Multiple Sports Or Not (times have changed)

Forget about what the athlete wants just see what goes on today. Lets look back. It used to be if you were an athlete you played multiple sports depending on the season. there were seasons that were defined. Now those seasons are all year. the football coach wants his players in the weight room the basketball coach wants them playing in spring leagues and summer leagues and yes the baseball coaches want the same fall ball teavel teams indoor facility practice in the winter etc etc

The kid is practically forced to pick something because in a way he is sort of told he better be in that weight room or playing baseball in the fall or playing basketball all year.

When i started coaching our school had many multiple sport athletes now not so much. There is a reason for that. Subtle or not many athletes are being pulled and tugged. To be honest playing multiple sports gives the kid a break.

When our son was a freshman in high school he also played multiple sports and according to the coaches had a bright future in each. After his freshman year, son decided(without influence of parents) to concentrate solely on baseball. When he committed to college of choice prior to start of senior year, he was again approached about playing basketball. This time he decided to play basketball. My heart stops every time he goes up for a rebound thinking of the potential for game ending injuries. Season is almost over and no injuries to date. He has been working out with both teams and will begin his senior baseball season in better running shape than ever. Plus, he's had fun and helped his basketball team. It doesn't work that way with everyone but it has been a good thing thus far for him.

Here is the other side of the coin. At our school senior was committed to a school for baseball. Senior was a 3 sport kid. Middle of football season blew out ACL/MCL, lost his school and baseball money. Goes to D III school as walk on doesn't make team, I saw him over winter break, still limping.

quote:

the football coach wants his players in the weight room

If you want to be an athlete, you better be in the weight room football player or not. I gotta say, football still has it right. Other sports want to be like football in so many ways, but everybody but football still way over does it.

If you want to play in college(D1,2, or 3) - I say pick a sport and work on it year round starting after sophomore year in HS. Right now watching a three sport senior with the physical size to play either football or baseball somewhere but because he played three sports all years he is really not outstanding at any of them - has not put the time into either sport to become a real college prospect. Yes, there are those superstuds that are great in two or more sports - and can play college level in either sport but I think that is really rare.

lol, son says some of the football guys won't go in the weight room if certain girls are in there because they don't want to be shown up by softball players.

I say let your kid play as many sports as he/she wants. Don't make them put all their eggs in the same basket.

Two kids from a local private HS - both gave up football and basketball after Sophomore year to concentrate on baseball. Both are potential draft picks and have signed to big D1 schools. From my perspective if you want the chance to play in college - unless you are superstar - concentrate on one maybe two sports - or else good chance you will be on the outside looking in. But hey, if you don't want to play in college - participate in as many sports as you want. Most of the kids I know that will be playing in college - any sport - have concentrated on that sport - just my observation.

I am firm believer play ALL 3-sports in High School as they all help the other sport.

We had a local kid who I thought the world who excelled as a 3-sport athlete at Handley High School.

Here is a brief highlight of what happened to him:

- he's favorite sport he said, was whatever sport was in season, but I really believe he loved basketball during HS
- won a state championship in baseball in 1999, as the Judges won the Group AA title with 25-1 record and has a 2yr run of 46-4 during his last 2yrs
- excelled as QB for the football team
- went onto (William&Mary), sat for 2yrs and finally got his shot and won the Walter Payton Award for his final year.
- played arena football for a few season, had many tryouts for the NFL; had time in NFL-Europe and made thru preseason with the Falcons or Browns?
- had a conversation with his father within last 2yrs, he said Coach ... had interesting discussion with my son, he said Dad, I miss baseball. He was 25 or 26yrs at the time and I believe he's 28yrs old now working in the DC area.

He had a heck'va run but I saw something in him as well as my Legion coach that he could of been a heck'va baseball player. He was not going to play 8th grade summer baseball and I told him, please play and I am telling you will make the Legion team next summer. He did and excelled but that was the last summer for him playing baseball as the football and basketball game took up his summer.

