Managing multiple sports, ie. Football and Baseball

real world scenario

My son is doing both this year and its tough. Here's a real world scenario...

This coming Friday night he'll play corner for his 4a high school, get ran all over the field, get home around midnight, get to bed around 1a, get up at 4:30a and ride to Cary NC to be on the field around 7:45a for a 8:45a baseball ballgame, play another baseball game at 11:30a then go to the hotel to sleep.

Sounds demanding, and it is, but he wouldn't change it for anything. He and I will spend Sat night laying around the hotel watching college football like two roomates or best friends. We'll talk about football, baseball, friends, girls, his future, and what ever else is on his mind.

He's my oldest so its my first time around but I can't imagine any better time of our lives.

He has a very understanding football coach, but doesn't miss any football time for baseball. He also has an understanding showcase coach that doen't try to steer him away from football. His baseball coach can see the type baseball player he's looking for under the rust of a kid activey playing football.

May not be for every body but he loves it. I'd say let your kid try both and see how it works out. Everyone's situation is different.

 

My son doesn’t play two sports, he participates in four; football, basketball, baseball and track. He loves every one of them. Even though he has never played on a showcase team (he never had the time), he is committed to UNC-W for next year. He did fit into his schedule and attend weekend camps at UNC-W, ECU, NCSU and App. State. These are where he was first noticed and got a little interest from some smaller schools. What really got things going was playing in the State Games this summer. Playing in these games and playing well was tremendous exposure. Up until that time only a few schools really knew who he was.
So why does he continue to play four sports? At 5’9 with shoes on and 140 pounds soaking wet, he is not likely to ever continue with most of these at a higher level. His football team is still looking for its first win, so no conference title this year. The basketball team only won 3 games last year. Baseball team was much improved and made the playoff for the first time since the early 90’s. He was Conference Champion in 800 run in track though.
He plays for the pride in his school, the teams need him, he is good at all four and he loves it. After playing QB, CB and Kicker all night and getting beat and bruised up pretty bad, he too will, this season, get up and travel to be ready to play baseball on Saturdays and Sundays. He has just joined a showcase team so he can get in a little baseball practice to keep sharp. There is an unwritten rule at school that if you participate in more than one sport, then the sport that is in season has your full attention and you do not practice another one at school.
He has set his priorities; school is first, then baseball, then other sports. But if you are able to keep up your grades (he is first in his class), physically able (he may not be in baseball condition but you can’t say he is ever out of shape), good at the sport (he starts on QB-offense and CB-defense--football, point guard--basketball, shortstop and pitcher--baseball, 800 run--track), needed (small 2A school), have understanding coaches (all his coaches coach him in more than one sport) and love it, I say go for it if you are willing to work.
Nobody ever said it was going to be easy, but neither is life. He is making memories that no one can ever take from him and is enjoying doing it. Also from a parent’s prospective, he can’t get into any trouble; he is too tired to go out. And I also know where I'm going to be on all Friday nights.

 

I love the multi-sport athlete. Congratulations!

 

I think this young man may fall in to the 'gifted' catagory. That's cool.

 

Managing......A couple quick examples.....as well

We had a young man at our high school, played football....all conference 3 years, starting QB and DB, played basketball......2 time all conference, starting PG. Played baseball 3 year letterman and starting 2B and leadoff, conference player of the year as a senior. Ran track 800/1600.....all conference twice. Out of the all the sports, disliked track the most and did it as a favor to the coach, wound up getting a D1 track scholarship! Father was actually worried when he left to go to college that not having a diverse full plate athletically would cause him problems, it hasn't. Some people are just gifted and do all well. Not a doubt in my mind if the kid would have played HS golf, he would have been a scratch golfer. It isn't easy and those who are able to do it, should be commended.

My son also played for a fall team that had a catcher from Virginia that was also a topnotch LB/RB. He played football on friday nights and then he and his father would drive or fly and meet our team and he would play on saturday and sunday all fall! He did both exceptionally well! All state football player and plays baseball at UVA.

As long as grades remain at peak level, go for it!

 

After reading the posts it still appears in each case discussed above the athlete had a priority. Play all you want but it seems one sport took priority over another. My son runs winter track but I don't see it worth mentioning. It's just part of training. I still say you can play all you want but at some point one sport has to be the focus.