Sports have become increasingly more specialized, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be fun.

Hamm contrasts the modern trend toward early specialization—narrow training, year-round schedules, and performance pressure—with the original purpose of youth sport: enjoyment, play, and personal growth. The quote argues that increased professionalism and technical focus need not crowd out fun; rather, fun is a sustaining ingredient that keeps athletes motivated and resilient. Implicitly, it critiques systems that treat children like miniature professionals and suggests that long-term development (and even elite success) is better supported when athletes retain a sense of play, curiosity, and intrinsic love of the game.