Perry Meridian High School Athletics

Participating in Multiple Sports, Activities Continues to be Best Route to Success There has been an ongoing debate for many years regarding the advantages or disadvantages of focusing on one sport during teenage and high school years vs. playing a number of different sports. Some people have argued that to be successful in a particular sport at the college level requires a person to devote all energy to that sport throughout high school. While this approach may work for some, an ever-increasing majority of athletes believe playing multiple sports leads to more success – on the athletic front and careers outside sports as well. Playing multiple sports in high school is truly a winning formula. In addition to enhancing chances for a college scholarship and playing a sport at the highest level, there are innumerable benefits for the 95 percent of high school athletes who will not play at higher levels. Multiple-sport participants have a reduced risk of overuse injuries, are able to learn from multiple coaches, participate in cross-training which leads to better athleticism, have better mental development and teamwork skills, and have a reduced chance of burnout in sports. Further, students can enjoy multiple activities concurrently, such as participation on a sports team while also belonging to a performing arts group. Full Article Attached.