I politely beg to differ...

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.

I know a lot of basketball players shorter then 6'5" that earned college money playing baseball. I'm not talking major D1 college, but college money nonetheless. But, I don't know of one in the last 5-10 years that got that scholarship from the high school season, they all came from AAU.

 

 

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).

I agree, most of football scholarships come from "the look". But, there have many players that were offered football scholarships prior to taking the first varsity snap. Those came from summer camp performances. Hence my argument that football is year around, requiring preparation in the off season and camp performance in the summer.

 

 

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.

I will concede that those are your experiences, but I know a lot of baseball talent that was discovered on traveling teams, not at their high school games.

 

Just to clarify, my stance about playing all three sports is not completely based on scholarships acquisition. Quite the opposite actually. It is based on having more fun and getting playing time. Many players that will never play a college sport will get more playing time, and will excel at one sport more so then trying to split their time between three sports. Playing three sports is just too time consuming and too competitive.

 

One example: at our school we recently had a super athlete. He played baseball, basketball, football and ran track. He had multiple football scholarship offers, he had multiple basketball scholarship offers. He competed and won events in the State Track meet. He would come to Open Gym at 8am finish around 11am, then go to football practice. Then he would go play a summer basketball game, then come back to the evening football practice. For a while, he also fit some summer baseball games in there as well. He never missed a basketball or football meeting. He did it all, and excelled at it all.

 

His senior year, he had to sit out several football games and about 1/3 of the basketball season due primarily to fatigue. He was in the hospital for a few days for dehydration. It took him weeks, maybe months to get back to 100%. He wore himself out completely trying to make sure he was the best at everything, and he was. But, at what cost?

 

He ended up playing college basketball and having a great career. He went to a smaller college. Could he have played at larger D1 school in football or basketball if he would have only played one sport? I guarantee it. But, I think he over did it in high school and it cost him on his performance.

We had tons of 2-3 sport athletes when I was in high school...but, there's not a magic mix of which two or three were the most popular.

 

We had quite a few football players do wrestling. And it wasn't always about the strength aspect, as it was about learning footwork and leverage. Many others also did track. The big guys did the shot and discuss (strength/explosion), while backs and receivers usually were in the sprints (acceleration).

 

Cross country and track...self explanatory

 

Golf and baseball...all about balance and hand/eye coordination

 

Golf and tennis...same

 

Basketball and baseball...basketball and tennis...were also two other combos that I remember.

 

I'm not saying it's for everyone. And kids shouldn't be forced into it. But, if they have the desire, then I say go for it. The guy at the gym tells me that after 6 weeks, your body starts becoming "accustomed" to any stress that you put on it, and your improvement will slow down. So variety every now and then is a good thing. I think the same thing could be said for sports. I think if you focus on one thing 24/7/365...there's a chance for burnout.

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:

 

....or twitter, or Facebook, texting, downloading music, snap chat, instagram.

 

Great points, but I'm sorry...you aren't going to find a bigger supporter of academics than me. Not happening, but I also don't buy into all the academic stuff that just sounds good.

 

Like the kid that says he chose to go to "Alabama for their academic and football success." No you didn't. You chose Alabama b/c it's an opportunity to play football at the highest of collegiate levels, with more of a shot to go to the pros from there than anywhere & along the way, I'm going to get a pretty dang good education and make relationships that will last me a lifetime, which will also lead to setting me up career wise. Not to mention, the 'scenery' beats the hell out of everywhere else I visited, and there are 15,000 of them walking around.

 

The study thing sounds good, but that's not what kids are doing in their spare time. Not between the hours of 3:30-5:30 anyway.

 

But, I get your point.

 

I played three and had plenty of time to be a high schooler, and that wasn't that long ago. However, things have changed dramatically just in the last 7-8 years, let alone the last 10-15.