The point, play them ALL, you just never know which one will OPEN up a door for you!

For the record, that young man, Mr. Lang Campbell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lang_Campbell

fivehole,
That's the kind of thing that a kid may not realize could happen. That's not to say he couldn't get hurt doing anything else, but I think that had a lot to do with the kid I was referring to.

Will,
I could not agree with you more. I think the day of the multi sport athlete is slowly going away. And I agree that alot of it has to do with the sports society we live in.

My son has started football, basketball, and baseball as freshman, sophomore and now junior. Made all conference 1st team in basketball and baseball last year and honorable mention in football. 1st team football this year and should do it in basketball and baseball. It still works. The coaches are not going to tell the top players no. It is still a struggle and contrary to some on here I have had to talk to coaches who didn't want them to do other sports during their sports. Last year we played fall ball and didn't tell football coach. This year we went to football coach and said we are doing baseball every Saturday and just want to let you know. He was supportive. Last year the basketball coach got onto him for throwing during basketball season. This year he said any time you want to throw after basketball practice the gym is yours. It does not work for everyone and yes I fear injuries in basketball more than football. But it does work for the upper players.

All of us want our children to be happy, healthy, and well-rounded. And, we want them to begin making their own decisions, etc. It's all good.

But, "helping" them make decisions, when they have no life experiences to draw from, is what being a parent is all about. Most BB coaches love FB kids, no doubt. But, if the player has a sport that they excel in, and they want to play at the highest level in that sport, there is nothing wrong with focusing on one sport.

Either way, use your own conventional wisdom some, don't always rely on the coach to decide for you.
GED10DaD

My son is a senior in HS. He has played S****r and Baseball at a top level all 4 HS years and Football the last 2. He also dabbles in things like tennis, golf, ping-pong, kayak fishing, and has been snow boarding 3 of the past 4 weekends. He is enjoying his High School years to the fullest and getting great grades. His involvement in many sports has greatly expanded his social circle and opened up many friendships with kids he never would have met. What more can you ask for out of high school?

He could have focused on baseball year round, and possibly landed a D1 scholarship. But he also could have focused on baseball only and come up short on talent, had an arm injury, or just burnt out on having the same coaches harping on him for 4 years. For every story about a kid focusing on one sport and landing a scholarship, there are many more stories of one-sport kids that didn't and are now regretting not getting more out of their high school years.

Is the landscape changing? You bet it is, but at some point each family has to weigh the pros and cons of playing one sport year round and the importance of college sports in the the overall picture. Our decision (mostly driven by my son) was to get the most enjoyment out of high school while still keeping many doors open for the future and keeping the number 1 focus as academics.

I hope he will do the same in college.

You never know. There was a kid that came to son's school in 10th grade. Tall kid, basketball player. Spent a lot of time in the gym. Somebody noticed.

Never played football, but coaches persuaded him to give it a shot. He played four games, JV, in 11th grade. Varsity as a senior. Somebody else noticed, too. Here he is now.

http://bceagles.cstv.com/sport...man_johnathan00.html

If the student is maintaining his grades, is an athlete that can, and wants to play multiple sports, there's no reason not to. I'm sure many baseball coaches like having multisport athletes because by time they get to baseball, they're still in relatively good condition physically and mentallty from their fall and or winter sports.

I see zero reasons for a well-rounded student athlete to compete in multiple sports. In fact, I believe they're at an advantage.

As for the downside such as injuries, they can happen at any time whether playing a sport or clowning around doing stupid that had nothing to do with sports so injuries shouldn't be a concern. Once a player has it in his head he can get hurt, it's more likely he does gert hurt trying to be too careful and not play his game.

Let them play because they are only young once in their life. If they want to do the work and put the time in at practice at a sport they just enjoy and don't have a "future" let them play. You can't guarantee a kid who specializes in one sport anything in terms of a scholarship - same with multi-sport athletes.

