Cannonball , I agree , but I don't equate myself as a college coach. But I do view them as my peers in coaching. Being equals even though the pay may not be. I don't want to beat a dead horse. But if colleges want the girls to be dedicated at softball, its being a hypocrite IMO, to say we what girls that play multi-sports. And at the same time, I wouldn't take a girl that plays 3 out of 4 weekends a month either. There has to be a down time, so the body can recoup.
letting kids play other sports
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Cannonball , I agree , but I don't equate myself as a college coach. But I do view them as my peers in coaching. Being equals even though the pay may not be. I don't want to beat a dead horse. But if colleges want the girls to be dedicated at softball, its being a hypocrite IMO, to say we what girls that play multi-sports. And at the same time, I wouldn't take a girl that plays 3 out of 4 weekends a month either. There has to be a down time, so the body can recoup.
- Jul 3, 2013
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DD gave up volleyball at age 13 to "specialize" in softball. She loved playing volleyball in gym class in elementary and middle school. She played for her MS team in 8th grade, the only year a team was available. We gave travel VB a shot that winter with a good local org. Loved watching her play and she loved playing, but the 20 year old coaches were awful with the girls. Many girls left tournaments in tears after post tourney talks with coaches. HS softball is a fall sport here, so that's when that ended.
Never tried soccer or basketball. I'm not a soccer fan and DD wasn't interested in even trying BBall. She did do gymnastics until about age 12. Stopped after the required practices became 3 hours 3 times a week plus 8 hour Saturdays at meets.
She works year round at hitting, 2 or 3 times per week. Played about 80 games this year, caught probably 50 of them. Including every single pitch of her HS season (29 games). She's also lifting 2 or 3 times a week. Overuse injuries? Sometimes her arm gets sore, but a day of rest usually takes care of that. Shin splints about a month and a half into every season of HS ball. Other than a tired arm (which can be dealt with by just resting occasionally) I fail to see how running track or playing basketball or soccer would help reduce overuse injuries in an athlete. The 2 and 3 sport athletes I've seen from DD's school SB team are walking wounded by the
time the school year is over.
Never tried soccer or basketball. I'm not a soccer fan and DD wasn't interested in even trying BBall. She did do gymnastics until about age 12. Stopped after the required practices became 3 hours 3 times a week plus 8 hour Saturdays at meets.
She works year round at hitting, 2 or 3 times per week. Played about 80 games this year, caught probably 50 of them. Including every single pitch of her HS season (29 games). She's also lifting 2 or 3 times a week. Overuse injuries? Sometimes her arm gets sore, but a day of rest usually takes care of that. Shin splints about a month and a half into every season of HS ball. Other than a tired arm (which can be dealt with by just resting occasionally) I fail to see how running track or playing basketball or soccer would help reduce overuse injuries in an athlete. The 2 and 3 sport athletes I've seen from DD's school SB team are walking wounded by the
time the school year is over.
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
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High School ball and college ball are two different things. When a player accepts a scholarship, they are receiving an education for their loyalty to a program/sport. IMO, they aren't hypocritical at all since the two differ so much. My dd's scholarship amounted to a good chunk of change. In high school, the motivation is vastly different. Who knows, at that time, which sport a player might receive offers in. My dd was offered in two different sports.
- Mar 9, 2015
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Many of the camps we've been to have commented 1) play different sports OR 2) work off season speed, agility, core, etc. The bottom line when they end the conversation is to work other muscle groups. Some even lean towards #2 option because you are focusing on working all the muscle groups to get stronger and help prevent injury. Also comment that going from fall-winter-spring-summer sports can lead to overuse and are more injury prone. I have two DD's, both committed, one only plays softball and the other daughter plays sports year round. Never was an issue with our recruiting process.
College coaches always say they believe in playing multiple sports, but I wonder why none of them has their players form an intramural basketball team over the winter months. If it were really so important, wouldn't the college coach prescribe that as part of college training?
IMO, coaches like to hear that you're a multi-sport athletes because it shows that you've reached a certain level without specializing. That multi-sport player might have more potential than the specializer - assuming they're at the same current skill level.
But that doesn't mean that a player should play multiple sports. If might be that specializer would've never been equal with the multi-sporter if she had not specialized.
