Key Points - Athletes at all levels of specialization described playing baseball at an early age for enjoyment and fun; however, moderate- and high-level specialists articulated greater passion and focused attention to improve their sport performance. To reduce the risk of physical and psychological consequences related to youth sport, these groups should be educated regarding rest and recovery recommendations. - Parents were not identified as an overbearing external motivator to engage in sports. Participants depicted parents as encouraging figures who introduced them to sports and then expressed an increasingly self-determined desire to be involved in sports as they got older. - Compared with low-level specialists, moderate- and high-level participants consistently reported having greater performance-related stress levels and more desire to quit sports due to a lack of enjoyment or poor coach interactions. This may indicate the need to monitor physical and psychological stress levels in these groups to reduce the risk of staleness and burnout.
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