Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion High School 0ne Sport Athletes vs Multi-Sport Athletes

A recent thread recently made mention of the presumed benefits of an athlete being allowed to devote his (or her) time, energy, talents and/or resources to the prospects of excelling at one sport - to the exclusion of all others.

While it is hard to argue with the notion that any athlete's exclusive devotion to one sport will, in all likelihood, significantly hone and improve his/her skills in that particular sport ... the debate (at least in my mind) continues as to whether this phenonoma serves "most" athletes well.

I guess that I understand and appreciate, that athletes, who early on display extra-ordinary or exceptional talent and skills in a particular sport, may well be wise to focus their attention exclusively on a given sport, thereby preventing injury and ensuring or otherwise enhancing their prospects for a much needed college scholarship. I can also appreciate the fact that "excelling" at one sport, as opposed to merely "participating" in a variety of sports, may well serve to create a more positive identity with their peers and adults alike, thus enhancing that child's self-esteem and make him/her feel better about his or herself.

I guess I just lament the loss of that period in time when "most" superior athletes in high school, themselves chose to participate in several different high school sporting events throughout their high school careers, and were otherwise encouraged to do so by their parents, fans and coaches alike. In the main, I don't think that mind-set exists today, certainly not to the same extent as it did 20, 30 years ago.

I'm left to surmise that those years went by the wayside long about the same time kids quit congregating informally at playgrounds and vacant fields to choose up sides and compete, without adult supervision. When is the last time you saw a group of boys, in any number, playing pick-up baseball, basketball or football, or for that matter, any other athletic endeavor, without formal adult supervision?

I don't question whether our athletes today, in virtually any sport, are vastly superior to those of that nostalgic era I mention. I know that they are superior today. I also appreciate the fact that this concept of "specialization" certainly factors into this superiority. I'm just not sure that it serves "most" athletes well, in the long-run.

I'm aware that there are many athletes scattered all over Kansas and the nation, who choose to not "specialize" or limit their participation to only one sport, and who, in fact, excell, in many sports. In Kansas high-school wrestling, many outstanding, accomplished wrestlers come to mind in these regards. I'm just not sure that it is as commonplace as it once was, perhaps given the pressures exerted by overly ambitious and/or zealous parents, fans and coaches, who deliberately and/or subliminally encourage an athlete to pick a sport and excel and not "waste" their limited time, talents and money, on another sport - even though that particular athlete may truly enjoy the other sport.

The "jack-of-all-trades" athlete is in danger of becoming obsolete. Who knows, maybe its for the best.

In the sport of wrestling, I labor under no delusion that, in most instances (recognizing that there are always exceptions to every rule), allowing for dramatice improvement and/or becoming an "elite" wrestler, almost of necessity, requires considerably more devotion to the sport than otherwise permitted during the course of a regular high school season. Certainly participation in competition beyond the regular high-school season exposes a wrestler to different coaches and wrestlers and, no doubt, provides invaluable mat-time/competition - arguably the single most important ingredients deemed essential to allow for improvement and/or excellance in this gruelling and challenging sport. With that said, I recognize that if a wrestler aspires to quickly improve and/or join that select group of "elite" wrestlers, he probably will need to make some hard choices ... something has got to give ( i.e. is it going to be summer baseball or wrestling, etc... are you going to play soccer in the fall, or concentrate on strength training and improving wrestling techniques, etc...)

I guess that You just hope that the athletes makes their choices for their own particular reasons, without the burdens of persuasion brought about by the selfish interests and motivations of otherwise well-meaning parents, so-called fans and coaches.

Put another way: when that athlete leaves sports behind, as most do at an early age, will that athlete later be left to wonder: If only I hadn't devoted my time exclusively to (fill in the blank) I think that I would have enjoyed participating in(again, fill in the blank) and could have been pretty good at it - or - If only I had devoted my time, energy and talents exclusively to (fill in the blank) and eliminated participation in other sports, I could have been really good and probably excelled at(again, fill in the blank).

I can't honestly say which sentiment I'd rather be left with, as each holds some appeal. To each his own, I suppose - with emphasis placed on "own".

I actually like the Kansas rules which force kids to diversify or to set out. With the exception of a few superior/extraordinary kids, I personally think they need a break from time to time. They are developing and growing all thru thier young lives, and not all at the same pace. Many kids will never be a true star in a sport. But, if they are encouraged to participate in several different ones, they can find one which they excell at.
And by excelling I mean on a personal level as well. One doesn't have to be a champion to achieve success. Sports teaches us much more than that, even tho we only seem to recognize the champions.

Great post SV but I prefer to let the athlete select his path and rules that prohibit choice or the pursuit of excellence are frankly, UnAmerican.

I have an answer for you: Focusing on wrestling will not leave athletes wishing they had played more sports and wrestled less. Of all the outstanding multisport athletes I know personally, the main theme is that they are disappointed they weren't better at the particular sport they played in college. They had a little fun at the other stuff, but they would have rather been D1 material in the particular sport they loved the most. Also, there is still plenty of time to prepare oneself to excell in at least 2 sports -- wrestling and football complement each other anyway. It may be more difficult to excell at 2 skill sports such as wrestling and baseball, which have different skill sets, but, hey, baseball isn't a sport anyway. I saw some kids playing a game of pickup basketball yesterday without adult supervision, and it ticked me off ... big time!

P.S. I'm from a small school that, in my last 2 years there, took home state medals in football, basketball, baseball, and golf. I have a first- and a second-place state medal from 2 of those plus my wrestling state medal. So, I know a lot of great multisport athletes. I would have gladly traded in that state medal in my 3rd-favorite sport for the chance to be great at my favorite -- wrestling.