I think if you did a poll you would find that the large majority of athletes in DI were multi-sport athletes. That is my opinion but I really think that. If a kid wants to play just one sport because he doesn't like other sports that's fine but let it be his decision.

I had a kid one time who said he thought playing football would be fun. I told him he should play but his parents wouldn't let him because he was going to get a scholarship to a DI school. I tried telling him (in a nice way) he wasn't that good and I doubt he ever would be even with all the year round work he put in. Needless to say he never got the offer and when he tried to walk on he got cut. This kid missed out on playing high school football because of his parents. I love baseball and everything about it but I played football and coach it right now......nothing compares to a Friday night football game. Even if the team is terrible there is an electricity when you come running out onto the field. Why take that away from a kid?

As for the getting hurt aspect I don't want to live my life saying "I may get hurt" because you never know when it's your time. When I was a freshman in college I pulled a muscle in my back taking my shirt off. I couldn't throw for a week. They happen and you can't stop them but most importantly 99% of people who play a sport don't get hurt but that 1% who do get hurt get all the attention as to why it's bad.

Let them play.

This is a much discussed issue here. In my view, the answer has to come from the kid. What does he want to do? If he loves that second sport, play it!

Are there risks? Yup. Does it impact his baseball development? To some degree, but there are countervailing benefits.

High school is a one-time deal. My son will always cherish the memories of his football experiences and the camaraderie with his teammates and coaches. He is very glad he continued to play, even after committing for baseball before his senior year started.

Maybe he'd feel different had he gotten hurt and changed his baseball future. And I definitely breathed a sigh of relief every single time he got up off the turf unhurt.

Let Junior decide. I would never promote one sport over the other, especially for "building his educational future (believe that may be an oxymoron)."

H.S. Coaches love mutli-sport athletes; they see them more often, Coaches talk and it won't hurt a young players opportunity in baseball to already be on the Coaches "Radar." If Junior is enjoying the multi-sport enviornment, and not all that concerned about the next level, and is a marginal recruit, then I say have at it! It's a great experience.

College (D1) Coaches absolutely love two-sport players; nice to get baseball player that's enrolling on a Football scholly! These kids are studs.

MLB Scouts covet multi-sport kids and draft based upon "projectability." Moreover, that leverage works for the player in Draft considerations.

But if you aren't a real College recruitable athlete in multiple sports, or a Pro prospect out of High School, then it may behoove your son to do some soul searching about what he really wants to do and what sport.

Skill sports (versus raw athleticism; running & jumping) require lots of reps (ask Jordan about baseball). My son, who is an above average High School athlete, decided early on that one, he wanted to play baseball at the highest levels, and two, he didn't enjoy the other Sports enough to devote the time necessary to excel (not just play, but excel ... those are his words).

BP (Before Prime) worked all year, every year after 9th grade, on his Hitting skills and was the only player amongst his State Championship team to be recruited early in Baseball. All the others are multi-sport athletes. Many of them are still suprised and still "lookin & hopin."

The stud will get his shot regardless.

quote:

nothing compares to a Friday night football game. Even if the team is terrible there is an electricity when you come running out onto the field. Why take that away from a kid?

Aint that the truth! I played for 10 yrs. As of now my son will play whatever he wants, as long as he gives 110% in everything he does or plays. I look back at what I did and the choices I made to be able to play college football...crazy to think if I could have started earlier (at least with academics).
Also, I have seen where parents hold kids back due to their child being very young in his grade. Personally I could never do that, but for the family I know who did this...it worked out. The kid has a D1 football scholarship.

quote:

All the others are multi-sport athletes. Many of them are still suprised and still "lookin & hopin."

Interesting though to find out how many of those kids "lookin & hopin" regret not focusing on one sport?

Great discussion and input.

I am a big fan of multiple sports. There is always a risk of injury, but not competing to protect from injury could be a recipe for disaster. Friend of my son is exceptional lacrosse player. He attended an Ivy League camp and the coach there told the campers that he looks for student/athletes who play more than one sport.

