Common Myths


Reality Check 

Kids must play on Travel Teams to play in High School.No – Many programs actually narrow the learning experiences of kids, undermine overall development and frequently cause burnout.
Specialization at a young age will increase the likelihood of long-term, high-level success.With some very rare exceptions, such as women’s gymnastics and figure skating, early specialization is not the way to go. It more often leads to injuries, burnout and dropping out.
Most world class and professional athletes specialized in one sport at a young age.Not so. 7 out of 10 Olympic athletes and 30 out of 32 NFL first round picks in 2017 were multi-sport athletes in high school.
Private instruction is necessary to be successful at the high school level. Private instruction can help, but is not always necessary nor a guarantee of success. The quality of instruction is what matters.
If you work hard, getting an athletic scholarship is a reasonable goal for most high school athletes.The odds are not in your favor. Fewer than 3% of high school athletes get an athletic scholarship to a Division I school.
Signing a professional contract is a realistic goal for many athletes.This is an even longer shot. Less than ½ of 1% of high school athletes will get an opportunity to play a professional sports.
Athletic Scholarships cover the cost of attending college. Think again. The average athletic scholarship is less than $10,000 per year. 
The more games you play, the more you improve. Skill Improvement for young developing athletes, occurs mostly during practice, not during games. Follow the suggested 3:1 practice to game ratio. 

“By the age of 13, as many as 7 out of 10 kids will quit playing an organized sport, because it is simply not fun anymore.”

- The Aspen Institute Project Play