By Sammy Moss

Sports specialization has become more popular over the years, but is this good or bad? Many people think that specializing in one sport will help them gain all the skills needed to become the star athlete or gain an athletic scholarship, but that’s not the case. Sports specialization can cause injuries and does not guarantee an athletic scholarship.

All sports have specific movements that are repeated. These repeated movements can cause some muscles to become stronger while others weaken. The overuse of muscles used for skill and the lack of strength in others can cause injuries. For example, a baseball player can injure his shoulder because of overuse with the repetition of the throwing motion. Playing multiple sports allows athletes to work on their strength, agility, and coordination. This helps athletes become better all-around athletes and reduces the risk of injury which can help them be successful.

Focusing only on one sport does not guarantee an athlete’s success or a college scholarship. Being a successful athlete takes more than just skill it takes hard work, a positive attitude, and the ability to be a team player. College coaches look for all of these things and more. Coaches want their players to continue to get better once they get to college. A player that has played multiple sports in high school will improve a lot more in their college sport than someone that has specialized. Research has shown that most NCAA Division I athletes most likely played multiple sports in high school.

Playing multiple sports not only makes athletes better but can also give them a chance to get to know many different people and be a part of different teams. Specializing does not give an athlete the opportunity to do this because they are around the same teammates all the time.

Encourage others to continue playing a variety of sports to reduce injuries, to be more successful, and to meet new people.