When should you start to concentrate on one sport?

[default]

I know there are advantages to concentrating and training year around for one sport, but there are also advantages to playing multi-sports. At what age do you start to concentrate on one sport, or do you look at how sucessful the athlete is in the other sports and how the other sports contribute to the primary sport? My daughter is going to be 14 in March and participates in multi-sports. She runs cross-country, track, basketball and plays travel softball with softball being the primary sport. Her coach is very understanding and has no problem with this. The other sports has greatly improved her speed and reaction time but we understand there is going to come a time when she should concentrate on one or two sports. Just looking for imput on what has worked/not worked for others.

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

My son and daught both played mulitple sports throught their freshman year in high school. ? They both cut back at that point. ? It took more preperation time to be competitive, especially in the big school leagues, ?and because the increased school work, ? the desire to participate in social activities. ? As sophmores my kids decided to just participate in one sport. ? Part of it depends on what you want from each sport. ? My daughter made the varsity in vb, bb, and sb but did not want to put in the heavy work load for a limited role, ?she preffered a larger role in just one sport. ? ? ?At smaller schools, ?in smaller leagues it is easier to stand out in sports in general but especially in multiple sports this may help some players participate in more sports longer.

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

That is a very loaded question. ?A good one, but loaded. ?There are so many things to consider that one answer would not necessarily work for your daughter. ?Some things to think about:

What does SHE like to do?
Why does she do each sport? What does she like about each?
How do the sports overlap?
when is her down time of year to rest?
does she do other activities outside of athletics?
does she have any injury history that may suggest overuse?
Does she want to play any at the next level?
Are any of the sports contradicting each other in terms of performance?
What does her annual plan look like currently?
What does SHE want to do?

The list of questions can go on, but the point is this:
There is a myth that says in order to be the best at any sport you must decide (and decide early) and specialize. ?There are many positives to the multi-sports. ?The key to success is good awareness and a plan.

for more info contact me at kris@trainatspi.com

Kris Lewandoski
The Sport Performance Institute

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

Very well said Kris. Coaches that put pressure to focus on one sport should be ashamed! Family, Faith, Education, Sports!

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

Thanks for the input and advice. She/we understand that a decision is needed very soon. In the mean time I have told her to evaluate each sport she participates in, and to enjoy as much as possible the opportunities she has been given to play multipule sports. She has been on the honor role at school the past two years and continues to bring home good grades and reports from her teachers. We feel as parents and have tried to instill into both of our kids is, education is the most important. If you are good enough to get scholarship assistance threw sports, then work your hardest to get the attention needed to go that route. Education should be the top priority no matter what sport your in. Lets face it, only about 1 in 100 will go on to play at the pro level and earn a living for their families. The decisions she makes over the next few years will possibly define her future as a adult. We are trying to give her the opportunities to make those decisions and support along the way. Good luck to all.

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

Great question, and I am seriously wrestling with this concept too with my daughter. She loves three sports - soccer, basketball & softball (not in that order), and wants to add track next year (yeah right). She is in the 6th grade, and they are practically ALL "year round" sports now. She is committed to them all, and LOVES playing them all. This past Saturday, she had a softball game, soccer match, basketball game, and then was ball girl for the varsity team for the local high school basketball game that evening - she was running from 5:00 am till 9:00 pm, and wanted to play more that day. This was a an unusual day, but illustrates how crazy it can get.

My philosophy has been, and continues to be to let it sort and shake out naturally over time, as long as she enjoys the social aspects and competitive passion associated with the lifestyle. Thankfully, she is getting very good grades, and has good friends outside of the sports scenes as well, so it seems like it is healthy.

Still, this is a topic which I am very interested in, and hearing the opinions of the "been there done that" crowd. Am I missing something important, ... like a "Bridge Out Ahead" sign?

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

The problem comes when those things conflict. What if her softball game, soccer match, and basketball game were all at the same time, or overlapping?

At some point, a comittment will be required such that she won't be able to miss a game, or a practice, because she's playing something else. Then a choice will have to be made.

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

AnotherSoftballMom,

I hear you loud and clear - think we are at the verge of that and I see this as the "shake out" & "make up your mind year." Just some realities I guess.

So far, coaches have been great as long as the sport in "high season" gets the first order respect it deserves. Getting harder and harder though, and I suspect there is only so long that you have till the sport itself demands more attention just to stay competitive, as others are increasingly specialized & focused and practicing year round in a single sport. As many have said, it is much harder to be a three sport hero these days (compared to my time back in the old days, LOL), and you have to decide whether to specialize, or be a "jack of all trades / master of none (??).

Well. thanks for your wisdom.

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

As long as they can keep up the pace and it does not affect grades, I say why not to them. I sat in a soccer clinic at Ohio State and the coach there for them stated the same thing as he has no problem with it himself. He actually stated he wished more would have played some other sports and not just focused on one so young and used as an example that when they go out for team building, some girls have never touched as an example a basketball or played it in an organized fashion and he wished they would have experienced others as individuals.

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

I would venture to say that most athletes who are playing any college sport have played several sports along the way. ?I have two daughters and both them and their friends have played or still play multiple sports. ? My oldest daughter has decided to focus on softball just because their are so many things she enjoys and only so much time. ? The grades have to be kept up too. ? Some sports compliment each other, ? my youngest daughter plays basketball and soccer. ? As a goal keeper the running and ball handling in basketball really help her keeping skills. ? Let's face it the main thing that causes players to choose or focus on a particular sport is not a coaches demand or that they can't cut it, ? it is that they mature and develope other interests and can calulate the return on investment. ?

 

[default]

Re: When should you start to concentrate on one sp

As the parent of a HS Senior.

A lot of the post above are very valid with the input and concerns. My approach with both my kids was let them try them all. Trust me there were many different sports between the girl and the boy.

A lot of what is being discussed here is dependent on the school your child attends. Mine is in the largest class in Texas with over ,at last count, 2000 kids. In rural Texas and Ohio you may be looking at 200 in each grade tops. In some cases even less.

ALL coaches look for talent. In small schools a good athlete will be allowed/ encouraged to play in many different sports. I knew many kids in my school in Ohio that did Football, Basketball and Track all four years.

Down here in Texas where football is KING and everything else is secondary, the athletics of football determine the school schedule. My child attends 4 classes a day that are about 1 -1/2 hours each day. The last class of the day is always the sport she is participating in as a primary sport. In this case softball. That means when in season she practices during her final period PLUS and additional 1-1/2 to 2 hours after school.

This was dictated by Football so they could have more time to practice the boys but rolls over into the other sports. Since we are in a large school the coaches want kids who first came out of a select program and second are committed to only that sport. Now add into that that EVERYTHING your kid does in school is now a competition.

All of these are factors in how much is too much. Because they all require DD's TIME and mental focus. Back in the day, as my kid often reminds me, there wasnt a select anything and the choir was something you did for fun, not to compete.

WHO did this to our kids? Look in the mirror. Do not be surprised if you see the problem. Guilty as charged. We allow the schools, corporations, even goverment to force us into this mode because that is what we want taught in our schools. How to compete. On every level. Not just athletics.

My point being try to help your child out as much as you can in her early teens with HER schedule. Give her the empowerment to make those decisions even if you dont agree with them. BUT DO KEEP THEM ACTIVE. In whatever they choose. A couch potato is not a choice.

It is probably the most important lesson I have learned in this journey.

Elliott.