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FortKnightley: Jack of all trades, Master of none?

Felsted’s Director of Sport Blog ‘FortKnightley’ looks at sporting issues that are relevant today and will leave you all with something to think about. Follow on Twitter @dirfelstedsport


Jack of all trades, Master of none?

I believe it was William Shakespeare who was first referred to with this idiom, but it can and has been applied to sport in recent times, with the debate over whether specialising young is an advantage over maintaining a balance of sports in reaching sports top table. 

The reality for the majority of young athletes is that they will not be elite athletes and so the dilemma of specialising could be one of choice rather than a feeling of necessity. However, the dream of being an elite athlete is held by many and so the issue can be a real one for many young sportsmen and women. Infact, it may often be the parents that make these decisions for their youngsters and this can often be from a position of not really understanding what will be best.

You could argue that the introduction of so many junior academies across several sports has in some cases put players in a position to have to make a choice at a young age. There is also plenty of evidence to show that these academies are well run, organised, have excellent coaching structures and benefit those on the programme. There will certainly be players coming through this system into the elite game, but the % will still be small. It is a slightly different point, but these academies being proactive in identifying youngsters could be in a position where they are missing talent that matures a little later or indeed those players who are investing time in other sports. Those who see early specialisation as key would certainly adhere to the 10,000 hours notion in one particular area as important and essential for elite performance to be reached. 

It is true that several professionals could have potentially excelled in more than one sport, suggesting that they specialised later. Those that advocate the multi-sport approach certainly see the value of transferable skills, which could be skill-based or mental health based. This will also potentially help prevent repetitive strain injuries picked up by just doing the same skill set all year round (bowling in cricket comes to mind) and the risk of burnout from placing all your eggs in one basket from a young age. Possibly worse than this would be emotional exhaustion or stress when goals or targets are not reached in one particular area. 

 

 

Those that believe more well-rounded and competent athletes come from the multi-sport approach have many supporters and only recently Kane Williamson, the well-respected New Zealand cricket captain, stated ‘Play as many sports as you can at school’ as he reflected on his experience of playing a mix of different sports in his youth that all helped him stay fresh for cricket. 

The transfer of skills is indeed the key behind the argument that ‘less is more; or should it be ‘more breadth is more’? The footwork a hockey player displays will certainly be seen on the cricket outfield and the transition from sprinter to rugby player is one we have seen in the past and recent times. Infact, the talent identification of athletes for a particular discipline can come from another discipline quite easily. This athlete is then often fresh and free from years of baggage or indeed anxiety, but upskilling in the finer details of a sport are not always that easy for some. 
 


Whichever camp you sit, we will all agree that the majority of young athletes will not be elite performers and we might potentially agree that some sports give you very little choice and you need to be in the programme from a young age and if you are to make it in sport specialisation will take place at some point. It could well be that many athletes logistically can’t get access to a breadth of sports for a variety of sociological reasons and so the choice of a multi-sport approach was never an option. 

It certainly seems that the growth and professionalism of sport, which brings with it a growing number of well qualified youth coaches across sports, will encourage the young, ambitious athlete to be encouraged to follow a specialised path. 

We would hate that to mean our youngsters of today are missing out on the opportunity to learn and grow across the many different sports that all challenge you in their unique way. If this is a strength, then possibly those 10,000 hours can be spread across different sports before you find your calling? 




Charlie Knightley
Director of Sport