The youth sports of today have vastly changed compared to the past. There are more competitive travel teams than ever before, and many athletes are focusing on playing only one sport throughout the entire year. Although specializing in one sport can be beneficial for some athletes, playing multiple sports, especially when young, offers even more advantages.
At Warren Academy, we offer a variety of athlete training programs designed to help improve athleticism, skills and determination. However, our focus goes far beyond sports performance. We focus on helping young athletes become great in everything they do!
We have worked with athletes of all ages, sports and backgrounds, and we understand the benefits of playing multiple sports throughout your life. Below, we go over some of the top benefits of being a multi-sport athlete.
Reduced risk of overuse injuries
One of the biggest advantages of playing multiple sports is that it can help lower the risk of overuse injuries occurring. When athletes are playing the same sport all year long, they tend to use the same muscles all year long. They go through the same motions, using the same movements. This can be hard on young athletes’ bodies. Playing multiple sports requires athletes to utilize different muscles and movements, ultimately reducing the chance of overuse injuries. This also helps improve overall athleticism, as athletes are required to build full-body strength that is functional across every sport they play!
Improves recruiting resume
As athletes age into high school, college sports become the goal. When college coaches look at prospective athletes, those who play multiple sports stand out in a good way! From a college coach’s perspective, multi-sport athletes tend to see fewer injuries, are usually more coachable and can usually transition to new positions easier than those who have specialized in one sport and position for their entire life. Now, this may not be completely true for all athletes, but this is one of the many benefits of playing multiple sports. On top of that, playing multiple sports shows college coaches that you are always competing.
Improved social and psychological wellness
Playing multiple sports can also benefit young athletes’ social skills and psychological wellness. Athletes who play multiple sports will have the opportunity to meet and interact with different groups, and make friends that last a lifetime. This gives young athletes different experiences and allows them to not only have fun but truly find what they are most passionate about. Having varied experiences like that will help young people find their identity.
Reduced burnout
Lastly, playing multiple sports offers young athletes new, exciting and fun experiences throughout the year, which ultimately can lead to reduced burnout. When athletes are playing the same sport year-round, year-after-year, it can become so repetitive and exhausting to the point where it’s not fun anymore. This is where burnout comes into play. By playing multiple sports, athletes can avoid this!
As you can see, there are many multi-sport athlete benefits. Multi-sport athletes tend to have improved health and wellness, decreased injury rate, improved athleticism and improved leadership and teamwork. Being a versatile athlete goes a long way, on and off the field.
If you are looking for an off-season training program this year, visit our website today to learn more about our athlete training programs!
