It was a tough decision, but, at the time, I thought it was the right one.  I would quit basketball, the game I loved, for tennis, the game I loved even more.  I knew the commitment basketball would be in high-school, and I knew I wanted to put all my time and effort into tennis.  But two hip surgeries and a long hiatus later from playing sports, and I can’t help but question my decision.  Would being a multi-sport athlete change anything?  Maybe, but probably not.  Either way, I now believe that being a multi-sport competitor is almost always the best decision for a student athlete.

We all have our favorite sport.  Some of us enjoy non-contact sports more than contact sports, but, like me, many people simply love playing any and every game.  It is just fun being out on a court or field competing against others.  Of course, not everyone is an athlete, and there are millions of people that do not enjoy sports at all, and that is okay.  But to those that do love competing, don’t stop in high-school.  High-school athletics provide a way for teenagers to stay active.  While this might seem simple and obvious, it seems like many teenagers struggle to stay busy.  When boredom takes over, high-school students often times turn to things that are not as beneficial as sports.  This may be video games, television, or, in extreme cases, drugs and alcohol.  Ultimately, keeping a teenager occupied cannot be a bad thing, and participating in multiple sports, in addition to school work, will most definitely take up most of one’s free time.

There are other reasons as to why being a multi-sport athlete in high-school is important.  The most significant of these reasons is that playing multiple sports trains the body in many different ways.  Basketball, for example, will strengthen completely different muscles than tennis.  If you only play one sport, certain muscles will grow and strengthen while others will weaken, which leads to injuries.  So while many athletes may think concentrating all their time on one sport is beneficial, quite the opposite can be true.

There are cases though where concentrating on one sport becomes necessary.  For those that plan on making a living off of athletics, quitting all other sports to concentrate on one may be necessary.  However, there have been many professional athletes that have played multiple sports through high-school and even college.  For example, Russell Wilson, the quarterback of the Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks, played both football and baseball during his college career.  There are also multiple future college athletes at Westminster that have been able to play two sports at a high level.  It can be done, and, for most multi-sport athletes, the dedication and time spent on different sports has been both beneficial and enjoyable.

I realize that participating in multiple sports is a huge commitment.  In fact, playing just one sport can be a huge commitment, but if there is still a desire and some love for a sport, I would recommend that you continue to compete in that sport.  It does not necessarily have to be for Westminster.  In fact, sometimes an athlete’s best option is to just play on a pick-up basketball or soccer team.  This way he or she can continue to compete with less pressure.

Ultimately, the decision comes down to you.  What I think most people want to avoid is making a decision that they will eventually regret.  I know that I have, at times, regretted my decision to quit basketball, but I also understand that not playing basketball has benefited me in different areas of my life outside of sports.  In the end, if there is still a desire to compete in a certain sport do not give that sport up.  Continue to play until your love for it dies out.