 

There is NO reason, unless you are just a prodigy (not your daddy thinking you are a prodigy, but a legit prodigy) to just play one sport. Play two at least, and play a 3rd to hang out with the boys just a little more.

Edited January 31, 201412 yr by Harry Doyle

Here is what I've found.

 

You show me a good wrestler, Ill show you a good football player.

 

You show me a good baseball player, Ill show you a good football player (both are so technically and fundamentally dominated + hand eye).

 

You show me a good basketball player, and Ill show you a good skill position player in football or a linemen with great feet.

 

Moral of the story? If you are good at wrestling and baseball, or basketball and baseball, and you aren't playing football...play football.

 

On the flip side of that, you show me a good skill kid in football, you better be playing basketball and track, and depending on your levels of fundamentals compared to just raw athletic ability, there is somewhere on the baseball diamond for you.

 

They go hand in hand. All of them

 

Matter of fact, I know a team that has had several of its skill position football players run cross country even though they coincide with the same season. It was great for their conditioning, and really great on Saturday mornings for working that lactic acid and soreness that builds up after a Friday night ball game.

 

I hope I don't offend anybody by saying this, but if I do, it's not the first time, but most of the dads I see encouraging their sons/daughters to play only one sport are usually ones that weren't very successful athletes in high school (Lord knows there are worse things), let alone go onto college and play anything (again, I'm speaking of parents who encourage specialization). This is soley based off my personal experiences and those I know.

 

One sport though where I think it's hard, and that's soccer. Simply due to the fact that Club ball is soooooooooo huge these days. Often times, these club soccer teams in the spring are being coached by actual college coaches themselves, so the exposure is second to none. Even still, I've seen very solid soccer kids be the same in basketball, while playing club in the spring.

 

Ok, I know that bounced all over the place, sorry. My two cents.

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.

 

If they were truly great athletes, they weren't replaced. Why? B/c when I or many others hear "great athlete", it means they can run. I mean, RUN. (usually, or they are just a deadly accurate, great decision maker, intelligent, cool, calm and collective QB. See AJ McCarron, he couldn't SQUAT his body weight when he came to Bama).

 

Even linemen. Say you have a kid, good height (6'2-6'3) and good weight (230-240) who plays basketball..and, I mean, plays a significant role. There is probably a reason for that....he can move. Take another kid...linemen...football only, close in height and 250+ and he is a bench press machine, but there is only one problem; you can't tell where his knees stop and his ankles begin. Not a dot drill or other agility drills, or squats, or power cleans, etc. that can fix that. My money is on the football/basketball linemen when it gets down to it.

 

East, Dark Horse and several others will tell you the same. While all being being on the weight room. One of those especially. lol

 

The weight room takes your average kids and gives them a chance. Your best athletes...your great athletes can get by without.

 

I know a kid who came out to play football just his senior year. Basketball player. GREAT athlete (as proof by the fact that he is a D1 Point Guard right now), that you would have thought assumed the weight room had the plague.

 

Comes out in July of his senior year for football. A month into the season, he went from being not only the best athlete on the field (he was that from day 1), to being the best player. It had nothing to do with the weight room. Matter of fact, a couple of those average kids who lived in the weight room never saw the field as the season went on because of this kid.

 

There is a reason when filling out recruiting questionnaires for college that the 40 time is one of the first questions. They look for that first, as Im sure you found out through the recruitment of your son (congrats by the way to you all!).

 

Point being, truly GREAT athletes who are mulit sport aren't replaced by Joe football player who lifts non stop. Aint happening....not if these kids are truly GREAT athletes. Which your definition and mine might be a little different.

Edited January 31, 201412 yr by Harry Doyle

Play everything that you like and live life with no regret. You are only young once so don't look back on these days and say "What if?"

Just to clarify, my stance about playing all three sports is not completely based on scholarships acquisition. Quite the opposite actually. It is based on having more fun and getting playing time. Many players that will never play a college sport will get more playing time, and will excel at one sport more so then trying to split their time between three sports. Playing three sports is just too time consuming and too competitive.

THIS!

 

I'm not saying that you should not do 3 sports. But I think there is something to be said for taking a breather, and looking around at other other things to get involved in.

There are other important parts of the high school experience that can get completely left off the plate because there is no room due to year round sports, like leadership activities, service activities, and the academics.

One sport though where I think it's hard, and that's soccer. Simply due to the fact that Club ball is soooooooooo huge these days. Often times, these club soccer teams in the spring are being coached by actual college coaches themselves, so the exposure is second to none. Even still, I've seen very solid soccer kids be the same in basketball, while playing club in the spring.

 

I was wondering why soccer was not part of the coversation yet. And you just stated why. Plus, it overlaps all the other sports---twice.

 

Soccer handcuffs. 'nuff said.

As far as weight lifting being important for football, it absolutely is. It's also important for almost every other sport as well. And in the old days, it used to be thought that lifting in season was bad. That's not true anymore, and there's nothing that prevents kids from lifting weights while in a season. I know there's the time issue, but it's not too hard to find 3 hours a week to get a lift in.

It used to be a lot easier to play 3 or even 4 sports in HS. Today is much tougher. I know my boy who played 3 sports every year growing up dropped Basketball once he got to high school mainly because of the time each sport requires. There are many who still do it, but it is tough. With Football conditioning and weight lifting usually starting a few weeks after the season ends and Baseball conditioning usually taking place during the winter also and Basketball season during both those times, and then after HS baseball season you have summer baseball which takes all summer along with football practice in the summer makes it tough.

 

When I was growing up once a season was over that was it until a month or so before the next season starts up again. In today's world it is a 12 month thing with many of the sports. If it is out of season you have your conditioning and weightlifting etc. There really sin't any break if you play multiple sports.

I was wondering why soccer was not part of the coversation yet. And you just stated why. Plus, it overlaps all the other sports---twice.

 

Soccer handcuffs. 'nuff said.

 

Yep. I have a niece who is a freshman in HS...all she plays is soccer. She is playing for a travel squad coached by a college hc here in KY. They do some indoor stuff now, and hit it outside come spring. Great exposure

I think all the seasons' start times should change to make it easier. I coach, but I still think expanding the dead period would be okay.

 

For me, the arguments about time and conditioning are being made obsolete by the prevalence of weight-lifting classes. I know not all schools have them, but most do, now.

 

Let's be honest, the problems for 2/3 sport athletes usually has to do with poor relationships/communication amongst the coaches of those sports. At most schools in our state, you BETTER share athletes, or you are going to be very good in a couple of sports. Yet, many coaches have their little fiefdoms, and they want to monopolize their athletes.

 

FWIW, I have always felt that, if a player is good enough, they will be found... Even if they aren't playing 300 bball games a summer, going to 10 football camps, or playing 1,000 baseball tourneys in summer and fall, etc.

I've always believed that there is quite a bit of "transfer of training" between wrestling and football. Also between track/field and most other sports.

Let's be honest, the problems for 2/3 sport athletes usually has to do with poor relationships/communication amongst the coaches of those sports. At most schools in our state, you BETTER share athletes, or you are going to be very good in a couple of sports. Yet, many coaches have their little fiefdoms, and they want to monopolize their athletes.

 

Amen. The pettiness amongst some coaches is sometimes unbelievable. And it usually comes from the "following" sports coaches (basketball follows football, etc.) They usually spout something like "well, you could get hurt in football and miss basketball...so, you really shouldn't take that risk." Nevermind the fact that the kid could tear his ACL in basketball and miss the baseball season.

 

I truly believe that if you had an entire athletic department that did not discourage multiple sports, and worked around each other, you would have a grade A school, athletically.

If i were a kid id play them all. Have seen some research where specialization causes injuries at a younger age. (ex. Baseball pitchers)