The Benefit of Being a Multi-Sport Athlete

Now more than ever, student athletes are opting for a multi-sport approach. We no longer see top student-athletes playing just one sport. This is partially due to an athlete’s innate talent. If they enjoy playing baseball and hockey, while being relatively good at both, it only makes sense to play both. Some students are looking to maximize their scholarship money too. There are many fantastic physical and mental benefits to playing sports year round. Here are just a few:

Keeps Students in Shape

The more sports you play the more practicing, games, and training, you subject yourself too. All that training keeps student athletes in excellent shape, which in turn helps with their performance in all sports. It’s inevitable, the more active you are, the better shape you’ll be in. Multi-sport athletes gain a leg up on their competition year after year because they have less of an “off season” to get lazy and stop training. Some multisport athletes are so involved that they barely have time to relax between seasons let alone sit long enough to fall out of shape.

Every Practice Influences Abilities for Other Sports

No matter what sport you participating in, there are aspects of training that will lend across different sports. Cross Country training for example pairs quite nicely with soccer. As a distance runner, you are used to running for hours on end. This kind of stamina would benefit a soccer player immensely. Plus, the more sports you play, the better your reflexes and hand-eye coordination develop.

Exposure to Different Team Dynamics

Not every team is created equal. As a multi-sport athlete, you get to see how teams function as a unit and how coaching styles vary. This is an excellent position for students to learn how to navigate difficult situations. You are almost guaranteed to have at least one boss you can’t stand. Not to mention coworkers that really get under your skin. The same types of dynamics will be present on different sports teams. The more exposed you become, the more you know what to expect and how to handle it.

Time Management Skills

It is no easy task to take on multiple sports throughout the year. Between practices and games, you have to be on top of your schedule to make it all happen. You still need room for friends, family, and schoolwork in order to be a truly successful student. Time can get away from you and tests will creep up faster than expected. The more organized you are, the easier your life will be.

Better Grades

All student athletes need to have acceptable grades to be eligible to play their sport of choice. Athletes who are only playing one sport have less pressure on them in terms of school work and eligibility requirements. Multi-sport athletes, on the other hand, have to juggle school work, games, and eligibility requirements all year long. This pushed them to work harder in the classroom, thus resulting in better grades.

Great Chance of Scholarship

The odds of a multi-sport student athlete receiving scholarship money is generally higher than single sport athletes. If you happen to have stellar grades AND are talented in more than one sport, recruiters will be looking at you. Plus, it’s nice to have options. Each school will be known for a certain sport, so you’ll have the option to choose between a bunch of different schools. Those schools will offer varying different levels of assistance, so you may end up with the luxury of picking a sport that comes with a bigger scholarship.