BY DAVID DEACON
Atheletes have a drive to be the best that they can be at their sport; their fuel that drives them is competition. However, their fuel can also be their downfall, since competition leads players to participate in multiple sports. Around the country, some high school coaches are restricting their players to only play one sport, and this is a commendable act in order to preserve an athlete’s future.
One problem that arises when doing more than one sport is the increase in the likely-hood that the athlete will get injured. With more contact and stress on the muscles, the chances of injury increase, not just in games but also in practice. According to stopsportsinjuries.org, approximately 62% of all high school sport injuries are inflicted in practice, and more practices will increases the number of injuries. After an athlete gets hurt their first instinct is to look into where they went wrong; when playing multiple sports and getting injured, athletes usually regret taking up the sport that injured them. Stopsportsinjuries.org conducted research stating that high school athletes account for an estimated 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations each year. These numbers will only continue to soar, unless players are restricted to one sport.
It’s not only physical injuries that should restrict athletes, future academic opportunities should also be considered. Research done by ncaa.org states that, “According to recent statistics, about 2 percent of high school athletes are awarded athletics scholarships to compete in college. This small number means high school student-athletes and their parents need to have realistic expectations about receiving an athletic scholarship to play sports in college. Academic, not athletic, achievement is the most reliable path to success in life.” This is a clear indicator that proves that students in high school need to focus on education rather than multiple sports to insure a successful life outside the realm of sports.
There are certain benefits to playing a sport, but the benefits don’t increase with the number of sports played.Truesport.org states, their list of 10 benefits to sports included being more academically inclined. However, with more stress on the mind and an increase of disorganization (because of playing multiple sports), the effects of increased intelligence through sports will be hindered.
When looking at the effects of the physical and mental stability on athletes from sports, it is clear that there should be rules to prevent athletes from playing multiple sports.
