Virginia Golfer May / June 2015 | Page 15

THE FIVE F’S OF
EARLY SPECIALIZATION

TITLEIST PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE

Opposite: Healthy children tend to be active in a
number of different activities.

they’re no longer the big fish in a little pond
just because they’ve been engaged in an athletic
endeavor. How are they going to handle it?
There’s more to it from a health standpoint
than the skill of being able to hit a golf shot from
160 yards with a fade or a draw. The ability to
have a sense of resilience is important. I have
to believe that athletes who play other sports
learn hardiness because it becomes necessary.
Winning is fun, but the reason to participate
in sports is to acquire and enhance life skills, as
well as compete and learn.
Development of athletic skills should
not come before nurturing one’s long-term
psychological well-being.
A member of two NCAA national championship
baseball teams at Louisiana State University,
co-author Bhrett McCabe, Ph.D., is a licensed
clinical psychologist who serves as the sports
psychologist for the University of Alabama athletic
department. Co-author Tom Cunneff is a senior
editor with Links magazine and a frequent
contributor to Virginia Golfer.

FUNCTION: Much more important than wins or losses is
the overall functioning of the young athlete. It’s essential
to monitor their sleep habits, desire to practice and social
interactions. Highly specialized athletes tend to build
their social networks around their sport, which can limit
development of necessary social skills over their lifespan.
FUN: When their athletic career is over, the young athlete
will remember the experiences much more than the
trophies, so make sure they enjoy the game, training and
competitions.
Encouraging athletic

FAMILY: Sometimes with overspecialization the parentfreedom is important in
child dynamic gets a little out of line. In these instances,
helping a child develop
the parent becomes the facilitator and the kid becomes
mentally and physically.
the authoritative person in the family and kind of sets the
rules. Parents have to be aware of this and make sure that the kid is not in charge.
FAILURE: Since early specialization is here to stay, don’t be afraid to incorporate drills
or games that young athletes can’t win, where they must learn to find internal grit and
resiliency to proceed. One of my favorite golf drills is called “The Butcher.” Set up eight
stations with tees around a hole five feet away. Putt three balls from a start station. You
advance to the next station only after making three in a row. Miss anywhere and you
have to return to the start station. In order to win, you must make 24 in a row.
(For more training games, download my podcast, “The MindSide,” available on iTunes.)
FINANCES: Avoid making kids aware of the cost of early-specialization training. I’ve had
several players tell me that they have to play well because their parents are struggling to
pay entry fees and lessons. The added pressure does not benefit the athlete. Be certain
that the costs are never a factor in the young person’s performance.
—Bhrett McCabe

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