Naturally, there are many benefits of participating in organized sports. It can teach kids a lot about hard work, social skills, self-discipline, sportsmanship, and other desirable traits. But too much too early means there is very little downtime for kids to “just” play outside; additionally, it reduces parents to frazzled, grumpy chauffeurs. Of those who start too early, many are burned-out and lose interest by the time they are twelve, according to Hansi Hinic, a researcher at Halmstad University in Sweden, who specializes in the psychological effects of organized sports on children.
