One sport vs playing multiple sports?

[Greenmonsters]

If you have 2 similar players, I'd put my money on the multi-sport athlete. The thinking being that that player, because they have not played softball full-time, likely has a higher ceiling and is more likely to improve more once they switch to just focusing on softball than the player who has only played softball.

 

[CoogansBluff]

If you have 2 similar players, I'd put my money on the multi-sport athlete. The thinking being that that player, because they have not played softball full-time, likely has a higher ceiling and is more likely to improve more once they switch to just focusing on softball than the player who has only played softball.

Hard to argue w/ that.

But the moral of the story isn't to play multiple sports if you want to best position yourself for a scholarship. Those ''2 similar players'' might not be so similar if both played multiple sports. The lesser athlete might've been left behind. Playing multiple sports is great. But it should not be done strategically, to put oneself in better position for a scholarship. Should be about what you enjoy doing, IMO. (Not that you were saying otherwise.)

 

[Amy in AZ.]

No, you get no credit for babysitting your siblings and keeping your room clean. It is expected that you do those things.

The top 10 girls at 2nd base are going to get offers. The next top 50, have to do something extra. One thing that helped my son get into U of Chicago (he didn't play ball) was chairing the scholastic team to a 3rd place in state. What helped him get his first summer job at a bank, was 4 years of baseball on his resume'. He had the necessary grades and the slow pitch team needed a fielder. You just never know what is going to stand out about someone.

Travel is probably good. Traveling alone, is probably better.

Get to know something about the school that you want to attend. If I wanted to go to a place like Liberty, I would volunteer to teach vacation bible school.

Also, I have been told that it is better to have a couple of high school clubs that you belong to, as opposed to 10. Because a coach would think that you can't possibly do your best in 10 school clubs.

 

[SBmom8992]

I saw this article and thought it would be an interesting read related to this thread. Although it is lacrosse college coaches perspectives, the mindset may carry over to softball.

College Lacrosse Coaches Sound Off on Multi-Sport Participation

 

[CoogansBluff]

No, you get no credit for babysitting your siblings and keeping your room clean. It is expected that you do those things.

The top 10 girls at 2nd base are going to get offers. The next top 50, have to do something extra. One thing that helped my son get into U of Chicago (he didn't play ball) was chairing the scholastic team to a 3rd place in state. What helped him get his first summer job at a bank, was 4 years of baseball on his resume'. He had the necessary grades and the slow pitch team needed a fielder. You just never know what is going to stand out about someone.

Travel is probably good. Traveling alone, is probably better.

Get to know something about the school that you want to attend. If I wanted to go to a place like Liberty, I would volunteer to teach vacation bible school.

Also, I have been told that it is better to have a couple of high school clubs that you belong to, as opposed to 10. Because a coach would think that you can't possibly do your best in 10 school clubs.

I don't disagree w/ your original comment, that those resume fillers will get you places. I'm just saying that some of it is pretentious. As for keeping your room clean, yes, you're supposed to do it. But not everyone does. You're supposed to run on and off the field and not throw your helmet when you strike out. Not everyone does (except when they think coaches are watching). How you treat your parents, your friends, your siblings, those don't show up on paper, but they're much more important. My point is that you don't have to do things that look good on paper to be a good kid who will do well in college. But nowadays college candidates must do things to make themselves look good.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I know what you can't do - get caught cheating on a test. DD had an opponent that thought that she was going to ASU. Allegedly she got caught taking pictures of biology tests, her junior year. She did end up at a major university, but didn't last long.

Sometimes, it takes more than being a top pitcher in the state. Dad was driving her several hours, to a top TB team and she threw it all away.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I know what you can't do - get caught cheating on a test.

Unless you're a football player. See Cam Newton.

 

[YOCOACH]

Further, they are strangely coddled at the same time with food rewards, telephones, and parents carrying their catchers' bag. Some of the kids question everything and complain about being hot or tired or hurt in efforts to get out of hard work or fear of letting parents down.

Amy is right.

And although I agree with everything you have said, you single out the TB coaches. I can tell you stories about the HS coaches around here that have had their Senior catcher that has had back surgery in her Junior year, and shoulder surgery in her Senior year, start over another Senior and a Freshman that were both much better than her. Mom was President of the Booster Club. Enough said.

The Senior Catcher in question was around a 2.7 on a throwdown to 2 but it didn't matter and even though she was medically cleared to play, she ended up having to have back surgery again 2 weeks before the season ended. It was a joke. The coaches didn't care if she was injured or not. All they cared about was if they played a politically correct player or not. Injury never came into the discussion even though it was wildly apparent to those of us spectators that she was hurting pretty bad.

 

[riseball]

That is because in OLIF's mind coaching High School ball in her area is the pinnacle of coaching. Everyone else is clueless and all they do is destroy players careers, minds, and bodies through poor coaching and overuse injuries.

 

[riseball]

The biggest obstacle to success finding an opportunity with a college program is Coaches, Parents, and Players over-thinking what is a pretty straightforward process. It is not rocket science.