Just wanted to throw this out there..... What everyone thinks about kids playing 3 sports. Pros and cons?

Play all you can when you can, even though sometimes I can have selfish thoughts on the subject.

It's extremely tough to play two, let alone three sports while in HS. I played football and baseball my first two years of HS, missed winter workouts and spring practice in football, came back in late May to football, and saw how much bigger everyone else had gotten. Eventually gave up playing baseball.

Play them all. Rest when your dead.

 

I actually had a shirt that my dad bought me when I was about 10 and had this on it.

 

3 sport athlete here. Went onto college and played one, full ride the whole time through. I wouldn't have changed it for the world.

 

Two years I was four sports. Did track and baseball in the spring. Gave up baseball after my sophomore year.

If you're capable of doing it, go for it.

Too much specialization these days. If you have the desire and the ability to play more than two sports, more power to you.

 

My dad coached football, wrestling and track/field back in the day. Had a few that participated in all three.

I played 4 sports in high school before I scaled it back to 3. Played football in college and had a great career. Specialization would not have "helped" me to be a better football player. I just don't buy the hype. Think about how many kids "specialize" and never get a look at the next level, when playing 2 or 3 sports would have given them more opportunities. Happens ALL THE TIME...and the kids almost always regrets it and blames everyone except themselves and their parents. You get 4 years to make some memories...reality is that the percentage of kids going on to the next level in any sport is slim to none!

I played Basketball, Football, Baseball, still got to college on football. keep them on the field or court and off the street.

Three was just fine until we reached the mid 90s. People successfully created, grew, and established "select" teams/leagues/regions which helped colleges streamline their recruiting process and save money on time and travel. It's been a new dynamic ever since.

 

I'll stick to the pros for 1-2 sports:

 

- Let them be high schoolers, 1-2 sports is plenty

 

- A break is needed and provides for off season recovery, strengthening/conditioning

 

- 1-2 sports vs 3 allows for more time to study :thumb:

I got varsity letters in 4 sports, football, baseball, basketball, and track. Didn't play basketball as a senior to work out and get ready for baseball. Only did track on a whim, because I goofed around before baseball practice and found out I was the best discus thrower in the school. Only threw for home meets (which were on opposite days of baseball games). I had baseball and football college offers (and was all state in both sports) and specializing wouldn't have helped me one bit.

 

There were always a handful of kids that were very good in three sports....in my area they were typically football-wrestling-baseball. I think it is tough nowadays to play three sports and be very good in all three. I wish more kids didn't specialize. I think ultimately it makes you a better athlete, as each sport requires a different skill set.

Don't get me wrong. If you're good enough to be successful at the next level after high school, I'm not opposed to specialization. I just think that too many HS athletes perseverate on one sport to the exclusion of lots of other areas, often to their detriment.

 

The high school I follow seems to be very good about permitting athletes to participate in multiple sports.

I know I will be in the minority with the politically correct answer being "play them all", but I will give my opinion anyway. And, I played three sports growing up, until my sophomore year.

 

It was too hard when I did it, and it's even harder now. Like it or not, many coaches are not going to wait for a player. Now, if you are a supper stud, the coach will play you because he pretty much has to. But, if you are a roll player, he can find someone else that is dedicated to one sport to fill your position. Plus, if you are a role player, chances are if another roll player works out all year in one sport he is going to pass you up anyway.

 

If you are a basketball player and not 6'8" (just using that as a reference, there are plenty of 6'0" basketball players) you can play 25 games during high school season, and 1,000 in the off season, plus attend some clinics and camps and work on your skill. In addition, you can lift weights, and work cardio and be much better shape skill wise and physically then some of the other 6'0" players who were working on other sports during that same time. You would be surprised how much an average player can develop their shot just by shooting year around. That's not even taking ball handling into account. I have seen average basketball players shoot until they can't shoot any more and become pretty good basketball players.

 

In football, you can not replace weight lifting. Don't even try to convince me you can. I see great athletes almost lose their position to average players on strength alone after playing other sports during weight lifting season. If a player in naturally strong, maybe they won't lose as much, but, like basketball, I have seen average football players take up camp in the weight room for a year and come out pretty darn impressive and in much better football shape then many others. I have seen football player work on footwork the entire year and come back with beautiful footwork that propelled them into playing positions or starting positions.

 

In baseball, nothing can replace seeing pitches. The more pitches a batter sees, the better batter he will be. Can't replace it.

 

Can you play three sports? Sure you can. Will you be better at one sport if you specialize? You have to be if you work at it. You won't go from a 5.5 forty to a 4.4 forty, but you will be better at one sport if you focus on that one sport.

 

I say all this to get to the point: If you want to play three, four, five or six sports, go for it. But, keep in mind that almost all sports are set up for people to specialize. Basketball is year around and more scholarships are earned in the off season, then in the regular season. Football is a year around sport and many players are found during the off season, not during the football season. Baseball is year around and most scholarships and Major League scouts are looking in the off season, not the high school season. If you are OK with all that, play them all. But, don't complain that you missed out, while not missing out.

Great Stat: Of the four QB's in the ACF and NFC Championship Games this year, THREE were drafted by MLB.

 

I HATE people who say kids should specialize in one sport or another. Play 'em all...for as long as you can...youth and its wonderful and unique experiences are fleeting.

I don't think there is a general rule that fits all. The one general rule I will say is any kid that specializes before high school is making a mistake IMO. I say play everything you want to and can till sophomore year. Then you may have to choose depending on your goals. That is where it gets to be a personal, case by case decision. Due to competition from other athletes though, I think it is difficult in this day to be a 3 sport athlete.

I politely beg to differ...

 

Basketball is year around and more scholarships are earned in the off season, then in the regular season..

 

IMHO...There are almost no scholarship bball players out there as it is...and if you're under 6'5, you can pretty much forget it, save a few exceptional exceptions...in bball, recruiting is based much more on the "you either have the body and can shoot/have an inside game, or you don't" principle than the performance in Summer leagues evaluations.

 

Football is a year around sport and many players are found during the off season, not during the football season.

 

Football is just the opposite. EVERYTHING is based on three criteria: 1. Your tape, 2. The "Look" Test, and 3. How you do at camps (most of which do not interfere with any high school season).

 

Baseball is year around and most scholarships and Major League scouts are looking in the off season, not the high school season...

 

At Warren East, in the last three years, we have had players drafted in the 5th round and 2nd round of the MLB Draft. At our HS games, it has been a struggle to get a seat behind home plate during these years because of all the radar guns packed in back there...the fence lines have been much the same...during those same years, with the area travel-ball team, and same drafted players, you could sit wherever you wanted, and there wasn't a scout to be found. Just my observations.