1 sport?

Play as many as you can. You'll have more fun and be a better athlete too.

I assume you are talking high school.

My son is starting his freshman year in a few weeks. He plays baseball, basketball and football. Baseball is his first love and probably his best, although he excels at all three.

He will play all three as long as he can. realistsically, he can play two at the varsity level with a little indulgence from coaches.

I think multiple sports is very good for him, and encourage it.

He can play every sport, but it shouldn't be as serious as his main sport. If baseball is his sport, he should daily on his skills. But if he plays basketball and football on the side, he should only practice once or twice a week, unless on a team.

Before you decide do some research. Look at the high school players who were drafted over the past years. I do recall a lot of the top draft choices being multiple sports athletes.

Then look over the rosters of colleges you are interested in playing at. How many of the starting players there were multiple sport athletes.

You do not have to sacrifice everything to make it to the next level. But there will be sacrifice. If you choose to play multiple sports it is a huge time commitment and takes tremendous dedication. More than likely it will put a huge damper on things like your social life. It's not for everyone.

In the end, only you can decide what feels right to you.

I played football, hockey, wrestled and played baseball all at one time. It takes incredible commitment which I don't have so I dropped hockey. Just look at your son and only you can tell if he is up to the task. You have to factor academics into the equation also.

I think you should play more than one sport if you can. Last year I played three. This year I'm dropping football to play fall ball, but I am still playing basketball. Any thoughts on this decision?

AParent says it all:

quote:

In the end, only you can decide what feels right to you.

There are pros and cons of playing one sport as there are of playing multiple sports.

CH11, these are games and are there for your and my enjoyment. Do you want pie or cakes...or both? You make the call.
Fungo

I agree with the other replies who say that it's a personal decision based upon time constraints and the individual level of commitment. My son plays baseball and basketball, with baseball being his major sport. I've talked to coaches, ex college and ex pro players about this, they all said that it's a good thing for a kid to play in different sports, as long as he doesn't over-do it and can keep up his grades. In my son's case playing basketball in the winter is a good way to keep him in shape and away from the video games.

The days of multisport athletes in high school are dwindling. Now everything is 24 7. You have the football caches telling their players be in the weight room during the winter and show up for workouts in the off season. Basketball is all year round. and slowly baseball is geting there with all the indoor facilities. I guess what goes around comes around. I remember in my coaching days having to deal with an all star football game in April. A couple of my players were selected. Do you tell them they cant practice or play? I ofte wondered what would it would be if a all star baseball game was held say in September or October.

In this area, baseball is out of the question from November through early March. It dovetails nicely with the HS basketball season.

Will,
I hear you. Football up here is great, and basketball well no one really cares, but there was a player that is going to Kansas. But baseball is really important up here as well as wrestling. It is all about the fan support!!

CH11, only you can answer that for yourself. I will say this, competitors compete. Thats what they do. Take a kid that excels in baseball but is average in basketball. If they are competitive, they will work harder to play. That in turn fuels their athletic abilities. Also, they might get a sense of what it is like for the lesser athletes in baseball to participate. I see much good in this. Of course, there is always the chance that you can get hurt in your secondary sport. Perhaps you are tentitive. So, if that's the way you want to live you life...

Enjoy being a kid - play as many sports as you love, and dedicate yourself to them fully. Your career will be over before you know it, and only YOU will have to face the reflection that you see in the mirror...and that reflection will only be OK if you have no regrets. Most great athletes have played more than one sport in high school...you'll have plenty of time to specialize later.

CH11,
Like everyone's saying, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to your question. I do suggest that you play only the number of sports that will allow you to keep your GPA at a high level. For some players that number changes to just one sport in high school, while others can still play multiple sports and still be a good student.

i have always played 3 sports, football , basketball, and baseball. i dropped football this year because it was the sport i least liked and i was just too busy with baseball. so i say u should try to paly as many sports as you can but if your gonna drop one, make it be the one you have the least desire to play.

Story...

Local kid. Good athlete, not great, but smart, agrerssive and skilled. Played a great deal of travel baseball young.

In high school loved fotball and excelled but was undersized. Cut back baseball in high school to seasonally and added wakeboarding as a serious persuit in the summer becasue he loves it. Drove his father nuts because his father figured that baseball was his best ticket.

Made all league baseball and football but was NOT on any national radar, or lists. No select ball. No Travel ball. No summer ball at all. Gets invited to a showcase on the basis of his HS season. Goes. Gets some good interest from a Top 20 DI. Goes to July '05 prospect camp. Receives what we are told is a "full ride" (yes, I know there are not real full rides in baseball) offer. Takes it. Will wakeboard competitively the rest of the summer and play football in the fall.

Moral of the story. Enjoy your life in other ways as well. While playing year round and hard work will undoubtedly improve you chances and your skills. Playing other sports does not necessarily dull your chances.

My never to be humble opinion,

Play as many sports as you enjoy playing, for as long as you can.

HOWEVER, Baseball players are made in the off season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That means when you get home from football or basketball or whatever paractice is in season, work on your baseball skills! Take 150-200 swings. Work on your pitching mechanics etc.