Single sport athletes

Reading the hockey thread and there was a comment about specialized programs and year round hockey which got me thinking. How many here or know someone with a single sport athlete and do they do it year round? I know a few kids that are like that and it seems if you really want your kids to stand out that’s the way things are headed it seems.

I have 3 boys that play sports. They are all/were multi sport athletes but now starting to focus more on 1 or 2 sports. My youngest really likes wrestling and practiced year round for a few years. Anywhere from 2-5 days a week depending on time of year and tournaments every weekend during the season. It gets to be a lot and most of my free time goes to them now but they enjoy doing it and I enjoy watching them play.

My son loves to play baseball, but he asked not to play year round because he loves hunting and fishing more then being married to a sport.
He would rather travel and fish over travel and play ball. Neither him nor I care if he stands out on the field. My sisters kids play hockey year round and if they are not actively playing they are at a camp. Both those boys say they are always jealous of my sons fishing and hunting trips because all they know and do is hockey. When school is all done, then what ?

I think many times parents have the pipe dream their kid will make it to the pro’s or at the very least get a scholarship to a D1 school. The odds of either happening slim and none. If they don’t make the pro’s, I guess it is never too late to learn to fish and hunt. Your kids can teach them.

Bearcat89 wrote:

My son loves to play baseball, but he asked not to play year round because he loves hunting and fishing more then being married to a sport.
He would rather travel and fish over travel and play ball. Neither him nor I care if he stands out on the field. My sisters kids play hockey year round and if they are not actively playing they are at a camp. Both those boys say they are always jealous of my sons fishing and hunting trips because all they know and do is hockey. When school is all done, then what ?

I have seen definitely first-hand the higher rate of injuries with single sport athletes. In fact many medical studies elude to this and the dangers of focusing only on one sport.

That is why I preached to my three sons to “not be great at one thing – be good at a lot of things”. The dividends of this approach is paying off!!

Bearcat89 wrote:

My son loves to play baseball, but he asked not to play year round because he loves hunting and fishing more then being married to a sport.
He would rather travel and fish over travel and play ball. Neither him nor I care if he stands out on the field. My sisters kids play hockey year round and if they are not actively playing they are at a camp. Both those boys say they are always jealous of my sons fishing and hunting trips because all they know and do is hockey. When school is all done, then what ?

That’s the point my kids are getting to. They want to do more fishing and hunting. I never pushed my kids into sports just gave them the opportunity and they decided how far to pursue it within reason. Now they are seeing what they have missed out on and are starting to back off a little on the sports.

My kids were multi-sport players in their younger years – Mainly Baseball and Hockey for organized sports. But this will be the first year that both will be going to Hockey-only. Not because they think there’s a future, it’s just the natural progression of where their interests and desires are as far as sports go. Unfortunately, politics of youth sports associations have a lot to do with it. If the programs aren’t run well, it trickles down to bad experiences for the kids and that’s the main reason both my boys aren’t playing traveling baseball anymore. I don’t force them to play anything they don’t want to. Both are getting into golf as a hobby so that keeps them busy in the summer – plus now that traveling baseball isn’t in the picture, we plan on more cabin time and other outdoor pursuits. My oldest is also looking at playing townball, which is FAR less of a commitment and should be fun to watch.

The whole point of youth sports for 99.9% of the population is to be part of a team, make friends, and learn a few life lessons along the way.

jimmysiewert wrote:

I have seen definitely first-hand the higher rate of injuries with single sport athletes. In fact many medical studies elude to this and the dangers of focusing only on one sport.
That is why I preached to my three sons to “not be great at one thing – be good at a lot of things”. The dividends of this approach is paying off!!

Completely agree, the injury thing especially. The best players are the best athletes and kids playing multiple sports naturally makes them into better athletes.

Bearcat89 wrote:

When school is all done, then what ?

Then they’ll either quit hockey or continue playing hockey ?? Maybe they’ll take up hunting or fishing, who knows

I hate specialization and what it has become. More parents pour money into things that will have limited results/impact on their child’s athletic prowess than ever before. Approximately 1% of student athletes will ever compete at the collegiate level. Fewer than 2% of that selective 1% ever go on to some sort of professional league. Your odds of being struck by lightning and being paid to play a sport are shockingly (pun intended) very similar statistically.

The best football player I ever coached took a preferred walk-on spot at a Division 1 college and turned it into 3 full years of paid tuition playing Big 10 football, a paid grad internship, and launched his career forward owning & running elite strength and conditioning facilities in multiple states.

