The other side to the "Multi-Sport Athlete"

[_MIA_]

Just FYI - dd did not play any other travel sport other than softball.

You saved yourself some headaches (and money)..lol.

 

[Vertigo]

You saved yourself some headaches (and money)..lol.

Yep - exactly.

 

[_MIA_]

Yep - exactly.

We held off on AAU basketball till this year but playing rec basketball wasn't fun for her anymore. So we traded her fun for our headaches..lol. No idea how we are going to manage it when the two boys get old enough to have their own things going on.

 

[Recent Addict]

DD grew up playing multiple sports, some in the same season. Swimming, Water Polo, Golf, Soccer, Basketball, Field Hockey, I'm actually probably missing 1. After 7th grade though, she concentrated on Softball. This is her freshman year and the 9th grade basketball team was looking for players. She asked and I laid out her schedule for her. With pitching, hitting, lifting, speed and agility, crossfit, TB practice, HS practice, school and homework, how could she dedicate 5 days a week after school to basketball?

She didn't want to give up anything she was doing, so she didn't go out for BB.

She wants to play D1 softball and winter off seasons is when she sees the most improvement.

How does the multi-sport athlete reach full potential in 1 sport without specialization? Maybe the super athlete's are just that naturally good at anything that they are better then the specialists in their sport.

 

[_MIA_]

How does the multi-sport athlete reach full potential in 1 sport without specialization? Maybe the super athlete's are just that naturally good at anything that they are better then the specialists in their sport.

Doesn't mean they necessarily reach their full potential at the time they are playing multiple sports, just that they are gifted enough that 75% of their full potential is better than pretty much everybody else. Bo Jackson comes to mind...lol. Also all sports are not created equal. A lot easier to excel at softball and track for example, then it is to excel at softball and basketball. For example my sister didn't start playing volleyball till HS and even though she had played softball and bball since she was in elementary school (and was really good in both of those sports), that was the sport she ended up playing in college. I would put volleyball somewhere between softball and track in terms of how much athletic ability (and height..she is 5'11") plays a role in being exceptional in a sport.

 

[uncdrew]

I don't think there is a huge benefit outside of allowing the kid to enjoy themselves if they want to play multiple sports. One possible benefit I do see is that for kids who cannot play softball games all year, playing other sports allows them to "compete" in games all year round. Some kids may benefit from that (mentally) more than others.

Agreed.

For me, the multi-sport argument that resonates most loudly is "let kids be kids" and "let them find their passions." Introduce them to lots of things and when you see the spark, let them go for it.

My DD didn't like nearly every other sport, but is CooCoo for Softball. Not letting her play year-round would be bad parenting IMHO.

 

[uncdrew]

Our high school is so big and so full of amazing athletes that the multi-sport athlete is rare. I watched some amazing athletes who play softball try out for volleyball and they were cut pretty quick.

 

[BT3100]

I'm sure much of it depends on what the player wants long term. Recent Addict your kid has a goal of D1. That will require a lot more sacrifice towards softball then a kid who wants to play multiple sports and doesn't want to play at that high of a level.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

Playing hockey and football did NOT make me a better baseball player. Had I focused exclusively on baseball I probably could have been a little better.* But then, I wouldn't have gotten to play football or hockey. And that would have sucked.

My kid only wants to play softball. And I'm good with that too.

*then again, there really was no travel baseball, there was just starting to be fall baseball when I was 16 or so, and I probably just would have been bored or spent all my quarters at the cages all winter.

 

[_MIA_]

I'm sure much of it depends on what the player wants long term. Recent Addict your kid has a goal of D1. That will require a lot more sacrifice towards softball then a kid who wants to play multiple sports and doesn't want to play at that high of a level.

and how good of an athlete the kid is. Jayda Coleman was a standout in track and volleyball in HS. Of course most kids
are not Jayda Coleman.