Almost a half-century ago, a famous Finnish coach and athletic authority Lauri Pihkala said, "Boys don't be in a hurry to join the men."
His warning is still applicable today and should be seriously considered in the basic training of young athletes, where early specialization should be avoided at all costs. Those who are not prepared to follow this principle and are looking for quick successes usually find themselves on the losing end when it comes to senior competition.1