Should I stick with one sport or expand my abilities and play other sports as well?
Multi-Sport Athletics – Playing sports is a lifestyle and developing key skills at an early age can benefit in the long run. You will learn and incorporate many skills into your life such as time management, sportsmanship, as well as reliability and accountability. There’s more to it than that alone though, being a multi-sport athlete gives you advantages over others on and off the field.
Will playing multiple sports reduce my risk of injury?
YES! As a multi-sport athlete you are less prone to injury because you are using different muscles in your body consistently, which also allows for better control of the body. Preventing overuse of specific groups of the musculoskeletal system will help improve athletic performance because you are using muscles that a single sport athlete does not know how to activate and incorporate into their sport.
Training for multiple sports will teach you critical thinking and you’ll be able to apply movement specific to one sport to another. For example, have you ever heard of football players taking ballet class? Many football players take ballet to improve their focus, flexibility, speed, strength, endurance, and balance. This is classified as cross training, taking one sport and applying it to another for performance improvement.
Are there any health benefits to playing multiple sports?
Participating in athletics is very beneficial for your health, especially more than one! Playing two or more sports aides in regulating bodily movements and functions as well as mental health. Many collegiate and professional athletes participate in psychological training and therapy for their sport because of the mental exhaustion many face that leads to burn out. A multi-sport athletics is less likely to be affected by burnout and less likely to stop sports altogether because of the dynamic, smooth changes of sports seasons.
How will playing multiple sports help in my everyday life?
Being a part of a community and team is a great way to explore a new social environment. In one sport you may meet people with one mentality, then another with a completely different one. Meeting people from different backgrounds with different experiences is crucial in expanding your understanding and approach towards your sport, education, and career. We live in a small world, and you’re bound to make great connections along the way. Learning how to work as a team and have respect for others will go a long way.
References:
https://www.nfhs.org/articles/regardless-of-future-direction-multiple-sportsactivities-is-best-choice/
https://www.balletbarresonline.com/blogs/news/93291073-why-do-football-players-practice-ballet
https://www.centerfoundation.org/multi-sport-vs-single-sport-athletes/