Somewhere along the line, though the HS coaches have to agree. There are so many off-season programs that it has become quite difficult to juggle a schedule.

My son attends a NESCAC school. His roommate is on the football team. A very good friend was NESCAC rookie of the year for baseball. This same player was the third WR on the football team this past fall.

In all of my stops as asst. coach and head coach have I come across a coach in another sport not willing to share and work with players on other teams. In my experience the communication has been awesome between coaches and most players. There has been on occasion a kid who didn't want to show up one night for a sport and said he was at another but because we always talked we usually caught that kid in the lie. I think most coaches will work with a kid who plays multiple sports if they know that kid is committed to getting better. That is what I tell my guys - if they want to play other sports more power to them and I will help them anyway I can if they take my sport serious. But if they don't play another sport then they better focus on mine full time.

Most often it is the coach who limits access to playing multiple sports.

There have been rules that limit a coach's influence on a student athlete when that coach's sport is out of season. It seems there are ways to circumvent those rules.

In my day, high school athletes all wanted to be four letter men (Football, basketball, baseball and track).

I have posted before how basketball has improved Patriot Son's conditioning and overall athleticism. Playing basketball has provided a great platform for developing speed, agility and core strength. As a pitcher he wants to stay away from the bulky upper body that would limit range and flexibility. Basketball also comes during his “arm rest” period. He accepts that there will be a slow start to the season because of the time it takes to strengthen all the muscles in the arm and shoulder. As has been stated on this site before, high school ball is probably not where his future will be decided. The 16u championships in AZ and PG showcase is when players should be ready to demonstrate their abilities. Son’s goal is to play baseball and basketball at the next level. The baseball path could open enough doors that he could get a serious look from the basketball program as a walk on. As a 5’ 10” freshmen guard with a nice shot and good court awareness the odds are long that the colleges he desires will come forth with an offer to play for their school. We’ll have to see how the next few years unfold and keep working towards that goal.

INHO, it is a discussion that should occur between the kid and parents, but then mom/dad should back off and the decision is Jrs alone.

My son was a 2-way football starter as a Freshman, then didn't go out the next year so he could play in a County Fall baseball league. He was the leading scorer on his Freshman and Sophomore basketball team and didn't go out as a Junior in order to do baseball specific conditioning. Looking back I was somewhat frustrated because I thought he was throwing away the athletic "HS experience". After removing the rose colored glasses I saw that he had thought this out and was following HIS planned path of fulfilling HIS dream.

rz1

My guy did the same--he played baseball, basketball and s o k k e r during his HS time--but at his own pace--he worked out his situations with the respective coaches

I think it's best left up to the kids. They know what they want to do, what they're body will allow them to do.

I think rz1's son, is a perfect example. He knew at a certain point it was time to focus in on one sport (which happened to be baseball). This was what HE wanted to do and he felt as it was the right decision.

Trust the kids! They know what they're doing

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
rz1

My guy did the same--he palyed baseball, basketball and s o k k e r during his HS time--but at his own pace--he worked out his situations with the respective coaches

TR, That was his first option and the coaches said 100% or nothing. He's seen those coaches since HS and he thanked them for laying down strict guidelines and they claim credit for his baseball success . Today, both of the coaches he considers friends due to the interactions and workouts he does with the HS athletes in those sports he quit during HS, they understand why he "specialized.

btw- He did play CYO basketball and coached Middle school football.

Not only did our son play 2 sports in HS, the first day he arrived at college he found out the baseball assistant knew all about his football background and already had him as the baseball teams' starting QB for intramural flag football.
About the only thing they didn't do was tackle during those games. It was rugged, especially when they played the team comprised of 5th year football players in the accounting program. They were playing kids who were DIII All-American football players the prior Fall.
During his senior year, they went on a "drive" to play in the national college flag championships. They missed but played all the way to Thanksgiving, something like 16-17 games.
I continue to believe that Fall helped create a "team" dynamic that carried them within one game of the DIII CWS the next Spring.

quote:

I continue to believe that Fall helped create a "team" dynamic that carried them within one game of the DIII CWS the next Spring.

