Playing more than one sport is stressful?

sad, but true
jbb, the reality is that hs football & basketball coaches bought into that long ago

Don't think Jackie Robinson would agree to that as he was a superstar in 4 sports during high school. Then again, what he went through as the first black man, he seems to be able to handle anything. Most people may get stressed out playing many sports, but there is also the point that if you're good at many different sports, you'd feel alot better about yourself, hence, less stressed out.

If it is solely the kids decision, great. If the kid loves a sport that much to make the sacrifice, more power to him. But for parents and coaches to push this on their kids is sad.

...To each their own

There's a big difference between trying to be the best at everything and playing other sports in addition to a main sport. In any case, usually only very gifted athletes can be the best in multiple sports in which case there isn't a whole lot of stress unless expectations are too high.

I can only tell you what our experience has been. My oldest son, an '06 played three sports through middle school (football, baseball, basketball) and was a starter in all three although he was better in baseball than the other two. When he went to high school he dropped basketball because of the overlap between it and the beginning of baseball. He continued playing football and baseball successfully. In football he started on the JV team in 9th grade and 10th grade, also getting enough time on the varsity to letter in 10th grade. In baseball he was an all-region player as a sophomore. His junior year he was 1 day late to preseason football camp because we were in Florida at a National baseball tournament. He was suspended for two jamborees and the first half of the first game for this transgression. He was almost not allowed to play at all, but every asst. coach prevailed on the head coach to let him play. He served his time and wound up starting some games for his team which won the state championship. Meanwhile he has recieved interest from a few colleges for baseball. As he is 5'10" 165 lbs. and runs 4.6-4.7 in the forty, college football is not in his future. College baseball may be. Because of the difficulty in dealing with the head football coach he decided not to play football his senior year. He is playing baseball this fall with a showcase team. He would have played football had the coach not been such a pain to deal with. Having worked in high schools for the past 23 years, I can tell you this is what often forces kids to choices; the overlap of seasons and coaches who are unwilling to bend an inch.

Ill say from experience i play two varisty sports (this year) with Track and baseball and they are more fun then stressfull. I plan on adding another one next year by trying out for the varsity golf team. It all has to do with the person and if they can handle it.

For so many kids, just going to school can be stressful.

I think the coach that sent this article to his players should tell his players to choose another sport to play so that his players won't be so stressed by playing baseball. He had only one purpose for sending the article, and that is to try to influence his players to specialize in his sport, a selfish reason.

The kids are 13, let them play.

i am telling you this from first hand experience. there are no pressures that come from playing multiple sports if it is football and baseball. i played both sports fresh and soph year and i have a 3.6 gpa and never really felt stressed out. coaches on the otherhand are so obsessed with their sport saying that this is their time to spend with you (playing baseball in the summer). i quit only because i felt i had a better future in baseball and football wasnt really fun for me.

hmmmm,

You give up other sports so you can focus on one sport so you can excel at that sport.

Sounds to me like that will add stress not diminish it.

After all, you no longer have any excuse not to excel .... so the pressure is on to do so.

That's where pressure comes from, not from playing.

quote:

It is only when kids try to be the best at everything that they become overstressed and overloaded with the high expectations of each activity

Justbb, I certainly agree there are kids who are overloaded to the point of being overstressed. I don't agree with the idea that doing your "best at everything" creates situations of "overstress" and "overload." I also do not agree that focusing on a single sport, i.e., baseball, will create an environment avoiding "overstress."
To me, the promotional material shows an immediate danger. It is already focusing on achieving the "highest level of accomplishment" but the players are only 13 years old. IMO, this type of promotion has the potential for false impressions for players and especially for parents and could represent the type of situation that leads to "overstress" rather than its elimination.

The sports (no matter how many they play) should be determined by the kids. You should give kids the credit that they know what they can handle and what they cannot. Of course it is based on how old the kid is--but keep in focus that it is the kids desire to play multiple sports and it's not the parents trying to live a dream thru their kids. Provide opportunities in all sports and when they are older they will be able to make an informed decision if they do decide to narrow the sports down. As for the coaches some believe playing multi sports enhances all aspects and others are consumed only with their sport. Power be to the player--all coaches are different--and it is up to us parents as to how our children react and handle situations and circumstances that are presented to them from coaches that sometime forget that they are kids or young adults and that sports should be fun!!

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JB...

You and I have discussed this at legnth...I feel the real stress here is the parents and the coaches who take this kind of attitude.

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