My advice: Do what you enjoy and don't worry about it.
IMO, coaches like to hear that you're a multi-sport athletes because it shows that you've reached a certain level without specializing. That multi-sport player might have more potential than the specializer - assuming they're at the same current skill level.
But that doesn't mean that a player should play multiple sports. If might be that specializer would've never been equal with the multi-sporter if she had not specialized.
My advice: Do what you enjoy and don't worry about it.
- Dec 11, 2010
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Good comment. I heard Pat Murphy say he likes to recruit kids whose softball skills have not yet peaked. I think that’s related to what you are saying.
You are making an invalid comparison. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that specialization in a sport occur in late adolescence, not early adolescence. Later specialization gives an athlete a better chance of reaching an elite level. So college is an ideal time for athletes to specialize, but not in the first years of high school, or earlier.
John Hopkins Medicine website discusses the importance of cross-training and a variety of sports in teenage athletes to avoid putting stress on the same muscles and joints.
Absolutely!
The main point is from these studies is, "Elite athletes specialize later in their career."
My DD1 has been wanting to play college ball since she was 7. I want her to return to her winter swim team for two reasons. Participation in two sports in early adolescent athletes helps prevent injuries that are more likely with single sport athletes. With her goal to play college ball, she is more likely to reach her highest level with the balanced physical development of a second sport.
Absolutely, sports are supposed to be fun. She loves playing and dreams of playing it on the highest level. I will do what I can to help her achieve it. If that means insisting on her being on a swim team, I think that is positive parenting. If she does not want to do everything in her power to achieve her goal, then I do not feel obligated to commit so much of my resources to her softball training.
- Dec 11, 2010
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Don’t forget a variable that hasn’t been mentioned here: height. If you are tall AND athletic... Of course they played more than one sport in hs. Of course college sb coaches want them. Size matters, life isn’t fair. One step further: Let’s make this “multi sport athlete” tall, athletic, throws right handed and hits left? Where does the line start to offer this kid?
And I know Johns Hopkins engages in Science and all, but here is my small sample experience: My older dd was always playing 2 or 3 sports with injuries as were her super athletic team mates. (Her class was freakishly athletic.) They were all three sport athletes, all of them were constantly nursing injuries and one of the most athletic kids I have ever known went from “freshman varsity starter” to “record setter” to “spectator” by the end of her sophomore year. Despite all the supposed advantages of playing a variety of sports. She didn’t have a choice. Her body just could not take the wear and tear. Didn’t make it half way through hs.
My younger daughter is fast, strong, works out 2x a week. I would love to see her play bb which is actually my favorite sport to watch and play. Knock on wood, has not had an injury since she quit playing bb and vb after middle school. (Her choice. Not her mothers, not mine. Because she wanted to play sb more, more more.)
Everyone has a different experience. Neither side is wrong. But I won’t assume it to be true that being a multi sport athlete will magically protect an athletes joints and muscles.
And I know Johns Hopkins engages in Science and all, but here is my small sample experience: My older dd was always playing 2 or 3 sports with injuries as were her super athletic team mates. (Her class was freakishly athletic.) They were all three sport athletes, all of them were constantly nursing injuries and one of the most athletic kids I have ever known went from “freshman varsity starter” to “record setter” to “spectator” by the end of her sophomore year. Despite all the supposed advantages of playing a variety of sports. She didn’t have a choice. Her body just could not take the wear and tear. Didn’t make it half way through hs.
My younger daughter is fast, strong, works out 2x a week. I would love to see her play bb which is actually my favorite sport to watch and play. Knock on wood, has not had an injury since she quit playing bb and vb after middle school. (Her choice. Not her mothers, not mine. Because she wanted to play sb more, more more.)
Everyone has a different experience. Neither side is wrong. But I won’t assume it to be true that being a multi sport athlete will magically protect an athletes joints and muscles.
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I, for one, did not say it would magically protect athletes. I pointed out the Hopkins was saying more than one sport helps avoid injuries. Hopkins and the American Academy of Pediatrics warns of over playing sports. Of course not every body can take the stresses of high level participation in sports. That does not invalidate the advice.