I agree. My son who had a pretty good HS baseball career was an all-conference pick by the coaches association in his other sport and made varsity as a freshman and lettered his sophomore year played on strong teams his four years that did well in conference and states and he was a big part of those conference and state runs.

By time he made varsity baseball, he was well prepared, came into tryouts/preseason expecting to platoon wound up winning a starting spot and becoming an everyday player in heavy competition at his position, eventually became their #3 hitter. and his game elevated in conference tournament play. In his first playoff game at the varsity level, he went 4 for 5 including a tiple, 3 RBIs 4 runs scores and 3 SB and like most opening rounds, faced the team's ace.

Having the varsity experience and playing in conference and state games early in his HS career only helped him, mainly on the mental side of things because as HS teams play in bigger games, the pressure to perform goes up and to have that experience to draw from only makes it that much easier.

Glad I came across this post. This is where we are right now with my youngest son. 14 year old Freshman, 6'2" (and judging by the way he eats - still growing), and a successful pitcher. Has played select ball since he was 5. He told me once "God put me here for two reasons. To serve Him and play baseball." His older brother played all sports. But after watching him have numerous concussions, be carried off the football field by ambulance twice and suffer 2 seizures, the younger decided he wouldn't play football. He's afraid it would affect his baseball chances. He does play basketball, however, and although it's still a rough sport, he's been free of injury and has increased his agility. Where we're from, if you have any size at all and choose not to play football, you are going to hear some criticism. But he's handled that well and SURE ENOUGH, has had more than one friend injured bad enough during football that they are unable to play baseball - at least for the beginning of this season.

We were hoping we were making the right decision in letting him make the call. You want to guide your kids down the right path, it's just hard to know which one that is sometimes!

My only comment, I guess pet peeve, on this topic is when an adult coach tries to persuade a kid to drop the 'other' sport. That coach gets lots of years and lots of teams.
The kids are only in HS for a short time... the kid should work it out with guidance from parents and the coaches should be accepting of his decision.

I've lost players who heard big promises from fb coaches if they dropped baseball the Heisman trophy would certainly come there way! My standard line is, 'well this gives another kid an opportunity' but I do feel it is wrong the adult's part who is pressuring a kid to drop a sport.

quote:

We were hoping we were making the right decision in letting him make the call. You want to guide your kids down the right path, it's just hard to know which one that is sometimes!

Actually, in the case whether to play one sport or multisport, the decision isn't that difficult as long as the decision is left up to the player and not a parent or coach influencing him or her. There will be enough factors such as grades, the student-athlete want to commit to playing multiple sports or not or whether they'll make the cut or not. Nobody will know better than the student-athletes themselves. So whether they decide to not play another sport in fear of risking injury or really are into multiple sports and want to give it a go, as long as they decide for themselves and eventually things sort themselves out as it usually does, the student-athlete will have a bett idea on what he/she wanrts to do.

I started my son out playing two sports when he was still in diapers --- I would roll the ball on the floor and sometimes he would throw it back to me and sometimes he would kick it. Nothing much changed over the years other than he went on to play professional baseball and was an All-State punter and kicker in high school. What I really wanted him to do was fish in the Bassmaster's Classic and go for the Grand Slam of North American big game but he didn't want to do either of those. What I'm most thankful for is that he didn't want to race motorcycles or race the NASCAR circuit.

I think the advice of letting the kid make the call is very good.

But, as a parent, we can lay out options and consequences to help the kid make a well-thought-out decision. So many kids make quick decisions and change their minds back and forth. A good open conversation, where the parent hears what the kid is saying, and the kid is saying what he really thinks (instead of what a parent has planted in his head for years) is vital.

