Other kids are doing it. They see other young athletes excelling and want their own kids to keep up the pace. These are all understandable reasons why parents may push kids into sports early. Most parents don't want to hurt or pressure their kids and they don't want to burn them out, but they assume that there is no alternative if they want to raise successful athletes. Usually the only role models they have are other parents who've done exactly the same thing.
Parents start their kids in sports early because they assume that it works.
And they often get this idea from the people they turn to for advice, such as coaches and sports organizations. Even with the concern about athlete burnout, some sports professionals advocate youth development programs to identify and begin training talent at an early age. For example, at least one observer suggested that the United States Tennis Association sends out a very strong message to parents by giving its money, coaching, and attention to those players willing to devote their preteen and teen years to full-time tennis. No matter what the U.S.T.A. says, the youngest kids are all they're really looking at. It is very clear that we need to identify stellar talent earlier.