7 on 7

[ScottyIce]

That's nuts. I tell kids. Pick one sport to focus on during a season. Not to pick one sport to play year round.

[teachercd]

 

 

Every high school coach wants players to play a bunch of different sports… And less they are a jackass of a coach

Unfortunately I've seen it happen too many times. Too many times all people care about are W/L on the scoreboard and not the actual development of the kids.

 

I'm graduating college here soon, but have younger siblings still in middle school & high school. I was fortunate to grow up in small-town Columbus, NE where I played 3 sports and excelled. When I graduated, my family moved to Omaha, and the specialization reality has hit hard. After playing three sports her freshman year, each coach pulled my younger sister into their office to essentially ask her what the hell she was doing. The first time she heard it, she was very confused and asked what they meant.

 

"No one does that here. Maybe it was different in a small town, but here you pick one."

 

Not only is it sh**ty for the development of the athlete, but its hard in those instances. My siblings are great athletes, but its been a steep learning curve (1) choosing a single sport and (2) catching up development wise to kids that have been specializing in that sport year round for the last 4-5-6 years.

 

I hear you...but it is not the kids...it is the idiot parents that fall for this crap.

[wiuhusker]

 

 

Every high school coach wants players to play a bunch of different sports… And less they are a jackass of a coach

Unfortunately I've seen it happen too many times. Too many times all people care about are W/L on the scoreboard and not the actual development of the kids.

 

I'm graduating college here soon, but have younger siblings still in middle school & high school. I was fortunate to grow up in small-town Columbus, NE where I played 3 sports and excelled. When I graduated, my family moved to Omaha, and the specialization reality has hit hard. After playing three sports her freshman year, each coach pulled my younger sister into their office to essentially ask her what the hell she was doing. The first time she heard it, she was very confused and asked what they meant.

 

"No one does that here. Maybe it was different in a small town, but here you pick one."

 

Not only is it sh**ty for the development of the athlete, but its hard in those instances. My siblings are great athletes, but its been a steep learning curve (1) choosing a single sport and (2) catching up development wise to kids that have been specializing in that sport year round for the last 4-5-6 years.

 

This is what drives me nuts. It just blows my mind how coaches truly believe that the best thing for an athlete is to specialize in one sport. Now while that will definitely develop the skills required for that sport there will be many other areas where a kid is lacking. This can lead to a whole host of problems like muscle imbalances, muscle weakness and many other issues.

 

If a parent ever asks me what they should do with their kid I tell them straight up to let their kid play as many sports as they can as long as they can. Each sport benefits an athlete in different ways.

[teachercd]

 

 

 

Every high school coach wants players to play a bunch of different sports… And less they are a jackass of a coach

Unfortunately I've seen it happen too many times. Too many times all people care about are W/L on the scoreboard and not the actual development of the kids.

 

I'm graduating college here soon, but have younger siblings still in middle school & high school. I was fortunate to grow up in small-town Columbus, NE where I played 3 sports and excelled. When I graduated, my family moved to Omaha, and the specialization reality has hit hard. After playing three sports her freshman year, each coach pulled my younger sister into their office to essentially ask her what the hell she was doing. The first time she heard it, she was very confused and asked what they meant.

 

"No one does that here. Maybe it was different in a small town, but here you pick one."

 

Not only is it sh**ty for the development of the athlete, but its hard in those instances. My siblings are great athletes, but its been a steep learning curve (1) choosing a single sport and (2) catching up development wise to kids that have been specializing in that sport year round for the last 4-5-6 years.

 

This is what drives me nuts. It just blows my mind how coaches truly believe that the best thing for an athlete is to specialize in one sport. Now while that will definitely develop the skills required for that sport there will be many other areas where a kid is lacking. This can lead to a whole host of problems like muscle imbalances, muscle weakness and many other issues.

 

If a parent ever asks me what they should do with their kid I tell them straight up to let their kid play as many sports as they can as long as they can. Each sport benefits an athlete in different ways.

 

Plus it is another chance to compete in something different.