than everyone else. That’s exactly what happened to me. My college track career opened the door to Team USA Skeleton—one of the most niche, insane sports on the planet. You can’t “specialize” in Skeleton at age 10 in the U.S. The only reason I got there is because my all-around athletic foundation made it possible.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

This isn’t opinion—it’s data:

• In the 2022 NFL Draft, 88.9% of players were multi-sport athletes in high school. Nearly half (43.1%) played three or more sports. Only 11.1% were single-sport specialists.
  
  
• From 2008–2017, 88% of first-round NFL draft picks were multi-sport athletes in high school.
  
  
• Roughly 95% of NFL quarterbacks played at least two sports in high school, and about 70% played three or more.
  
  
• As recently as 2020, 92% of Super Bowl players came from multi-sport backgrounds.
  
  

That’s the profile of elite athletes—the ones who make it to the highest level. Multi-sport, adaptable, competitive. Not specialized at 10.

Competitiveness Over Specialization

The kids who make it aren’t the ones who peaked at 12. They’re the ones who learned how to compete in any environment. They’re adaptable, resilient, and unafraid of failure. That comes from playing multiple sports, facing different challenges, and learning how to fight back when things don’t go their way.

Parents, It’s Time for a Reality Check

Your kid doesn’t need to be a “specialist” at 10. They need to Be An Athlete. They need to learn how to compete, develop coordination, and enjoy the process of sport. That’s what gives them the best shot later on—if they even want to chase sports at the highest level.

Because here’s the truth: your son or daughter isn’t getting drafted out of fifth grade. No college coach is scouting the U11 travel league. And the harder you push them to “specialize early,” the faster you’re pushing them toward burnout, not greatness.

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