I also feel that before a kid has finished growing, the emphasis should be on keeping the kid busy and playing whatever sport they are playing for fun. The talk about scholarships and showcases and MPH and 60-times should be taking a back seat to playing the sport for the enjoyment, the life lessons, and the rewards.

There's nothing wrong at all with parents helping their kids decide whether playing multiple sports would be a good idea or not. I think from the parents angle, it should be laying it out there whether they can handle the load in relative to their schoolwork and grades or other potential conflicts or issues help give the kid somethings to think about. Other than that, if they're sports junkies that want to play, can handle it and keep up their grades, they should go for it.

IMO, any HS coach who discourages a player from participating in multiple sports has rocks in his head or dillusional parents feeding them the scholarship nonsense if they stick to one sport are doing their kid no good if the kid is being led by the nose. Any serious athlete who wants to play at the next level and is being sought after will get their opportunity. Top level talent never gets ignored regardless how many sports they play in HS.

They may have to decide at the next level what sport to focus on but for HS, let 'em play.

quote:

Originally posted by trojan-skipper:
My only comment, I guess pet peeve, on this topic is when an adult coach tries to persuade a kid to drop the 'other' sport. That coach gets lots of years and lots of teams.
The kids are only in HS for a short time... the kid should work it out with guidance from parents and the coaches should be accepting of his decision.

I've lost players who heard big promises from fb coaches if they dropped baseball the Heisman trophy would certainly come there way! My standard line is, 'well this gives another kid an opportunity' but I do feel it is wrong the adult's part who is pressuring a kid to drop a sport.

Skipper,
A fresh and honest response from a coaches point of view .

If or when this discussion occurs between parent and son and a coaches opinion seems to carry weight some secondary questions should arise.

1. Is the coach concerned about the kids well being or his program?

2. If Jr was a "fill" player and not a starter would the coach feel the same?

3. How will Jr handle the possible repurcussions from athletes or the Athletic Dept if his decision is not popular?

For Jr to say "I don't care what they think" is an untrue answer IMHO. Part of growing up is responding and justifying these situations to your peers. Mom/Dad need to stress that "damage control" is usually the second part of "decision making" and also needs to be thought out. My son quit football and basketball to focus on baseball. I knew we would both be "called to the carpet" by athletes. parents, and other coaches, and I wanted to make sure we were both on the same page. His response was "Tell anyone who asks that because my focus was baseball I could not give 100% to the other teams and if they asked more, ask them, Would that be fair to the players on those other teams?"

quote:

For Jr to say "I don't care what they think" is an untrue answer IMHO. Part of growing up is responding and justifying these situations to your peers. Mom/Dad need to stress that "damage control" is usually the second part of "decision making" and also needs to be thought out.

Excellent point. This is a situation where the parents input to help a kid along the way make his/her decision on what he wants to do and also dealing with his coaches and peers.

At a recent HS football HOF banquet in Florida, we honored a 10 sport varsity letterman from the 1950's. I was hoping when he was introduced they would run down all the sports he played in HS, but they didn't. My immediate thoughts were that it could never happen in today's era of youth sport specialization. 10 varsity letters is pretty incredible.

I also wonder how many sports Jim Thorpe played in HS. He, to me, will always represent America's greatest multisport athlete.

I said earlier in this thread "that the athlete should decide." We've chronociled the different aspects of that decision.

Let me ask you this. We know that funnel to the next level keeps getting smaller. The NCAA website posts a stat saying only 2% of High School athletes go on to play in College on a scholarship.

If you chose the multi-sport route in high school, did you also play a college sport? If not, would you trade any of those high school letters or experiences to have had the opportunity to play college baseball? How would your son answer that now? How will he answer it 30 years from now?

Despite an earlier post, not every multi-sport high school athlete has the ability or the opportunity to play a College sport.

I'm not picking a side, I'm just asking a question.