Sporty kids' social lives?

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My DS does three sports, with seven to ten sessions of varying intensity and length in a typical week between them. I'm wondering how this is going to impact development of their social life as they get older.

If your child is doing a similar amount of sporty activity, what has their social life looked like during their secondary school years? Do they have enough energy between sports and growth spurts for hanging out with friends? Do they centre their social life around their sports?

Also, if you've had a kid already go through lots of sports, growth spurts, etc., are there any behaviours I should look out for that might indicate they're doing too much and need to dial back the activity for a while (beyond the obvious of them being extremely tired)? Thanks.

DD was a triathlete and a swimmer, she trained most days of the week and her clubmates were her social life. She is still friends with some of them now despite the fact they are all aged in their mid 30s now. Her sports were her life and helped her manage the stresses of school etc.

How old is your DS?

Just think it will help with the relevance of advice

I like sports as they reduce time for staring at screens/gaming/hanging round in parks. If they play/partake at any kind of a serious level then nutrition advice from coaches etc can also deter drinking and junk food binges (to an extent). They also encourage friendships from the sports teams so are usually compatible personalities (not always!)

We've been advised that too much sport is more hours than years of their age.

Common growth related injury pain conditions include Osgood-Schlatters(knees) and Severs(heels). Don't encourage them to play through any pain and seek physio support if they develop any.

The only sporty kid that I know does most of his socialising with his team mates. Makes sense that as they are the ones who he spends most time with.

We've been advised that too much sport is more hours than years of their age.

Now you mention it, I recall reading that guidance a while ago. Hours-wise he's doing 9-11 hrs of purposeful training/practice, and is 11 years old. He seems fine atm, but hasn't yet had a growth spurt - other parents have mentioned how tired their children have been when growing quickly.

He currently has plenty time outside sport for other hobbies and homework and screen time (sigh), but already his sports commitments, or I guess his screen time commitment - these are choices, after all, mean he does less hanging around with his friends after school than he'd otherwise do, and he sacrifices weekend meetups with friends from school to pursue his sports. He makes friends within his sports pretty easily, but this all tends to be within an environment structured by adults, and doesn't come with the same elements of free play and risk-taking that hanging out with your friends in the local woods would do, and I suppose I don't want him to miss out on those aspects of growing up.

@slope My lone acquaintance that is athletic spends the majority of his free time hanging out with his teammates. Given that he spends the most of his time with them, it is not surprising.