“I Want Athletes. Bring Me Athletes!”

Every high school sports coach wants athletes in their program.  Not just bodies to occupy space on the field, but actual athletes.

You know, the kids with the special talent to be able to walk out and just pick up a sport or particular skill.  The kids who are naturally fast, agile and strong.  The kids who can PLAY!

Growing up in Ohio, I have come to love and appreciate high school football (I firmly believe that some of those teams could potentially beat the Browns right now!).  So naturally, I have been following the football state championship here in Arizona.  No doubt these teams have athletes, with many of them having committed to various Division 1 universities next year.

As I watch these teams play, I often wonder if the coach is doing anything to encourage his athletes to take part in other sports when it is not football season.  I was fortunate enough in high school to have coaches who encouraged us to play other sports when we were not in our specific season.  However, I get the feeling that many coaches these days are very selfish about their players.

“If it isn’t football season, I want you just lifting and getting ready for next year.”

Obviously, this is the wrong approach to take, as playing a variety of sports creates better athletes at this age.  If you look at the background of professional athletes, you will surely find that many of them excelled at several different sports in high school (and often even in college).  They developed multiple skills and abilities and in doing so, those skills and abilities translated into them being more well rounded athletes.

Looking back at some of the great guest articles that friends and colleagues have submitted to my blog this past month, it is exciting to note how all of these coaches get it. They understand long-term athletic development and they understand that athletes need to develop many abilities (general skills) if they ever want to thrive in the competitive world of collegiate or professional sports.  If you missed some of those articles, you can find them under the “Youth Athletes” category tag on our home page.

So, getting back to high school football.  I wonder if the teams that are in it right now - the teams that are in it at the end of the season – have coaches who encourage their athletes to play other sports when football is not in season?

After all, if you “want athletes” on your team, you have to create a healthy environment for them to develop and grow.  Learning and participating in other sports like basketball, lacrosse, baseball and track and field, will raise the overall abilities of your athletes and allow them to develop to a higher potential.  Don’t squander their athleticism by making them specialize in one sport to soon.

Patrick
patrick@optimumsportsperformance.com