PARENTING: Why Your 5-Year-Old Doesn’t Need to Be a Prodigy And What They Really Need From Sports
If you're feeling pressure to develop your little athlete into a sports star, you're not alone. According to the Aspen Institute’s Project Play survey (2025), more than 50% of sports parents feel some or lots of pressure to have their child specialize in one sport, and the reason may surprise you. Parents don’t necessarily have their eye on professional careers or NCAA-level roster spots, but instead high school sports.
Take it from us…your child doesn’t need to be a baseball/soccer/basketball/fill-in-the-blank star by age five.
They don’t need a private coach, a highlight reel, or a plan to secure a high school roster spot before they can tie their cleats.
What they need—what all kids need from sports—isn’t peak performance. It’s belonging. Joy. Confidence. Room to grow.
But in a world of viral toddler trick shots and mini-athlete TikToks, it’s easy to forget that youth sports aren’t supposed to look like ESPN. They’re supposed to look like messy ponytails, grass stains, belly laughs, and a whole lot of trying and having fun.
The Myth of the Mini Prodigy
Somewhere along the way, we started believing that earlier is always better. That unless your 5-year-old is juggling a soccer ball while solving math problems, they’re already behind.
But here’s the truth: The best athletes weren’t all child prodigies. And your child is exactly where they are supposed to be.
In fact, research from the American Development Model shows that early specialization often leads to burnout, injury, and quitting by the time kids reach high school.
What actually helps kids become successful—on the field or off—isn’t pressure. It’s play.
What Young Kids Really Need From Sports
If your child is starting sports for the first time, here’s what they actually need:
To Feel Included: Every child deserves to be part of the team, no matter their skill level or support needs.
To Have Fun: Laughter, imagination, and celebration should outshine scores and drills.
To Build Confidence: Small wins, high-fives, and trying new things without fear of failure.
To Learn at Their Own Pace: Not all kids will love kicking a ball on day one—and that’s okay.
To Move Their Bodies: Run, jump, twist, wiggle—developmentally, this matters more than winning.
This isn’t just a feel-good philosophy. It’s developmentally backed, inclusive, and exactly how we teach at Inclyousion Sports.
A New Definition of Success
Let’s redefine success in kids’ sports:
Not who scores the most goals, but who has the most fun.
At Inclyousion Sports, we believe that when kids feel supported, included, and celebrated, they grow—not just in skills, but in spirit.
So no, your 5-year-old doesn’t need to be a prodigy.
They just need you to believe they’re enough, exactly as they are.
