The Young Athlete - Book Review

Amateur sports used to mean varsity and JV teams in high school and college, but today more than thirty million kids play on a wide range of recreational and competitive or select teams at younger and younger ages. Parents want to encourage safe sports for their children, both on the field and off. Whether your athlete is a five-year-old beginner or the star of a varsity team, The Young Athlete provides guidance on everything from working with the coach to preventing and treating sports-related injuries.

Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., co-founder and medical director of The Sports Medicine Institute for Young Athletes and one of America's premier pediatric sports physicians, explains:

• How to keep your child athlete healthy in mind and body
• How to deal with the coach and other parents and help your child handle team pressure
• How to recognize and prevent injuries such as fractures, ligament tears, and repetitive stress injuries
• How to recognize when your child is doing "too much"
• How to judge the impact of daily physical practice on growing bodies

The Young Athlete provides two kinds of guidelines. First, it helps both you and your child keep a sensible perspective on the benefits of organized sports and avoid a "win at all costs" mentality. Through personal advice and anecdotes from his medical practice, Dr. Metzl, a marathon runner, Ironman triathelete, and former college soccer player, helps parents evaluate real-life situations and decisions. He addresses the concerns of parents who have no experience in sports but want to encourage their children to achieve their utmost potential.

Second, this book focuses on strategies that can help prevent injuries and promote health. Dr. Metzl tells you how to recognize the most common injuries and determine their degree of seriousness. He also discusses the nutritional needs of the developing athlete and the benefits of strength and preventive conditioning before and during the season. The Young Athlete is a comprehensive guide that will enable your young athlete to be the best that he or she can be, both on and off the field.

Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., is co-founder and medical director of the Sports Medicine Institute for Young Athletes at the Hospital for Special Surgery, America's leading Orthopedic Hospital located in New York City. He is a former member of the U.S. Olympic Committee Medical Advisory Board, team physician for Fieldston, Riverdale, Spence, and Trinity schools in New York City, and sports medicine physician for many Broadway shows and the Radio City Rockettes. Dr. Metzl is a columnist for Child Magazine on health and fitness, a medical contributor to CBS News, and he lectures and speaks regularly across the country.

Carol Suen Shookhoff, Ph.D., writes frequently on educational issues. She is the mother of a teenage soccer player who also plays basketball and lacrosse and runs track.