Bach:

I'm not familiar with the Kansas rules you mention, which force kids to "diversy or set out". Can you explain what you mean and/or where your coming from with these remarks?

C.C.

Not that I was searching for an "answer", to begin with, but you lost me when you denigrated baseball and basketball, as worthy "sports" endeavors.

That remark aside, I'll give you this: you must have been a pretty special athlete.

Svo I should have probably said encourage-instead of "force".

i excelled at baseball...i just moved here from georgia my senior year were all we did was baseball...i played for my "spring team" and did awesome to...i did alright at wrestling this year finish top 12 in the state..were i was predicted to win state in georgia..and that is a huge confidence crusher...but i decided not to play baseball my Senior year to focus on wrestlin becuase wrestlin is my true love...no matter if im a million times better at baseball than wrestling

Something crazy i must mention... there is a kid who lives two rooms down from me... played 7 sports in 1 yr... i told him he was full of it, but he pulled out all the letter certificates... Football, Cross Country, Swimming, Wrestling, Baseball, Golf, and Track... now hes playing golf here. crazy... i was fine just being a one sport athlete, but its not like i could be succesful in anyother sport

Wow! The guy must have been on a mission. I've only known 1 guy that played 2 sports in the same season -- my older brother, who was part of the class ahead of me. He set a school record in golf and in track in the same season. I've never heard of anyone else multisporting like that, let alone doing it all through the year. The part that is really amazing is playing 3 sports in the Spring, with golf and baseball conflicting terribly in skill sets.

_________________________
"Man that ball got outta here in a hurry. I mean anything travels that far oughta have a darn stewardess on it, don't you think?" - Bull Durham

Brandon I know at some schools it is diffcult to juggle a multi-sport schedule. But I as a coach have always admired the athletes that were involved in mutli-sports. The athletes that are involved will usually maintain a good G.P.A. One of my son's good friends Brady Lamar of Silver Lake High School actually went to state in three sports(earned a medal) all four years and had a 4.0 G.P.A. The sports were Football,Baseball and Wrestling. In fact Brady and Tyler went to OCC training camp in Colorado Springs their junior summer and missed only two-dbl headers in summer legion ball. Tell your friend congratulations on his prep career. I am sure school is out in a couple of weeks. So enjoy your summerRMG

Coach Lamar, ..How is Brady these days ?

My nephew. I still can not believe what he did in high school.
Below is an article I saved. He went on to play football at U of Minnesota for Glenn Mason - Currently playing football in Sweeden. My brother Dave is the HS wrestling coach and needed a heavy weight during Pat's Junior and Senior year.

Senior Year

Football - Captain middle linebacker and quarter back
Basketball - Captain - Power Forward
Wrestling - Captain - Heavy Weight
Baseball - Captain - Catcher - great hitter


Neenah’s McCarthy balancing two sports
By Dan VanderPas
Post-Crescent assistant sports editor
Pat McCarthy yearns to tuck his head under the pillow, snub the world and doze off for a couple of more hours.
It’s 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, and the Neenah senior is exhausted.
Memories of the 68-66, four-overtime basketball loss at Appleton West the night before boggle his mind.
McCarthy, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound forward, and his teammates had given the Terrors and Division I prospect Brian Butch (played for U of Wisconsin Madison in College), a 6-11 center, everything they could handle.
But this Saturday is a new day and a new challenge for the remarkable Neenah athlete.
He knows he has to hop out of bed so he can help his team, including his father, Neenah wrestling coach Dave McCarthy, sophomore brother, Tim, and close friend Tate Wheeler do well in the Ripon Multidual.
It certainly isn’t easy for Pat to greet the day.
“That was one of the few mornings I had to help pull Pat out of bed,” said Dave McCarthy, who is in his 13th season as Neenah’s wrestling coach.
Pat remembered getting on the bus and then sleeping his way to Ripon. When he got there, he found that his early draw in the 275-pound class was 6-4, 290-pound University of Wisconsin football recruit Randy Gyllin of Mauston, who finished second at state in Division 2 last year.
Pat didn’t back down, though. Whether it’s football, wrestling, basketball, baseball or the classroom, where he has a 3.94 grade-point average, Pat has always been ready for a challenge.
“We knew we had to rest Pat when we could at Ripon,” coach McCarthy recalled. “We didn’t know how much we could get out of him. We got there and found that Pat had drawn this kid (Gyllin) who finished second at state. Pat was giving up 65 to 70 pounds to him.”
When he learned of the matchup, Pat didn’t flinch. “Pat told me that a match like this was something he got up for,” coach McCarthy said.
Pat decisioned Gyllin and tied for first in Ripon at 275. Appleton West’s Chris Guay finished at 5-0 in the meet, McCarthy ended up 3-0. Gyllin placed third.

Some kids are just not happy unless they are doing a sport all the time. Jason has been participating in any sport he can since he was 4, soccer, basketball, wrestling, football, tennis, powerlifting. His eighth grade year, his class held Ark Valley League Champ titles in football, basketball, wrestling, and tennis. Many of the boys played all the sports. Now they are freshman and many of them have narrowed it down to 2 sports. Jason played football, wrestling, is on the powerlifting team, and is now playing baseball. He also holds a 4.0 GPA, taking 2 classes that are normally Junior classes. He has always played summer baseball and talked about taking the summer off, but this past week has been saying he doesn't know if he wants the summer off or not. He knows that staying involved in something all the time keeps him in shape. The boys are always getting together to play baseball or basketball or working out at the Y, they are a very sports oriented class and they don't do much of anything else. At this point, he does not know if he wants to do a sport in college, maybe after he decides that he will concnetrate on that one sport, but until then I think he will keep us jumping all the time to whatever sport he is involved in at the time.