Less multi-sport players now?

[EastOfRaleigh]

Is it my imagination , or are there less top HS athletes playing several sports (3 sports per school year ; one each "season") now than in past years?

I'm familiar with a local HS where most of the basketball players (male & female) only play basketball. That's OK, except that I'm aware of several kids that don't play basketball that were definitely better players in the past youth rec leagues and middle school years than the ones that are playing varsity now. I don't think it's a coach thing; the coaches are considered to be above average.
However the basketball teams at this school are doing poorly in the W-L record.
Any stats available on this? or would be interested in your observations. Thanks.

[bigdan]

Up here where I live, we have quite a few that still play multiple sports. For example, Anna Atkinson, who IMO was the best girls basketball player to ever play in McDowell County also played soccer in the spring. I never watched her play soccer, but I've been told she was as good in soccer as she was in basketball. Starting in her junior year, she concentrated on basketball because it was her best shot of getting a free ride somewhere. Anna also played on the girls tennis team in the fall months. Something I've also noticed with the girls up here, a lot of the basketball players also play volleyball in the fall. There's something about being in shape for volleyball ( I guess it's the ability of being agile and being able to jump) which also pays off when hoops season comes around.

The boys up here are different. They usually go with one sport and stick with it. Of course there are a few exceptions but for the most part, the boys that play up here play one particular sport. The fact that we are more a basketball school instead of a football school may have something to do with that. Even the baseball team is made up of people who play just baseball.

[SuperJon]

West Stokes seems to be the opposite of this. Just look at the baseball team:

Andrew O'Neal - Football, soccer, basketball, baseball
Cory Crumley - Football, basketball, baseball
Sam Jones - Football, basketball, baseball
Drew Hampton - Soccer, basketball, baseball
Nich Boles - Soccer, football, baseball
Jacob Moore - basketball, baseball
Thomas Newsome - basketball, baseball
JD Mabe - Footall, basketball, baseball
Drew Overton - Wrestling, baseball, cross country
Seth Holderfield - Football, basketball, baseball
Jonathan Adams - Football, basketball, baseball
Ryan Taylor - Football, baseball
Jared Dubose - Football, baseball

13 of the 14 players on the baseball team have played at least one other sport, 8 have played two others sports, and one has played three other sports.

[NCBBallFan]

Depends entirely on the size of the school ....

.... once you get up into the schools with 2000-2500 students, it's tougher to play 3 sports ... it's tougher to make the squads.

There are exceptions ... but they are just that ... exceptions. When my son was at North Meck, there were 3 players who played other sports. Two played football, the other basketball. This is for the entire 4 years he was there.

The schools are larger now.

[72Hogmaster]

IMHO it is a result of mammas and pappys wanting lil' johnny to get a full ride in a sport where the chances of that happening are slim to none (not counting FB here where there is much more opportunity to get a full or partial scholly). I see this more in baseball than anything, most of the baseball players will never get a baseball sholly which are few and far between, but they could get a full ride in football if they utilized their athletic talents more broadly. Another factor in the non football sports is the AAU/Legion coaches who tell their player that they will mess up their shot/swing/ chances to get a scholly if they play x sport. Let the kids play.:banginghe :banginghe :banginghe

[EastOfRaleigh]

Depends entirely on the size of the school ....

.... once you get up into the schools with 2000-2500 students, it's tougher to play 3 sports ... it's tougher to make the squads.

There are exceptions ... but they are just that ... exceptions. When my son was at North Meck, there were 3 players who played other sports. Two played football, the other basketball. This is for the entire 4 years he was there.

The schools are larger now.

I agree that the larger the school, probably the less # of kids playing multiple sports. Wonder if actual statistics would validate this?

[dribbles]

AAU type squads have brought upon the unbefore seen pressure of staying with your team year round and having "year round programs"

It's the old big fish in small pond or small fish in big pond choice for most athletes.
Usually it's easier when the sports are similar " say a track star, swimmer, & Cross country runner. The skilled position sports would pose a more difficult double or triple for most teenagers.
Atklinson was a good one at McDowell, Freedom probably has the air apparent to that type of athlete. Freshman Ali Ford played 4 sports and was all conference in 3 ( Golf, Basketball, softball) also ran cross country.

..don't think Anna even did that!

[EastOfRaleigh]

[quote=dribbles..don't think Anna even did that![/quote]

who is "Anna"?

[dribbles]

read post 2 of this thread...Anna was from McDowell now at wingate.

[FootballGOD]

In Alexander Central there are quite a few seniors that play two sports and are pretty good at them. not many 3 sport atheletes except for Dustin Harrington who plays football (9 INT so far this year) basketball (started as Freshman) and baseball (commited to ECU as pitcher)

[footballfever181]

at Watauga we have
Eric Brietenstein -football, baseball
Mitchell Harris -football, basketball
Dalton Hardee -basketball, baseball
Baine Martin - football, basketball, baseball
Jake Wallace - football, baseball, basketball
Cam Steury - football, basketball, track
Caleb Martin- football, baseball
Tanner Martin - football, baseball
and thats just a few
and over at avery i hear that every student plays 5 sports and is in the band! lol :army: