WOODBURY–Most athletes have time to rest after their sports season ends, but for people who do three different sports, they don’t get that luxury. They just go straight into the next sport. This can be a hard transition, but it’s also nice to do a variety of after school sports. 

Catherine Viveros, who plays three different sports: field hockey, swim, and track, says “I think having multiple sports is good for someone because it makes them a well-rounded player.”  Doing three different sports can help you learn about working with different people. 

When I finish my field hockey season I have a little time off before swimming starts. Doing different sports helps me keep in shape for my next season. 

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (nfhs.org,) “Multisports athletes 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.”

Viveros says “I feel like the drive is different. I have different aspects to focus on throughout my athletic career.” 

Sean McGee, the athletic director and athletic trainer, says, “It is all about time management. You have to be a student first and athlete second. ‘student-athlete.’” 

In my experience, having sports after school motivates me to get my school work done so I can continue to play my sports. It gives me a steady routine to follow. After school I have practice, when I get home, I get all my homework done and then I eat dinner. It keeps me structured, but having three different sports is also stressful. 

I want to do my best in all three sports, but I don’t do a club team in the off-season since there’s another school sport to play. 

Viveros says, “I feel like the stress level gets high trying to hit all the different sports and trying to do the best I can, but I think it’s fun and I like to experience the different sports through the different seasons.” 

It’s nice to have a variety of sports even though it might seem hard to get really good at one when you have another sport in the spring and winter. However, playing multiple sports helps give different body structures a rest while still being active. 

According to the sports medicine specialists at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, kids who specialize in playing one sport early on have an increased risk of overuse injuries from intense training. They’re also more likely to experience burnout from playing the same sport every season or stress from playing too often. 

Doing only one sport can cause injuries, because you’re overusing one body structure. Playing multiple sports, though, helps prevent those kinds of injuries, but it comes at a cost.

According to McGee, “Each sport is different and uses different structures. As an athlete, you should always be somewhat active. You can rest but do not rest too long as you will regress.”

The main struggle I face in playing three sports is having free time, but I enjoy being structured.

McGee says  “Commitment and time management are the largest things they can face. You have to be organized and a good student. There are many more benefits playing multiple sports.”