Did you know your youth athlete is at risk when they have early specialization of sport before they are 15 years of age? The trend in youth sports today is for young athletes to train year-round in a single sport with the exclusion of other sports. Parents and athletes think there are many benefits to doing this. However, there are far greater risks – including increases in injuries, burnout, and a lack of adequate recovery time – all of which happen when a student athlete plays one sport year-round without a break.