Pick One?..or Play All That You Can?

I have had a handful of parents ask me what I thought about the issue of focusing on a single sport in high school or playing more than one.

I have my opinion, but I am more interested in the opinions of others, especially adults who have had a son/ daughter who has had to make that difficult decision.

If you do not have an outright (one or the other) opinion, what in your mind are the "pros" and "cons" for both.

Hopefully this topic will be beneficial to many athletes who are faced with this decision. Thanks for all of your input.

 

I have struggled with this question for awhile. I have an '05 who plays both basketball and baseball. As a rising Junior, I feel it is in his best interest to concentrate in one area this year, so he may become the best player he can be...physically and mentally going in to his baseball season.

In the last two years, he seemed to be a little behind others after his basketball season concluded and the chance that his team may go into the playoffs, prolongs his beginning of baseball even longer.

One's junior year is the most important time of his HS season in regards to recruiting. So, he is taking a year sabbatical to concentrate 100% on getting prepared for baseball with the idea of continuing basketball in his senior season.

I am a huge proponent of HS players playing any and all sports he/she desires, but your junior year is the time to commit to one.

Now, after offering my opined position to him, if he felt strongly against this, ...it is his life..not mine.

 

Great post chief. Thanks.

 

In the early years of high school i say let the kid play whatever he wants to, but as he gets older, i'd have him choose. i've had friends who played both football and beaseball and were extremely good, i'd ask them to take whatever sport that he was getting the most interest in.

 

What if he is being recruited the most in the sport that he likes the least?

 

Coming from the old school where schools were much smaller, and good athletes needed to play three or four sports in order to help the school succeed, I would say the big difference is just that. Many schools are much bigger now, and therefore have more than a handful of good athletes. Also, it is so competitive out there that it is "almost" a must for "most" athletes to choose only one sport in order to excel and be noticed if they are planning to play at a higher level after high school. As a former basketball coach for 17 years I think it is a shame that competitive athletes have a hard time playing more than one sport, more so for male athletes than female athletes. Our son played AAU basketball for several years while also playing travel baseball and travel soccer. It was tough, but by the time he became a middle schooler he narrowed it down to two, and then by tenth grade concentrated on only one. It seems to have paid off for him because he has been able to raise his level of play, but it takes him playing year round with little or no down time therefore leaving him no time for any other sport. So, what am I say? ha! That in todays competitive market it almost makes it impossible to play more than one sport, especially if two sports crossover seasons (ie: basketball and baseball) Thirty years ago when I went to high school athletes were expected to play as many sports as they could, but not anymore.

 

if you enjoy it and you are good, play all sports. but if you have alot of potential and are good at one thing, such as baseball, but you suck at football and hoops, quit them and focus on what you are good on.

 

Bump...good topic

 

This is a great topic however I hate reading the answers I'm reading. Not saying the comments are not accurate or truthful. I was just hoping for something else. I've heard so many college coaches say they like kids that play more than one sport but sometimes I wonder how you do it and achieve your potential. I share the opinion of the poster above that says it's more competitive. Baseball seems to be a year 'round sport. Maybe some of the coaches will share their opinion.

 

I think if a kid plays sports that work together and is in a dead period of the main sport of intest great. Swimming and baseball. Indoor track and baseball. something like that.