The 2 biggest reasons he was so successful (in my rankings):

1. Genetics. Nobody wants to admit that genetics play the largest role in athlete development. Genetics can’t be bought, changed, or overcome by any amount of money (or at least not yet). A camp or traveling team can not make you taller or naturally stronger or really do much for your coordination by the time you are at that age. The year round specialization can refine skills and have become extremely good at doing so, but that’s still only one part of the equation. His mom was a Division 1 volleyball player and his father played 2 sports at the Division 3 level in college…and was a D3 All American in football.

2. Work Ethic. He was an all-state wrestler, a state participant in track and field, an all-state football player, and worked in the mornings on a farm. He threw square bales like they were dodgeballs from the day I met him as a teenager.

Don’t crush your kids’ dreams, but be realistic. If your kids can devote the time and your money to all of these various teams, you owe it to them to have a real conversation about their future and what their goals for athletics are. Don’t run down the rathole of specialization with blinders on. I’ll never forget when I asked my dad about playing on an AAU basketball team I was invited to, and later some select football camps. As he agreed to both, he had me stand in front of the mirror next to him and reminded me that I was a 7th grader shaving my face and almost fully grown, and that he was 6’1, a very average D3 football player, and mom is 5’4 and didn’t play a sport ever. At the time it seemed condescending, but now I thank him every time the topic comes up.

Sports have given my family a lot in the form of memories, friendships, life skills, and so on. Keep that as the focus for kids and let them choose their path. I am a huge supporter of playing multiple sports and seeing different perspectives from being the star, a role player, or something less.

The time and money aspects of sports these days has gotten crazy. My son is 8 and still has one year of mites left. It is already being suggested to do AAA hockey in the summer. He also wants to do lacrosse and soccer. Lacrosse and soccer clubs are charging $600 or more for a season now which is crazy. They also require volunteer hours. He already is signed up for summer sports program where he skates 4 times week, does power skating twice a week and goes golfing a couple times a week. I am struggling putting him in anything else as he comes tired as it is. Plus we want to be enjoy our summers.

The days of 3 sport athletes are becoming less and less. Its still fairly common in smaller schools, But not as much so in larger schools. seems to be a lot of push from both Parents and coaches to narrow down their choices to 1 or 2 sports. Its sad but the way it seems to be these days.

buckybadger wrote:

1. Genetics. Nobody wants to admit that genetics play the largest role in athlete development. Genetics can’t be bought, changed, or overcome by any amount of money (or at least not yet).

Bingo

It is a terrible idea at a younger age. Kids bodies are not mature enough or athletic enough to only do one sport. They need the different movements of other sports to become athletic.

As they move along it is inevitable unfortunately. As the vast majority of high school varsity players are specializing.

Don’t like it never will but I won’t be able to change it either.

Seems like as they get older, high school, the more kids gravitate to one sport or the other. Works out in favor of everyone imo, during the season it’s pretty intense and then off season do a couple camps here and there to stay active but allows em to live life outside an arena, field, diamond etc.

My son progressed as he got older as to the variety of sports he played. But he also was in a small school district (Esko, his HS grad class was 88) that relied on multi-sport athletes.
Thru 8th grade it was football, soccer, baseball, basketball and track.
High School it was football, basketball and track.
He is now a Junior in college and runs indoor and outdoor track (hurdles, sprints and sprint relays) for a Division 3 school. Track for him takes up a ton of time at the collegiate level even at a D3 school, as the season goes from October thru May.

I can’t imagine what it would have been like having him only play one sport in high school, but seeing the vehicles parked at the Cloquet and Hermantown rinks year-round, I know there are plenty of folks whose kids are in some sort of hockey program all year long up here. I’m really glad my son got to experience being in multiple sports of his choosing in high school.

Thru out all of it he has continued to hunt and fish with me. His favorite thing to do is pheasant hunt, with fishing for smallies a close second. But the time he has for it now is pretty limited, school breaks and some time over summer. All I’d say to you parents with kids is enjoy and make the most of every minute that you have with your sons/daughters. The day comes for most of us when they head out on their own and those times together becomes much tougher to make work.

Stanley wrote:

Reading the hockey thread and there was a comment about specialized programs and year round hockey which got me thinking. How many here or know someone with a single sport athlete and do they do it year round? I know a few kids that are like that and it seems if you really want your kids to stand out that’s the way things are headed it seems.

It’s not “headed” toward single sport athletes, it’s been that way for a while now. You used to be able to rightly point to hockey as the worst offender, but anyone doing that now doesn’t have kids playing sports or girls participating in competitive dance. Which IMO is now crazier than hockey, btw.

The exception just proves the rule, I know the parents of two kids currently playing D1 hockey and we have discussed this issue. The number of multi-sport athletes who play at an elite level is low and rapidly approaching practically zero in the major sports.

