SPORTS SPECIALIZATION: The “Pundficator” and “Wealth, Actually” take on the Pressure of Sports Success

Another reminder that the “Wealth, Actually” podcasts come out on Thursday morning before the EST commute. You can subscribe on most major podcast platforms . . . and now on with the show!

Remember Todd Marinovich? He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the archetype for early specialization and “guaranteed success” in sports . . . his story started out nicely, but ended in a horrible flame out. Here is a recent update on his progress from Rick Telander . . .

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/1/15/18386050/todd-marinovich-story-is-a-cautionary-tale-for-parents

In this Episode, Haven and I engage our society’s thirst for sports success, the pressure it puts on early sports specialization and the damage it can cause.

We tackle:

• The role of sports in social mobility
• How colleges and the admissions process have played a role in sports machine
• The benefits of team activities in overall development
• The lottery-like odds of success
• The nature of injuries and the risk of specialization
• The benefits of specialization and the risk of being left behind

Let us know what you think!