By Julie Eibensteiner, PT, DPT, CSCS
If you know a young athlete right now, you’ve probably noticed how intense youth sports have become. “Elite” teams at age 9. Club seasons that never end. Kids specializing before they’ve even hit their growth spurts.
Here’s what most people don’t realize:
The best middle school athletes aren’t the ones who play the most or specialize early. They’re the ones who build a strong foundation during these years.
And the current injury trends are a wake-up call.
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Youth Sports Injuries Are Going Up
ACL Injuries
• Up 2–3% per year in kids and teens for 20 years [AAP Pediatrics, 2017]
• More than doubled in ages 13–17 over ~10 years [Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics, 2019]
• ACL surgeries up 6x in 10–15 years [Journal of Orthopaedics, 2023]
Tommy John (UCL) Surgeries
• 10x increase in some regions in 9 years [Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023]
• Up 300%+ in teens over about a decade [Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 2016]
Why the spike?
Earlier specialization
Higher volume
Less rest and recovery
Less general athletic development
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Powerful Words From Experts
“Early specialization is a business model, not a development model.”
— Dr. Neeru Jayanthi, Emory Sports Medicine
“Youth sports have become more about the needs of adults than the needs of kids.”
— John O’Sullivan, Changing the Game Project
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🧠 So… What Should Middle-School Athletes Focus On Instead?
If your athlete is under 13, your number one job isn’t to create a specialist. It’s to build a durable, confident, well-rounded mover.
Here’s what actually sets them up for long-term success:
1. Movement Skills Over More Teams
Middle school is the golden window to build coordination, balance, body control, agility, landing mechanics, and speed. Athletes who move well now stay healthier later.
Water the soil here:
Hopping and sticking landings
Jump rope
Tag games
Obstacle courses
Shuttle runs
Single-leg balance challenges
2. Age-Appropriate Strength Training
Not bodybuilding or maxing out.
Think bodyweight strength, core, squatting, crawling, hanging, pulling, pushing, and carrying.
Strong kids:
✓ Absorb force
✓ Handle growth spurts better
✓ Get injured less
Weak kids break down when workloads spike.
I’ve always wanted to study injury rates of farm kids vs. metro kids. The physical resilience built by daily chores is an underrated health and performance advantage.
Easy strength ideas:
Wall sits
Planks
Bear crawls
Hanging from a bar
Single-leg balance
Sled or backpack carries
🧩 3. Multi-Sport and Play Variety
If all their movement is structured and sport-specific, gaps grow and so do injury risks.
Read that twice.
Encourage:
• 2–3 different sports across the year
• Free play, backyard and neighborhood games, climbing, biking, park play
• Skills that challenge different movement patterns and problem-solving abilities
Variety builds resilience, coordination, and athletic intelligence.
4. Rest and Recovery Are Training Too
If your 11–13-year-old is in organized activity 6–7 days per week, the long-term cost is high. Sleep, downtime, and “being a kid” are necessary for development.
Rule of thumb:
Aim for 1–2 days each week with no structured sport or training.
❤️ 5. Protect Their Love of Sport
The best athletes at 16–18 are almost always the ones who still enjoy it.
Fun, confidence, identity outside of sport, and supportive environments keep kids in the game long enough to reach their potential.
📍 If You Only Remember Three Things
Movement quality and strength before volume
Variety before specialization
Rest is productive
🌱 The Goal Before High School
Not trophies
Not elite travel teams
Not hitting numbers early
The goal is to build strong, confident, durable kids who love to move.
If we do that right, performance takes care of itself later.
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🌟 Ready to Help Your Middle-Schooler Build the Right Foundation?
If this resonates and you want your young athlete to train with long-term development in mind, our next Laurus Roots Middle School Training group starts in January.
🗓 Starts: January 20, 2026
📍 Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays
⏰ Time: 4:00–4:45 PM
📅 Duration: 6 weeks (12 sessions)
💵 Cost: $295
👥 Who: Middle school athletes (grades 6–8)
🎯 Focus: Strength, movement skills, coordination, speed, confidence, and a healthy foundation for long-term success
Registration is open (limited to 10 athletes)
Complete the form to secure a spot: CLICK HERE