Also, one thing that is little understood is that in MN, the off-season traveling and elite leagues and training programs are basically functioning as scouting combines for HS athletes. If a kid/parents are shopping to open enroll or move into a top program district, this is where it gets decided both ways.

The problem with most youth sports now is the Crazy Train is being driven by the craziest of the parents and their only answer is play more, more, more.

The problem with most youth sports now is the Crazy Train is being driven by the craziest of the parents and their only answer is play more, more, more.

This is definitely true.

Absolutely nothing wrong with playing one sport. Also nothing wrong with playing 2, 3, or 0. What matters is the kid wants to do it and it isn’t being forced on them by their parents trying to live vicariously thru them. Many life lessons are taught first hand thru youth sports.

Gitchi Gummi wrote:

Absolutely nothing wrong with playing one sport. Also nothing wrong with playing 2, 3, or 0. What matters is the kid wants to do it and it isn’t being forced on them by their parents trying to live vicariously thru them.

This^^^ there is a family on my kid’s wrestling team that the kids don’t even want to wrestle but their dad makes them. Won’t let them play other sports so they don’t get hurt for wrestling. These kids are good and the one is going to state this Saturday for individuals but I bet if they had the option to quit they would.

A lot of great responses…. To the OP, what is your definition of “stand out”?

To answer your question generically…. You don’t have to play 1 sport to stand out.

More specifically it really depends on the child and what the goals are.

I have 2 boys (11th and 8th grades). My oldest has always played baseball and basketball and still does. My youngest does the same but also played football this past fall for the first time. I played all 3 until 9th and then just did baseball and basketball. I played D3 basketball (had 2 D2 offers). My wife played basketball and ran track. She played D1 basketball on a full ride.

My boys started with hockey, learned to skate but quickly wasn’t our thing. We put them in baseball and basketball as early as we could. We taught them the fundamental skills as soon as they could walk. we have zero dreams of either playing D1 or pro sports. We have the dream of them reaching what ever ceiling they want to reach. We know to reach your ceiling in basketball you must have the ball in your hands and dribble every day. to reach your ceiling in baseball and basketball you need to learn proper form and technique and that takes rote rehearsal. We know in football you must strength train when your body is developed enough. can you do all these? hell ya you can. What you don’t have to do is play on organized teams all year long. AAU basketball at the youth level is an absolute racket.
We started our kids doing some everyday and waited until they were old enough to tell us what they wanted. My 11th grader didn’t respond to being pushed and we stopped pushing. he enjoys the game and team experience. Our 8th grader excels and is very apparent he loves the sports and wants to be the best. and so we push him so he can achieve his ceiling.

what Bucky said is the absolute truth…..
1. Genetics (I’m 6’6″ and I mentioned my wife’s ability) my 8th grader is 6’4″ with size 15 shoes and runs like a deer)
2. Desire (last winter my 8th grader shoveled off the outside court on a weekend and we had to bring him to the ER with frost bite on his hands when we got home)

a distant 3.) is a parent’s dedication to teach and push the fundamentals.

…….. my 11th grader plays JV basketball and my 8th grader is the 6th man on varsity and had 19 points in his varsity debut…… both will be on the varsity baseball team this spring. during the basketball season they lift 2 times a week when they throw at the baseball facility in town. (they usually hit too)

……my 8th grader will not play AAU this spring…. he will be in the weight room and be doing skills development with his fellow 8-9 th graders which I lead….. they will dribble everyday (if my 11th grader wants) and probably shoot 3 times a week during summer baseball… 11 plays legion and 8th plays travel ball for Mankato….11th grader umps every night he’s not playing for a summer job.

….. this fall my 11th grader relaxes and fishes with me….. my 8th will either play football again or Club fall baseball…..

we camp and fish every summer and they get out with me when they can.

…Visiting colleges with my 11th grader this fall… one of his questions was “so do you have a fishing club?” One of the prouder Dad moments for me.

both are A honor roll students.

You absolutely don’t have to specialize to stand out. But if your goal is to reach your ceiling then you must work year round. no doubt about it.

I almost forgot….. my wife and I love every minute of every game. And have no problem paying for what it costs. But we are confident enough to not pay for things that others see as important and can train our boys if they want without paying trainers.

Shooting and fishing are “sports” now. You can join the trap team or a fishing team and participate. They are the two fastest growing activities in schools here in MN.

Granted, they may not be quite like the traditional team sports we all knew of growing up, but they are sanctioned. That’s one way to get them into those outdoor-type things these days.

When I was in high school, trap and fishing didn’t even exist as competition options. That’s not even that long ago either. They’ve really ballooned into popular activities to participate in now.

