We recently interviewed Mark Hyman, who has written a book called “Until it Hurts, America’s Obsession with Youth Sports and How It Harms Our Kids.” In this book, Mark examines the power of youth sports in our culture today and how it has reached a problematic state. The book will be released on April 1 and prior to its debut, it can be ordered at Amazon or at the Beacon Press Web site. We recommend this book to parents, grandparents, teachers and coaches everywhere.

Tell us a little about yourself:

“I’m a sports journalist, blogger, former youth coach and dad. I live in Baltimore with my wife Peggy and sons Ben, 20, and Eli 18. I have a blog called called Youth Sports Parents which is a forum to help parents figure out where they fit in the youth sports arena. You can also follow my posts on Twitter or Facebook. A website for the book is coming soon. Please visit it at untilithurts.com.”

What was the inspiration behind writing your book

Many parents are generally aware that youth sports have become more competitive and intense. There’s less appreciation of the consequences for our kids. Half the sports injuries treated by pediatricians each year are caused by overuse – doing the same sport or skill over and over until it hurts. That’s a stunning statistic. I hope this book connects the dots in a way that starts a conversation.

Tell us a little about the book and why parents would want to buy it.

It’s a book of stories, really. Some are cautionary tales. A few have happy endings. Some are alarming. Some make you wonder about the power of youth sports to overwhelm our usually sound parenting judgment. Some are told by physicians. Some by coaches. Some by former professional athletes. I share a not-so-flattering story about a misstep that I made while coaching my son’s youth baseball team, and the unfortunate consequences several years later. I think it is well-reported, honest appraisal of what is happening in the youth sports world these days. It’s a book I wish I could have picked up when my children were getting started in sports.

Did you have any “AHA” moments while interviewing kids & parents for this book. OR Were there any points in your interviews with kids and parents where you saw a teachable moment about your topic for a child, a parent or both?

A very good question, I had several moments like that. Here’s one. I had gone to Los Angeles to do several interviews for the book. I was speaking with Dr. John DiFiori, Chief of Sports Medicine at UCLA Hospital, who has written numerous articles about sports injuries in children. We were discussing stress fractures, tendonitis – overuse injuries of all sorts. Dr. DiFiori opened my eyes to something I had not considered before. He told me that before the adult-dominated era of youth sports, there was very little talk among doctors about this type of injury. And, in fact, there were few injuries of this kind. When children are at free play, he explained, they don’t throw, run, jump until it hurts. Pretty much, that happens when adults are in charge. A sobering observation. And an important one.

What are one or two nuggets you want parents to come away with after reading the book

Every time your child steps on a sports field, tell yourself: ‘This isn’t about my dreams and ambitions. I’m here to support my daughter or son.’ It sounds obvious. But it’s hard to check your aspirations at the door. I know from experience. Also, this: Every parent I met as I did the reporting for Until It Hurts wanted the best for his or her child. That gives me reason for optimism. If we can make the case that the current system of ever-more competitive sports is risky for young kids, maybe we can dial down the intensity and just play for fun.

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We want to genuinely thank Mark for allowing us to interview him. The messages in his book are important and we encourage you to purchase his book, subscribe to his blog and tell others about it.

Book Covers from the award winning Bur Bur and Friend’s children’s book series: Bur Bur and Friends is a cast of multicultural characters who educate kids about sports, outdoor exploration and active play though their experiences.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at 6:38 pm and is filed under Community Board. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.