Joe, I guess “stand out” is very vague but I would say an athlete that has accomplished things statistically their teammates haven’t. Most of my sport’s experience is in wrestling from watching my kids so kids that make state or win national tournaments or get ranked at the high school level. Most of the kids that do that in wrestling that I know of do more than just school practice. Weather it’s at home or clubs like pinnacle, scoring edge, summit etc. The number 1 ranked 107 in 7A is an 8th grader he was 44-1 going into sections with his only loss at a National tournament. I have heard of this kid and his brother for the last few years and I would say he is a stand out due to his individual accomplishments from a sports perspective.

We have friends whose son went to Breakaway Academy, and daughter is in high level competitive dance. Not only do they do 1 sport year round, they travel the globe to do so. Summers are spent in rinks in Winnipeg and Chicago, and dance contests in Denver and Austin. Even on the off chance they end up getting full ride scholarships, they will be money behind as they likely spend in the 10’s of thousands per year. Plus their kids don’t have great friends from the neighborhood or school as they have switched schools for their activities, and practice or travel all the time.

As for my boys, they are just starting to get to organized sport age, and I hope they play as many sports as they like for as long as possible. And unless something truly unique comes up, I will be actively advocating against year round specialization.

Stanley, In order to stand out (by your words), you absolutely have to do more then just school practice…. Year round leagues, far off academy’s , absolutely not. But, to be best varsity player or all conference, only the elite athlete can just show up at school and achieve that.

Stanley wrote:

1 ranked 107 in 7A is an 8th grader he was 44-1 going into sections with his only loss at a National tournament. I have heard of this kid and his brother for the last few years and I would say he is a stand out due to his individual accomplishments from a sports perspective.

I believe the young man you are talking about is from my hometown ( Staples ) I see that they are in the state Championship for class A tonight. Its great to see them back at the State tourney and doing well. I look forward to watching how all of them do in the individual tourney starting tomorrow

Don’t know any single sport athletes. My kids play organized hockey, baseball/fastpitch and soccer. I ask them every season which is their favorite and least favorite sport and if they want to play again next season. I think they like soccer most and that’s OK with me. Just means I don’t have to coach and I can enjoy the games as a parent.

Hockey gets to be very overwhelming at times and we haven’t even started traveling hockey yet. I’ve had somewhere around 15 days in a row coaching my kid’s teams so I’m ready to be done and they are ready for a break.

We do a AAA hockey league for my daughter in the summer but it is a total of 3 tournaments throughout the summer, one 2 hour practice per month, one 1 hour practice prior to our tournaments and one 2 hour dryland per month. Pretty minimal but just enough to stay sharp and continue development. We are able to fit almost all of this in with her fastpitch.

I don’t believe that AAA hockey is really necessary for kids trying to excel. A good hockey camp in the early summer and another refresher camp in the fall would be more than enough to stay at the top of their game and continue development, mainly for kids say 14 and under.

It’s actually kind of nice to spend a couple hours inside an ice rink during the summer.

IDK, all sports seem to be year round now, but you talk to most college coaches, they prefer kids that play multiple sports because they tend to be the best athletes so rather than specialize it might be best to play multiple sports. Bob Motzko has said this multiple times among others.

Stanley, I know what you’re saying. I go to the grandkids wrestling tournaments (2nd and 4th grade) and I see so many Dads dragging their little kid out to the middle of the mat bawling because he don’t want to wrestle, Dad is thinking ” By god, you’re gonna be the state champion I never got to be.”

fishthumper wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Stanley wrote:</div>
1 ranked 107 in 7A is an 8th grader he was 44-1 going into sections with his only loss at a National tournament. I have heard of this kid and his brother for the last few years and I would say he is a stand out due to his individual accomplishments from a sports perspective.

I believe the young man you are talking about is from my hometown ( Staples ) I see that they are in the state Championship for class A tonight. Its great to see them back at the State tourney and doing well. I look forward to watching how all of them do in the individual tourney starting tomorrow

Yes staples/motley. They beat holdingford to make state. They have a good team and should do well. Their 152 is also ranked 1st but he is a 18yr old 10th grader. My son wrestled Gage’s younger brother at a NYWA regional and made it about 20 seconds

CaptainMusky wrote:

IDK, all sports seem to be year round now, but you talk to most college coaches, they prefer kids that play multiple sports because they tend to be the best athletes so rather than specialize it might be best to play multiple sports. Bob Motzko has said this multiple times among others.

Except every player on the U has specialized. So that’s kind of funny.

Their 152 is also ranked 1st but he is a 18yr old 10th grader. My son wrestled Gage’s younger

What the ….?